Later on this week, half of the population will be voting to elect local councillors. This is yet another exercise in democracy and proof of the belief that Nationalist administrations have in the citizen.
The secret of success in a local council is team work- David Casa
The setting up of local government almost 20 years ago was an exercise that empowered every citizen with the facility to decide what’s best for his/her locality. It was a step towards decentralisation of power that, ultimately, focused on the well-being of each and every citizen. While parliamentarians do their utmost to improve citizens’ standard of living, local councillors know the needs of their locality like no other and, thus, they can act accordingly.Since their inception, local councils have made huge strides and the government has shown its unconditional support to each and every one of the 69 local councils by devolving various facilities and sites so that these could be manned and managed in a better way by the locals. As a result of this, we now have localities that have better playgrounds, better facilities for the elderly and more accessibility for those with special needs.
Local councils have strengthened the sense of belonging and have made people more conscious of their surroundings. All in all, we can say that local government is working and is helping to improve the standard of living of all.
Unfortunately, though, certain individuals continue to use their position as councillors for their personal gain, making their own decisions and acting without authorisation. These individuals are dangerous, specifically because they tarnish the reputation of local government.
We cannot afford to have people who put partisan politics before the interest of their locality but, unfortunately, the opposition seems to advocate such attitude.
Local councils are meant to bring people together and not to promote one particular political party. The difference in mentality is evident though. While the Nationalist Party in government set up the local councils after meticulous thought and planning, the Labour Administration of 1996-1998 decreased their allocations and tried indirectly to curb their powers.
While not being openly against local government, the Labour Party was albeit sceptical about this new concept and had at first camouflaged its candidates under the independent tag. When the success of local government was evident, the PL made a U-turn.
The secret of success in a local council is team work. There are many examples where the councillors work together hand in hand irrespective of their political allegiances. I have personally spoken to many councillors from both sides of the political spectrum and they all agree that mutual trust and understanding are imperative if one wants to make a difference.
When one compares one council to another it is evident that where councillors work as a team much more has been achieved compared to other localities whose council meetings are characterised by squabbles and personal piques.
Being a local councillor requires political maturity. Candidates have to understand that being elected from among their peers is a huge responsibility that they should carry free from pressure and hidden agendas. The only agenda one should have is to improve one’s locality. Anything beyond that would be out of order.
Much has been done by local councils over these two decades. This does not only apply to infrastructure but also to the cultural enhancement that local government has brought. I often meet fellow Euro-parliamentarians who speak of their experiences with Maltese local councils through twinning programmes. These projects help enrich knowledge and put small villages in Malta and Gozo on the European map.
In 20 years, the government has invested millions of euros in local government and is committed to keep doing so. Furthermore, many local councils have benefited from European Union funds that have made many projects possible.
The exercise of devolution is an ongoing one and the government is keen to give local councils more responsibility in the near future. Investing in local government has proved to be a success. Now it is important to continue building on this success for the benefit of all.
Mr Casa is a Nationalist member of the European Parliament.