The Labour Party is planning to reject several of its serving local councillors, including mayors, barring them from contesting next year’s elections, in a bid to overhaul the system.
We have put in place strict selection procedures which will apply to all candidates, including incumbents- spokesman
The move comes after an embarrassing year for local councils, characterised by power struggles, internal investigations, as well as allegations and charges of bribery and misappropriation.
In an article published in L-Orizzont last week, PL leader Joseph Muscat promised to shake up local government to make sure “councils are on the side of families, not slaves to bureaucracy”. He pledged not to help those candidates who wanted to continue working within the current system.
Sources confirmed with The Sunday Times that the party is on a drive to seek new candidates, especially young ones, to replace a number of councillors who have not worked in a satisfying manner.
Internal squabbling and inefficiency are two key issues the party is hoping to tackle, and sources mentioned areas like Mosta and Gżira as localities needing a shake up. Candidates are also expected to be vetted to ensure they have no criminal record.
“We have put in place strict selection procedures which will apply to all candidates, including incumbents. This will make sure our candidates adhere to standards which we are setting as a party, for future local councils,” a PL spokesman said.
“The party will not be supporting the candidature of those who see councils as extensions of the government’s bureaucracy. The Labour Party will be putting forward clear proposals on how we expect to cut on bureaucracy in local councils in its manifesto for the March 2012 elections,” the spokesman added.
The party also pledged to stop the “citizen-subsidised racket” involving local wardens and speed cameras.
“There is a serious lack of transparency of the monies received through the local warden and speed cameras systems. This lack of transparency has been the subject of various parliamentary questions. The replies given by the government are far from satisfactory and need to be investigated.”
Asked for the party’s alternative to the current system, where operations involving wardens and speed cameras are outsourced to security companies, the spokesman said: “We are expecting more information in the near future and will pronounce ourselves accordingly.”
Twenty-two localities will hold local council elections in March, including: Vittoriosa, Senglea, Qormi, Żebbuġ (Malta), Siġġiewi, Attard, Balzan, Dingli, Birżebbuġa, Floriana, Gżira, Għajnsielem, Għargħur, Ħamrun, Iklin, Kerċem, Kirkop, Luqa, Marsa, Marsaxlokk, Mosta, Munxar, Nadur, Paola, Qala, Safi, St Julian’s, San Lawrenz, St Paul’s Bay, Sta Luċija, Swieqi, Xagħra, Żebbuġ (Gozo) and Żurrieq.