Enforcement income ‘should not be abused’

A number of local councils had used the enforcement system to acquire the resources to spend on initiatives undertaken in their localities, going against the principal aims of the system, Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said told Parliament when introducing the second reading of the Bill amending the Private Guards and Local Wardens Act.

The Bill amends the provisions relating to the revocation or suspension of a licence for a warden agency or for a local warden, through the introduction of an ad hoc disciplinary board.

Dr Said said the local enforcement reform, which had been kept separate from the local councils’ reform, included a number of initiatives. These dealt with the reorganisation and accountability of the system, education in following the law, payment of contraventions, strengthening of the local warden structure, environment protection, legislative changes and customer care.

The reform was needed to ensure communitarian discipline based on education. The system should give priority to education and not to fines. A warning ticket system starting with low fines and increasing for repeat offenders would be introduced.

The regional committees would be screened by the National Audit Office. An independent audit system would be introduced to facilitate the payment of fines. The committees’ executive secretaries would have the same responsibility as those managing local councils.

On the amendment, Dr Said said the wardens’ structure would be strengthened and discussions with unions representing wardens had been held. The success of the reform depended on how hard the wardens worked to educate the public. A board of discipline had been introduced to deal with cases of abuse. Local wardens could have their licence suspended or revoked. A plan to introduce eco wardens was under way.

Edwin Vassallo (PN) said the Bill proposed amendments that would make local council’s enforcement procedure more effective. Wardens were no longer considered as money-making machines but their job was to make citizens more responsible. Fines should follow as a last resort.

It was important that public order was maintained both by the wardens and by the police. Local wardens’ conditions of work were, in fact, becoming more similar to those of the police.

Turning to bouncers in Paceville, Mr Vassallo said it was not ideal to have private wardens who put forward their employer’s interest before the public order. He condemned the opposition’s habit of hiding mistakes made by its councillors and said it was important to have a strong mayor who could lead to the development of the council.

Nationalist MP Frederick Azzopardi said the changes proposed in the Bill would have a positive effect on local councils, which were helping improve sustainability in their localities. The setting up of local councils had strengthened the democratic process.

MUESEC had helped councils benefit from EU funds. The sum of €7.5 million EU funds had been invested in 55 different projects.

The government would shortly be transferring the responsibility of street lighting to local councils. Ċensu Galea (PN) said one could not justify disgruntlement with local wardens because of genuine mistakes. When drivers contravened the law they endangered other drivers and pedestrians and, therefore, they certainly deserved to get booked.

He spoke of speed limits which were 50 kph for small cars but less for bigger ones, trucks and buses. He urged Transport Malta to publish its policy on speed limits and speed cameras because many people were in the dark about them.

Mr Galea asked whether drivers had the right to contest warning tickets. He also asked whether a different tribunal would be set up for such a purpose. He suggested that contravention tickets be published also in English.

He also referred to the parking problem, saying there were 312,000 vehicles on the roads. He suggested that car parks be built under the public private partnership scheme where one had to pay for parking services.

The debate continues.