PN to run for mini-councils

The Nationalist Party will be contesting the mini-council elections, planned for March but both the Labour Party and Alternattiva Demokratika are still undecided.

All three parties welcomed the setting up of the administrative committees, which would allow small areas within local councils to be better represented at council level.

On Monday, Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said announced that 16 minor localities that fell under local councils - just like Paceville falls within St Julians - would have their own administrative committees.

The idea is that such localities, which are somewhat cut off from the towns or villages they fall under, will be better able to meet their own particular needs while operating within the normal council structure. The president would participate in council meetings but would not have a vote. The five-member committees will serve for four years once they are elected by residents in the area through simplified elections planned for March.

Will these mini-council elections be handled in a partisan manner as happens with the local council elections?

Dr Said replied that nothing in the law precluded political parties from contesting these elections.

In fact, the PN would be submitting its candidates, said party general secretary Paul Borg Olivier.

"The PN has actively and uninterruptedly participated in the local democratic process, a process we will continue to take part in even at hamlet level in the interest of, and committed to, the community," he said.

Dr Borg Olivier added that the party agreed with setting up such administrative hamlets "as they allow for the better development of these areas".

Labour and AD agreed with the committees because they were in favour of bringing decision-making structures closer to the people.

Spokesmen for the two parties said they would be discussing whether to contest the mini-council elections at party level.

In contrast, the leader of Azzjoni Nazzjonali, Josie Muscat, shot down the committees as a way of increasing bureaucracy.

"In principle, we are in favour of regional committees and against having too many structures... This will increase bureaucracy and abuse. Let's not forget we're a small country, with 69 MPs who are ending up without a say," he said.

The 16 planned mini-councils could increase in number because the law allowed hamlets that were not listed to be included, Dr Said explained.

Residents could make a request for their local council which, within a month, would make recommendations to the Office of the Prime Minister as the ministry responsible for local government.

The OPM would then evaluate the request within two months and decide whether to include the hamlet in the list of committees according to a set of criteria that included the size and geographical location of the area, he explained.

The 16 localities listed so far are: Fleur-de-Lys within the Birkirkara council, Santa Luċija in Kerċem, Guardamangia in Pietà, Paceville in St Julians, Kappara in San Ġwann, Madliena in Swieqi, Marsalforn in Żebbuġ, Bubaqra in Żurrieq, Xlendi in Munxar; Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq in Naxxar, Swatar in Msida, Burmarrad in St Paul's Bay, Baħrija in Rabat, Tal-Virtù in Rabat, Ħal Farruġ in Luqa and St Peters in Żabbar.