Today marks the first 100 days since the Local Enforcement Systems Agency (LESA) started operating officially. This agency is the new regulator of the field and has taken over the responsibilities that were delegated to regional committees for the past four years.

The history of local enforcement and of those entrusted with its execution, that is, wardens, has been a chequered one. These officers have been at the receiving end of verbal and physical abuse, with one instance unfortunately ending in murder.

Wardens are ‘guilty’ of issuing traffic contravention notices. But are they guilty of intransigency or of being a physical reminder of discipline, which we Maltese notoriously abhor?

My work during the setting up of LESA taught me that the whole system had several flaws that led to wardens issuing tickets which, under other circumstances, they should not have issued and motorists who think they have the right to break the Highway Code without reproach. Thus, when this government embarked on reforming this area, it had to rethink the system to bring order in our streets without being draconian.

Until last September 30, the five regional committees of Malta and Gozo were responsible for local enforcement within their confines. This meant that, effectively, we had five different benchmarks on how local enforcement should be carried out. On paper, this looks as if it could cater for the needs of the localities in the best possible way, however, when put into practice, the system simply did not work.

One has to remember that local enforcement involves a great deal of administration for which, unfortunately, such committees were not adequately equipped. The same goes for the individual local councils, which were tasked with local enforcement from 2000 until the responsibility passed on to regional committees in 2011.

Unfortunately, there are councils that absolutely do not want wardens on their streets. On the other hand, there are others that tend to have too many compared with the size of their population or the traffic they experience.

This means that, in the past, we had no uniformity in the administration of local enforcement. This was one of the first issues to be tackled by LESA and, I must say, it is taking it very seriously.

In time, wardens will become respected friends of our communities

I believe that uniformity of service is of the utmost importance, as all of our roads should be serviced adequately, in a uniform fashion and not according to the whims of councils. Maltese motorists pay their licences in order to access all streets, therefore, roads should be patrolled according to a preset benchmark and not according to some arbitrary urge dictated by needs that are not remotely connected to road safety and the observance of regulations, such as money making. In fact, a number of local councils urged wardens to issue as many tickets as possible in order to increment their revenue.

This led the government to institute LESA as a central agency for providing local enforcement, buying the services of wardens from their present employers, which are private companies.

This government was branded as the “murderer of democracy” for relieving councils and committees of the responsibility of running the whole system and placing it under the aegis of a central agency. Personally, I find such accusations preposterous and guided by political convenience rather than conviction. LESA is expected to work closely with the regions and, in fact, has engaged five regional officers whose job is to liaise continuously with them.

When LESA took over its responsibilities, it found a complement of wardens that was ill-trained and, worse still, lacking morale. It was evident from the start that these people need solid formation in the ways of dealing with the public.

We want wardens that issue tickets which can be justified. There is no use issuing fines that do not hold ground when contested before tribunals. Such incidents contributed greatly to the contempt with which society at large holds wardens. Thus, new systems have been put in place to guarantee that each ticket is issued because there is a need for it and not because wardens are expected to issue tickets to justify their being out and about on our roads.

Furthermore, LESA is bolstering the training given to wardens. In fact, wardens are now being trained in ethics, discipline and intrapersonal skills.

I am sure that, in time, wardens will become respected friends of our communities and that their physical presence will instil comfort and a sense of safety among citizens.

Following the successful deployment of wardens to contain and direct the traffic during the Valletta Migration Summit, CHOGM, Notte Bianca, the Mdina Grand Prix, different marathons and other public events, the role of wardens is expected to continue to diversify and spread towards increased school shepherding and strengthening the concept and deployment of eco-wardens.

Thus, while wishing the very best to LESA in its endeavour, I appeal to all to stick to the Highway Code and all other public regulations, firstly, as it is our civic duty and, secondly, as a sign of courtesy towards our fellow citizens.

The consideration that this will surely exclude us from ever getting fined should only be a mere afterthought. After all, we are still in time to make our resolutions for the new year.

Stefan Buontempo is Parliamentary Secretary for Local Councils.