Malta’s warden system is regarded by many people as a joke. A local enforcement system originally meant to ‘safeguard the best interests of the public’ has been turned into what many believe is nothing more than a revenue generating scheme.
It is generally a great source of irritation, annoyance and, at times, even outright anger. The antics many wardens adopt as they ply their trade have made them a laughing stock.
With indiscipline being a national characteristic, Malta needs an effective enforcement system. However, despite promises of a root-and-branch reform, the country is still saddled with a cadre of wardens whose only duty appears to be to catch car drivers in the act of committing an offence or to direct traffic when a giant crane is plonked in a busy thoroughfare.
Suddenly, this festering sore has appeared on the radar screen of the justice minister who, with the usual pomp that is characterising every government initiative, has held a press conference to announce that all is going to be solved as the government has in mind creating a new agency to see to the problem.
To the very long list of boards, authorities and committees, the minister is adding another to streamline the system. If the government wants to simplify the system, it should do so without having to create another agency.
“We want a service that puts citizens’ best interests at the core of its operations. It is about time action is taken on this, for the benefit of society in general.” It is indeed about time that the problem is taken in hand but, as in so many other matters, the government appears to be rushing into this reform as well – if reform is the right word for it. Creating yet another agency is the last thing the country needs.
It is being argued that the service is regulated by a number of different bodies, including local tribunals, authorised officers and local councils.
The minister expressed surprise that there was no single entity tasked with overseeing this public service, even though it was driven by private sector incentives.
Why shouldn’t the system be left in the hands of the management committee and authorised officers? If most people and the minister are of the opinion that local councils and regional committees are not doing a good job, they should be replaced or be told how to do their work.
The list of unacceptable practices mentioned at the press conference can be drawn up by the management committees whose task, accordingto the local enforcement systemcommittee regulations, is preciselyto provide guidelines, generalpolicy and the local enforcementsystem function.
On the other hand, the authorised officers are appointed by the regional committees to “monitor the operation of the local warden services.
“They have the responsibility to prepare the schedule of all the localwardens who are on the beat.They are expected to ensure that the optimum level of enforcement is being delivered in the most cost-effective manner.”
Rather than creating another over-arching agency, the regional committees and local councils ought to ensure that the system works asit should.
All that’s required is common sense. What the system lacks is a proper redefinition of the wardens’ duties. Wardens ought to be sent out to educate and ensure order, not to see how they can best book drivers.