Government Whip Carmelo Abela has questioned whether a small country like Malta could afford to have 67 local councils as well as a number of committees for hamlets, suggesting a critical and objective analysis should be made on local council operations and take the necessary decisions to move forward.

Speaking during a debate in second reading on the Bill to amend the Local Councils Act to give 16-year-olds the vote, Mr Abela suggested that councils representing different localities join forces in awarding contracts. This would make economic sense.

History had shown that voting rights had been granted to women and to 18-year-olds by different Labour governments despite opposition from conservatives.

He was proud that it was also another Labour government that was introducing this new right although the Nationalist Opposition was now supporting this Bill.

Parliament ought to be proud it was sending such a strong message of faith in Maltese youth. This amendment would place more responsibility on politicians, young people and educators in showing by example how democracy worked.

Mr Abela referred to criticism by the Opposition on the budget vote for local councils. He recalled that successive Nationalist governments had increased the responsibilities of local councils without giving them adequate funding.

Earlier, Luciano Busuttil (PL) said he did not rule out the possibility that, after allowing them to vote in the local councils, the next step would be to give the vote to16-year-olds in the general elections and the MEP elections as well.

During election campaigns everyone liked to use young people in the background, but the important thing was knowing when to give up one’s seat to allow them to lead.

For the Labour government, the proposal to engage young people had become a reality. If at 16 they could work and pay tax, it did not make sense to make them wait until 18 before giving them the vote.

Opposition Whip David Agius’ reference to consultation between local councils and the central government was significant, he said. When Labour was in opposition, it used to ask to be consulted but this never happened – even when the Nationalist government slashed the budget without any prior warning.

Joe Debono Grech (PL) said that when Labour won the Birkirkara local council, it found a debt of Lm1 million and the councillors were now working hard to improve this negative balance sheet.

It was positive that the government together with the local council had striven to improve the situation at the Birkirkara Civic Centre so that health tests could now be held there instead of people having to travel to the Mosta Health Centre.

The PN-led council had initially started with a lot of zeal which soon fizzled out.

He believed that auditors should continuously monitor local councils to ensure that work was being carried out efficiently.

Robert Cutajar (PN) said it had been a PN government that introduced the concept of local councils, which the PL had opposed.

It was unacceptable that a government had significantly slashed the budget allocated to local councils and youths.

Less than €3 million had been allocated to the Youth Guarantee. The government had said that 2,000 youths would be benefitting from this programme but in reality the actual number was 330.

Unemployment had greatly increased during the new legislature.

Councils representing different localities should join forces in awarding contracts, to make economic sense

The government had tried to take credit for initiatives and work presented by the previous government including legislation on youth workers.

It was a pity that the Opposition had not been invited to the past 11 activities of Aġenzija Żgħażagħ. But it was positive that the Opposition had been given permission to use a sports complex for a national sports conference being held in June.

Paola Mifsud Bonnici (PN) said there was a general lack of participation among youths when they should form an integral part of the country’s dynamics. Youths generally said they had no time to waste on local councils, which did not augur well.

Many councillors worked, and worked hard, and the majority of councils ran smoothly. Youths could make this whole situation even better, she said.

Even among councillors, the more diverse were the people involved, the better the final product, she said, expressing hope that this amendment would mean the role of young people would grow and they would take a more active role in the community. This shouldn’t be regarded as tokenism, but as a new responsibility.

Ryan Callus (PN) said this proposal had also featured in the PN’s last electoral manifesto, which clearly meant the Opposition was in favour of the amendment.

He said the fact that Parliament was discussing youth participation was positive, and this law would hopefully stimulate their participation.

The PN had given birth to local councils. At the time the PL was against, though this had since changed. The aim of setting up local councils was to allow MPs to focus on national issues.

He referred to the €500,000 reduction in local council funding, asking what these funds were being used for.

All those who had served on a local council knew the problems which came with the administration of funds. To see government reducing public funds available to local councils was saddening.

Parliamentary Secretary Chris Agius pointed out that Malta was one of the first countries in Europe to give 16-year-olds the vote. Youth experts agreed that a basic principle of youth work was strengthening their participation in society.

Unfortunately this often remained in political and academic rhetoric.

Through this amendment the government would be giving youths a sense of responsibility and the tools to work in society. The 2016 local council elections would have a new voice – a voice this government had always listened to.

He recalled that in 2007, Austria was the first country in the world to extend voting rights to 16-year-olds. Germany followed suit. The British Youth Council was campaigning for such a right.

Mr Agius said informal education would further encourage young people to participate in local councils.

He said the youth guarantee made by the government was providing much needed skills and training to school leavers. The government had also raised student stipends and investment in the university and Mcast.