Government gives Sliema council 10 days to resolve issues
The government has warned that it will dissolve Sliema local council unless it resolves long-standing issues.
The Director for Local Government in a report and a formal notice to the council mentioned investigations carried out by the Internal Audit and Investigations Directorate (IAID) on various irregularities and noted that most allegations had been confirmed.
The former mayor, the former executive secretary, the former deputy executive secretary and a number of council members were involved in the cases. The former mayor and other councillors were even taken to court.
The Local Government Department said it had monitored council meetings and had concluded that the council was unable to function properly.
There were disagreements between the councillors and several efforts to improve the situation proved futile, the director said.
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Mr Emanuel Farrugia
Jan 5th, 12:59
'The Director for Local Government in a report and a formal notice to the council mentioned investigations carried out by the Internal Audit and Investigations Directorate (IAID) on various irregularities and noted that most allegations had been confirmed'.
Well done for your good job - the Director for Local Government.
Emanuel Farrugia former Executive Secretary Mtarfa Local Council
Hossam Helwani
Jan 5th, 10:01
For some who seem to enjoy themselves at what is happening. This should be an eye opener to all that sliema council has in its majority young councillors.
The question is simple. who votes for them? What qualifies them to be councillors
The blame falls directly on those who voted them in. Sliema council is drenched in sagas drama and intrigue.
Pity that the BBC did not hear about them because it could be the base for a more hot then eastenders sitcom. I would call it the sliemenders.
I hope that the electorate learns from this situation and votes for more serious mature councillors.
These applies for the central government as well who recently we have had a show of narcisism servicism and personal interest.
We need to open our eyes and stop voting for young age looks and partisan interests.
Lawrence Fenech
Jan 5th, 09:50
"Resolve issues" pack up and go home and have some respect for our taxes.
Mr Marcel Dingli
Jan 5th, 09:08
Milli qed naqra, stejjer tal wahx u stejjer tax xahx. Heqq, we get the government we vote for, whether it is central or local. Are you happy now folks ????
Paul Azzopardi
Jan 5th, 08:49
I'm not getting this right maybe. Isnt everything in Councils suppose to be transparent?? What I mean is '' Long standing issues'' and ''various irregulerities' and as the Times put it ''More details on the court cases''. Err what details? Where are these details??? Or are these details reserved or hard to get in case of being too embaressing?? At the end of the day Really what are these councils doing that wasn't possible to be done before there where councils? Secondly all these councils on little rock of Malta, what's the reason (apart from maybe a twisted one) There should be ONE council the one WE appointed in parlament that should be councilling this island and not a sad excuse of spending our Tax money on ''councils'' whose irregularities go to show they may not be really all that they where meant to be. Just a thought.
Carmel Garcia
Jan 5th, 04:43
As the Maltese saying,"Kemm konna ahjar meta konna ghar". And Mr Magro well said about the north and south on this little island.
John F. Galea
Jan 5th, 03:40
SHAME on the Sliema Local Council on the present dark impasse prevailing. Serious malpractices, irregularities and incomptence are clearly pointed out in the Internal Audit and Investigations Directorate (IAID) report. Sliema residents were taken for a ride by the same clique they have voted in and entrusted with the administration of said Council.
Sliema residents deserve much better and should vent their displeasure at the coming Local Council Election, of course subject to the Sliema Local Council is still functioning. They should scout for complete fresh blood to be voted in, preferably all independent candidates without having any past or present allegiance to any political party. Sliema abounds with such upright, eligible, dedicated prospective candidates.
A new start should be made strictly and rigourously adhering to the rules and principles pertaining to the proper administration of a Local Council. Residents should monitor that political parties are kept at arm's length and any interference is to be strongly rebutted soonest.
Mr Joseph Carmel Chetcuti
Jan 5th, 01:59
Instead of dissolving the Slimea council, Gonzi should dissolve parliament. After all, there are not a few disagreements within his own ranks. Utter hypocrisy!
Paul Giordimaina
Jan 5th, 09:25
Keep on dreaming Mr Chetcuti and you have to wait you sound very inpatient and maybe you have to wait a very long time.
A V
Jan 4th, 22:50
Maybe it will sound corny, but no Briguglio, no party!
isn't this the point of having 3 parties rather than the usual two? because if things stay the same, everything will end up stale and just like the Sliema local council, without any function. The parallels between the government and the Sliema local council are plenty....
Valerie Calleja
Jan 4th, 21:19
Its about time to get rid of the lot. They are useless and Sliema has been turned into a slum. Try walking the Streets of this once lovely town Dr Gonzi.The pavements are broken to bits by the heavy vehicals . Our once lovely houses have been destroyed, and instead ugly pidgeon holes have been erected.The streets are full of rubbish and dog dirt.I have emailed the present mayor a great many times and have not even had the courtesty of an acknowledgment let alone a reply to my requests. I must say that when Mrs Arrigo was Mayor she never failed to respond to my emails and when possible help us.Time for action
Joe Grech
Jan 4th, 21:10
Malta does not need so many Local Councils. The great majority of the Maltese think so and foreigners are amazed when they get to know that we have over sixty Local Councils for an island the size of a small European town.
The Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition should admit that much and dissolve ALL the Local Councils existing and instead set up a Council for each of the thirteen electoral districts.
It is ridiculous to have hamlets of some hundred citizens with their own Local Council. Do our leaders really mean it when they declare that we should not waste taxpayer money in vain - as is happening locally? Or are they just putting the political agenda before the national interests? I fear that our politicians do not really put the interests of the country first and foremost.
As for the laissez faire, ineptitude and unaccountability - if not the downright abuse - that exists in a good number of Local Councils, that much has repeatedly been proven!
Anybody ready to bet that this latest scandal will soon be forgotten? Hopefully our E.U. bigger brothers will step in to correct the rot - and to check the unnecessary spending of taxpayer money.
Mr Robert Magro
Jan 4th, 20:37
Nispera li dawk in-nies li xi darba kienu jhossuhom 'elite' u li biex jikbru kienu jbaxxu lin-nies tan-naha ta' isfel ta' Malta issa hadu risposta. KEMM JINBIDLU IZ-ZMINIJIET!!
Joe Anastasi
Jan 4th, 22:07
Mr. Magro. Are you trying to tell me that Sliema today is better than it was 40 years ago?
Mr C Busuttil
Jan 5th, 00:16
Nahseb sejjer hazin habib, ghax il-vera Slimizi QATT ma kienu hekk, dawk li qed issemmi inti minn dejjem kienu minoranza zghira li fil-verita meta tigi ghas-si u ghan-no qatt ma ghamlu d-differenza hlief jeqirdu.
Kienu s-Slimizi li verament ihobbu lil dik li kienet l-isbah belt f'pajjizna li kienu jpoggu Tas-Sliema fuq quddiem nett. Fl-oqsma kollha ta' pajjizna kont issib Slimizi li jaghtu l-kontribut. Tas-Sliema kienet belt hajja u mimlija attivita imma dak kien kollu xoghol il-vera slimizi.
Illum Tas-Sliema hija belt anzjana ghax ghaz-zghazagh difficli hafna ssib tixtri post ghax trid eluf kbar. U llum kwazi kwazi ssib aktar barranin milli Maltin.
Il-Kunsill lokali qatt ma ghamel xejn ghax peress li l-partiti jafu li hawn hafna anzjani u ghaldaqstant nies kwieti, dejjem ghazlu nies li l-ewwel interess taghhom huwa ghal partit mhux ghal lokal. F'Tas-Sliema l-ewwel mhux ir-residenti imma l-Business Community ghax minn dawk il-partiti jistaw jakkwistaw x'haga.
Hallew Tas-Sliema titkisser fis-sens tal-kelma llum hawn herba bil-kunsill jigi jaqa w jqum. L-Ghaqdiet tal-lokal minflokk ghajnuna ssibu ntoppi mill-Kunsill jekk mhux jahdem kontra taghhom ghax mhemmx "amor propju".
Ara kunsilli ohra jaraw kif jgiebu fondi biex daqqa jirrestawraw dak il-bini jew haga ohra, Veru ma tantx fadal imma l-ftit li fadal jekk ma tkunx xi parrocca jew xi individwi li jaghmlu xhaga mghandekx cans li l-kunsill jaghmel xhaga. L-anqas ittra fejn titlob xi daqxejn ghajnuna ma jindenjaw jaqraw !!!!! Ghax mhemmx interess !!!!!!
Imma ara biex naghmlu l-fairy lights mas-sigar li mhux xi prijorita hemm Iva ssib il-Kunsill. Hawn kieku gieli ma jkunx xhadd minn naha tal-gvern li jaghmel xi progett kieku ma jsir xejn......
Il-problema qatt ma ha tigi solvuta ghax l-ewwel jigu l-partiti umbghad l-Business Community u fl-ahhar ir-residenti biss mhux kif qed tghid int li tort tas-Slimizi li kienu jbaxxu lin-nies ohra. Dawk mhux il-vera Slimizi.
U jekk tahseb li dawk in-nies ser jiehdu xi risposta b'dak li gara sejjer hazin dawk ma jintresshom xejn hlief li fuq l-indirizz taghhom hemm il-kelma Sliema. Biss taghmilx lis-Slimizi kollha fl-istess keffa ghax taghmel l-istess zball taghhom.
E. Azzopardi
Jan 4th, 19:33
It is very sad that the Sliema council has become totally ineffective. Sliema is deteriorating at a fast past pace in all aspects. Just go around and notice. Therefore, the sooner we have a new local council the better. However, this does not guarantee that things will get better!
Stefano Borg Olivier
Jan 4th, 22:34
I perfectly agree !!
