Labour got off on the wrong foot yesterday in the first event of its local council elections campaign.
I am so disappointed that MPs elected on the first district were not invited- Labour MP Luciano Busuttil
Joseph Muscat’s visit to a Ħamrun car park built by the council annoyed Nationalist councillors and even a Labour MP, who complained of being left out despite all the hard work he had put into the car park during his time as mayor.
The five-storey, €1.2 million underground car park, which has space for 160 cars, was built in partnership with private company Parkwell.
The Labour leader described the project as “a good example of good practice” and praised the local council for using public procurement procedures and completing the project on time, despite the government’s lack of support.
He also promised that Labour would continue to invest in Ħamrun to improve traffic management, parking and the environment, whether through the local council or in government.
He then toured the car park, which is expected to open later this month, accompanied by most of the Labour councillors of the Labour-led council.
But his visit immediately elicited an objection from Nationalist councillor Paula Mifsud Bonnici, who is also the PN’s general council president. Writing on Facebook, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said it was “sheer arrogance” that Dr Muscat visited the car park without the mayor having informed the PN councillors.
Addressing an afternoon press conference with three other Nationalist councillors, she said Dr Muscat did not even get his facts right during the “partisan visit”. Contrary to Dr Muscat’s claims, the car park was created thanks to the government, she said, pointing out that the land had been devolved to the council and the government provided a guarantee for the bank financing. She added that Mepa had given €168,000 from its parking scheme, as opposed to the €88,000 claimed by Dr Muscat.
The event also annoyed Labour MP Luciano Busuttil who also vented his frustrations on Facebook.
“I am so disappointed that MPs elected on the first district were not invited,” he said.
The former Ħamrun mayor said he spent seven years working on the project “that I created and that no one ever believed could become reality”. “Seems that hard work was soon forgotten,” he added.
However, when his Facebook friends warned him to expect more to come from his leader, Dr Busuttil was quick to give his leader the benefit of the doubt: “Don’t say rubbish. As if he planned it!”
During his morning press conference, Dr Muscat criticised the government’s lack of support.
“This council did not get any money from the Good Causes Fund or other funds,” he lamented.
But asked if the government’s Good Causes Fund should have been used to pay for this project, Dr Muscat said: “No I’m not saying that, but in certain districts, coincidentally, they find many reasons to get money from the fund.” Meanwhile, Mayor Vince Bonello admitted that the council never even applied for money from the fund.
The car park in Duke of Edinburgh Street replaces an abandoned building which used to house the old Ħamrun market and was devolved by the government several years ago. Councillors told Dr Muscat that the devolution took almost 10 years to be completed, after which the council spent the past three years giving the project the push required.
The car park will offer “reasonable” prices and residents will be able to benefit from specific packages, such as an annual fee of €450 to use a space all day and night.