If ever there were a veritable dog’s dinner, then it’s the Mosta local council under a Labour leadership. It has been a sad mess. And I mean sad because Mosta, being the capital of the north, as I like to say, deserved much better.

These elections will possibly serve as a protest vote against the PN- Austin Sammut

I have been an inhabitant of this large town for no less than 30 years, so I know a thing or two about it. The only notable project that I can recall under our Labour local council is the tearing up of pages from the council newsletter and the blacking out of others in a public garden.

The roads are a total mess. In the Sgħajtar area where I reside we suddenly have major roadworks being carried out at the eleventh hour. All well and good, but why now? One guess.

Further, Main Street, particularly in the vicinity of the statue of St Joseph, is a disaster after the recent rains. Nobody bothered to fill up the numerous potholes.

All of a sudden we have the installation of numerous traffic signs. Some are welcome but most have caused untold inconvenience. It is very unclear who took these decisions considering that the council hardly ever meets.

This is the sort of situation that we have been facing over the last five years. It is time for change but even if there is a change of party there must also be new blood within the Nationalist Party’s group of councillors.

I will not limit problems to Mosta. There are many other problems facing our local councils as a number of them come up for re-election in a few days’ time.

Sliema has been another mess. But, at least, various steps have been taken, including the institution of criminal proceedings in certain cases and the council has actually been dissolved.

So, with all this confusion and inefficiency, are local councils here to stay? I would say yes. They have been accepted by all as an ongoing and necessary institution. In fact, they have largely passed the test and served their purpose. After all, a couple of bad eggs do not reflect the whole spectrum.

Local council elections reflect the pulse of the people. They indicate what the people are thinking. Are they happy with the central government? Do they want a change in such government?

These elections will possibly serve as a protest vote against the PN. But I believe that would be wrong. I feel that after the recent overwhelming confirmation of Lawrence Gonzi as party leader and, as a result, the endorsement of his government’s policies, the PN has received a new lease of life and has been strengthened considerably.

In the face of this result it is now time for the Debonos, Pullicino Orlandos and Muglietts to fall in line with party policy and properly fulfil the role for which they were elected by their constituents. New and somewhat courageous initiatives, including Private Members’ Bills, are all well and good but they must be very cautious as to the extent they can fall out of the party line, that is if they wish to remain within the party.

Now to a totally different point. We are into the ninth month of the public transport reform. Arriva arrived in July (excuse the pun). There was confusion and distress for many weeks as the new system and timetable were tested. Many, including the Labour Party, of course, took a ride over Arriva (another pun!).

All hell was let loose, including on the part of one Nationalist MP who need not be mentioned since he is now very well known. The PL moved a motion of no confidence in the Minister responsible, Austin Gatt. This was defeated, albeit by the Speaker’s casting vote.

I had written sometime in July (and I don’t want to sound clever) that the new system must be given six months to get out of its teething stage and prove itself. Many changes were effected, particularly in terms of the routes taken. But I think that Arriva is now well on track and has proved itself.

A reform of such magnitude was bound to have problems. Perhaps a similar reform in the future should be given a chance before everybody pounces.