Josef Ebejer
Jan 4th, 19:11
With or without Sliema Council we are better off without. Unless all stock and barrel are removed I think it twice to vote in the coming next election next Marh
Mr C Busuttil
Jan 4th, 18:48
Sliema does not need a local council after all it is only there for the business community and not for the residents.
This is the only Local Council in Malta and Gozo that does its utmost to hamper the local entities instead of helping them. Besides the lack of interest in the chronic problems Sliema faces daily they don't have any interest in the local community. Imbasta naghmlu l-fairy lights mas-sigar jew il-christmas lights.
A clear example of how disinterested this present council is, even in things that don't require much effort, is that about People who made name and should be given some recognition. However instead of receiving a recognition for what they have achieved and making the town proud, they receive a cold shoulder from the Sliema council.
Ask the organizers of a recent testimonial match of one of the best football players in the local game who was and is an example for all youngsters, what kind of help the council gave in organizing the event ? None, although they had made written commitments and promises. I doubt they even attended to the occasion.
This was a small example (imagine on more serious things!!!!) which however speaks much of what kind of council we have.
We need people who love Sliema people that are there not just there to represent their political party but to make a difference.
Anqas Pozi u aktar fatti pls
I sincerely hope that none of the actual councillors dare to present themselves for a new election.
Astrid Vella
Jan 4th, 22:57
I don't think we should tar all councillors with the same brush, as some are very well intentioned. Still I agree, Sliema does not have a functioning Council, why wait to disband it if it hasn't functioned for months!
Sliema residents were sold down the river many years ago by the very people who were supposed to defend their interests. It would be an interesting exercise to extend the investigation to them too, as why would they have defended developers rights' so single-mindedly if they didn't have something to gain?
Mr Lawrence Mifsud
Jan 5th, 08:41
The electorate should seriously think whom to elect: party politics are to be left aside.
Giovann Demartino
Jan 4th, 18:00
The Mosta Local council has received a similar warning at least FOUR TIMES.
Joseph Schembri
Jan 4th, 19:51
Yes, and we are still stuck with a council that has allowed the roads in outlying areas of Mosta to degrade to mere rubble (and blame the central government), allows the rubbish contractor free-will (ex. picking up the rubbish at 16.30 when it should be picked up at 18.00), does nothing about the fact that recycling is never picked up in the Saghjtar area on Fridays, and creates a ridiculous "magazine" 4 times a year ... which sometimes has pages ripped out and lines blacked out.
Then again ... the previous council wasn't much better. At least we get a chuckle out of the conspiracy theories presented to us in the council magazine ...
R. Cilia
Jan 4th, 21:50
Dik serjeta,eh Giovann!
Raymond DeBattista
Jan 5th, 07:21
U d-dizastru li ghandna fit-toroq tal-Mosta xi nghidu ghalih. Imisshom jisthu. Anzi l-vilta jghidulek ghax spicca l-materjal. B'min iridu jqarqu dawn in-nies. Marzu mhux il-boghod tibzax u jibqghu biss dawk li vera jahdmu u ghandhom ghal qalbhom il-Mosta.
Giovann Demartino
Jan 5th, 11:39
If Mr Schembri doesn't see any difference bet the previous council and the presenmt one, he should not be allowed to vote.
Joseph Schembri
Jan 5th, 17:02
I believe basic comprehension skills should be required of people in public office. If Mr. Demartino reads carefully I stated that the previous council was no better - if you believe differently than kindly prove it. The roads in the Saghjtar area were a disaster previous to this council being elected and we have had issues with rubbish collection under both this council and the previous. But I digress, the previous local council tore up and replaced a perfectly good side-walk in this area 3 days before the previous council election.
As for having my right to vote revoked - please remember that when you come and knock on my door begging for my vote in a few months time ... oh, I forgot, neither you nor any member of the present council has ever dared show their face here.
Giov DeMartino
Jan 5th, 17:44
@ Mr Schembri/. I have NEVER knocked and I shall NEVER knock on anybody's door.
If you are so blind that you yourself cannot see any difference bet the present and the previous council, then I'm afraid that no person on earth can show you that difference. At least the previous council held its weekly meetings regulary and the meetings were always very cordial among labour and nationalists members. The present council is a complete disaster.
Joseph Schembri
Jan 5th, 21:27
What value do regular cordial meetings have for me the taxpaying resident? Especially given that successive local councils have completely shrugged off their responsibility to their constituents in providing adequate services and council infrastructure. If you cannot see that both the present council as well as the council you headed have FAILED the people then I doubt your credentials at being an effective councilman as much as I doubt Dr. Chetchuti-Caruana's. Let us not forget that you are a member of the present local council and as such a part of the "disaster" you mention.
It's high time for a change here - the people are fed up of partisan bickering. We pay good taxes and expect quality services - which we are not receiving. You and anyone else involved in successive council incompetence do not deserve another opportunity at completely ignoring the mess around us.
Giovann Demartino
Jan 6th, 08:54
Mr Schembri need not doubt my effectiveness as a councilman for the simple reason that I AM NOT a member of any council