The Nationalist Opposition criticised the 2016 Budget speech for containing just 100 words concerning local councils. As I heard this piece of high constructive criticism from the Opposition benches, I instantly remembered the Rt Hon. Jim Hacker, the protagonist of the series Yes! Minister, who was famous for measuring the success of his political career in column inches.
Apparently, the Opposition has taken a fancy to this innovative way of measuring the efficacy, or the lack thereof, of budgetary measures according to the number of words used to describe them.
What is really astounding is the severe lack of political and economic insight of those who are levering these absurd accusations. As if local councils can be pigeonholed and that no matter what other budgetary measures government takes, there will never be a spillover effect on local councils. As if local councils are confined in some humid corner deep within the dungeons of the Finance Ministry and condemned to perpetual financial solitary confinement.
Local councils, by their very own definition, have a set number of functions, and the ultimate beneficiaries are our communities. So much so that in various Commonwealth countries the equivalent for my Parliamentary Secretariat contains the nomenclature “Communities and Local Government”. That is because our councils are not an end to themselves, but a tool to empower our communities to take the decisions which are best suited to them at the local level in order to be better served with less bureaucracy.
It has been noted that for quite some time, councils have been coming up with their own projects which cannot be financed solely through their own financial allocation
It has been noted that for quite some time, councils have been coming up with their own projects which cannot be financed solely through their own financial allocation. I wish to remind that the previous administration lumped our councils with a collective debt of €22 million, which was approximately some 70% of the total allocation granted to local councils during the last Nationalist legislature.
This means that councils were left at a loss when trying to finance their projects. This government has taken stock of this situation and sought to address it through various initiatives.
Government, in its budget, besides injecting another €1 million in our local councils, announced a number of projects which will be of benefit to both councils and communities.
The first of such measures is the one whereby the government will invest €6 million garnered from the new environment contribution in the upgrading of main public zones in Malta and Gozo. This measure will improve such zones without lumbering our councils with further financial burdens and at the same time bring about some badly needed urban improvements in various towns around the islands.
Another measure which will undoubtedly have a beneficial effect on our councils and communities is the regeneration of the south of Malta. Linked to this measure one may find the regeneration of Dock No. 1 in Cospicua, which has been left a derelict site for donkey’s years. And what about the new pool and football pitch, as well as the natural park in Marsascala, which will surely be of benefit to Marsascala and the nearby communities? These measures are tied with the investment carried out in connection with the American University of Malta and are not listed in the local councils’ pigeonhole which apparently is held so dear by our Opposition.
The Budget speech contained other similar initiatives, such as the regeneration of Marsaxlokk and the Qajjenza area in Birżebbuġa, investment in the Floriana public gardens, €30,000 funds for councils to encourage the use of bicycles within their localities and the proposed PPPs initiatives for underground parking lots.
Will not our communities be served well with regenerated areas and new sports facilities which are carried out with full consultation with our councils, but without having them shouldering the financial and administrative burdens of such undertakings? Apparently not, if they are not crammed in a pigeonhole named local councils.
Stefan Buontempo is the Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government.