Deputy leader of the Opposition Mario de Marco said that adding a year to the present four-year term of a local council would make its lifespan far too long and remove the sense of subsidiarity and accountability which a shorter term engendered.
It would also lead to an accountability deficit.
Speaking during the debate in second reading of the Local Councils (Amendment) Bill, he said a number of questions inevitably arose, such as whether a year would make such a difference, whether five years were better suited to the implementation of an electoral programme and what constituted a term long enough to maintain a sense of accountability,
The fact was that one could devise an electoral programme spanning 10 years, but that was not an argument for the extension of the term, Dr de Marco said.
The consequences of a five-year term of office were serious. The original term had been three years.
The fact is that one can devise an electoral programme spanning 10 years, but that is not an argument for the extension of the term
Localities differed in demographics, in challenges and in traditions and, on the 15th anniversary of local councils, a decision had been made to extend their legislature from three to four years. This had been done in agreement with the then Labour opposition.
The reality was that five years was too long. This was ultimately the issue, rather than whether the Opposition had been consulted.
When dealing with democracy one could never speak about convenience, he said, reiterating that the Opposition was against this proposal as five years were excessive.
It was important to always take action for the good of the country, and the Opposition saw no reason to extend the term.
Earlier, Opposition spokesman on local councils David Agius claimed the electorate would be denied the right to vote in local council elections with the government’s proposal to postpone the 2017 local elections to 2019.
He criticised the government for failing to consult the Opposition, adding that it had even ignored criticism made by Labour MPs Godfrey and Marlene Farrugia.
He accused the government of failing to seek consensus with the Opposition with regard to changes in the electoral law.
The government’s excuse, that the country was suffering from electoral fatigue, served only as a smokescreen.
Mr Agius also asked whether the government still perceived the system of local wardens as a racket.
Overnight, it had announced the setting up of an Enforcement Agency under the leadership of former acting police commissioner Ray Zammit.
While giving the vote to 16-year-olds the government had done away with the possibility of their voting in local elections.
In conclusion, Mr Agius said the Opposition would vote for the Bill if the section about the five-year time span was omitted. Otherwise, the Opposition would be voting against the Bill.