Mayor holds ministry responsible for road damage

The Sannat mayor said he is personally holding the Gozo Ministry responsible for any damage residents incur because of the “disastrous” state of the road.

“Every day, concerns about the state of this arterial road are voiced by Sannat residents. These complaints have now swelled to a chorus of outrage that needs to be urgently addressed by the ministry,” Philip Vella said.

The mayor accused the Gozo Ministry of “politically stigmatising” his village.

Sannat Road remained in a terrible state even though the ministry had promised that roadworks would be completed by 2007, he said. “Five years later it has turned out to be a hollow promise as the arterial road is still in shambles.” He claimed the government was ignoring the Gozitan village, where Labour has a majority on the local council.

A ministry spokesman denied the claims saying it undertook projects and initiatives to benefit the entire island.

The Sannat council together with all councils and Gozitan administrative committees also benefitted from a recent scheme launched by the Gozo Ministry. The financial assistance of this scheme permitted the Sannat council to rehabilitate an abandoned area into a site for recreational purposes, the spokesman said.

But the mayor said his car’s suspension had incurred damage, while residents had reported damaging their vehicle’s wheel rims and springs, not to mention countless punctured tyres.

Another problem, he said, was the incomplete works at the entrance to the village. Work started between 1996 and 1998 – when the PL was in government – and were never completed, he said.

Road signs and markings were not in place and the area had become a notorious spot for accidents.

The ministry spokesman said it had submitted a planning application for the necessary development permits, according to a layout recommended by the local council in connection with the entrance to the locality.

These were incorporated in the tender currently being vetted for publication. Meanwhile, the road was being maintained.

“The ministry cannot be held responsible for speeding or reckless driving leading to accidents,” the spokesman concluded.