Upgrading the road infrastructure is a massive task which will take years to implement. Actually, it is an ongoing task because roads wear out, especially where they have not been reconstructed, but only resurfaced. There are hundreds of kilometres of urban roads and probably more within our towns and villages that need attending to.

News that there is a fresh programme to upgrade over 400 roads, mostly within urban Malta and Gozo could not, therefore, be more welcome.

The news was flashed, it seems, as part of the government’s publicity campaign which is based on a stream of media releases to keep it in the public eye. Photo opportunities plus column inches and time on the sound news is the first aim.

In fact an announcement such as this one is made months ahead of the presentation of the Budget for the coming year. Only to be repeated in the Budget Speech. The political class will play its little games.

At least in this particular instance Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said gave the news without blowing too much wind into his trumpet. He is made like that, with a quiet charisma which could serve him in good stead when the Gonzi era is over.

Also, the proposal, even if it will take quite a while to materialise, is worthwhile.

It is not the only time it has been made, of course. I believe the first substantial list of roads to be done up was presented by Jesmond Mugliette, when the sector fell under his watch and before his ministerial career came to an unexpected end after he was not reappointed by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.

The practice, unless I am mistaken, was continued by Minister Austin Gatt. If there was a flaw it was that the lists of mini projects put forward in the ministerial announcements proved too long relative to the time and effective effort that could be put into executing it.

That does not depend on central political management alone as many of the roads to be done up fall under the responsibility of the local councils.

They, in turn, even more so than the central government, have to engage private contractors. The procedure takes time, though one hopes that all those concerned have learned a lot from the experience of recent years. Chris Said, to the extent that political responsibility to oversee the execution will fall to him, will have to monitor the proceedings very carefully. He will gain political kudos if the programmed works are carried out on time.

But the effective gain, both political as well as economic, will come from the fact that another relatively small step will have been taken to diminish somewhat one of the main complaints on the lips of those of us who drive or walk along the road network.

The old joke that Malta resembles the surface of the moon has worn thin.

What remains is the fact that improvements have been made, but a great deal needs to be done.

That is so in the Parliamentary Secretary’s own backyard. The roads in Gozo have always seemed to me to be in a better state than Malta’s roads. Major reconstruction works along various principal inter-urban roads make that more than just an impression. Yet, a great deal remains to be done. One major example is the road that leads to Dwejra.

That area, with the Inland Sea, the Azure window and Il-Blata tal-Ġeneral is, so Gozitan friends in the tourist sector tell me, the main attraction for tourists who visit the island. Many Maltese too go there, at least to have one more look, when they sojourn on the sister island.

Yet the road cannot be in a more terrible state. No doubt, it will be done up some time, but when? Like everything else a vast programme like that of vastly improving the abysmal road network has to be based on priorities.

I am surprised that the road to Dwejra was not accorded a high priority. Perhaps that is because the Gozo plan, no doubt masterminded by Giovanna Debono, the Minister for Gozo, envisages a working inwards into the island from the early approach once one leaves Mġarr Harbour.

I do not know how the programme announced by Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said was worked out, what priority criteria were applied to it.

In all probability, the ruling party’s MPs and local councillors had more than a word in fashioning it. They will say that they are disappointed because their requests were not accepted.

They never can be met fully. And, anyway, grown-up as we must be to the reality of political considerations and influence, the final priority must be based on broader rules. Every town and village has streets that beg to be resurfaced. The begging, like the poor, will be with the government of the day for always.

Which is why the authorities must see to it that the programme put forward each year is fully implemented.