The government is setting up a 24-hour road maintenance unit for prompt action on potholes, Roads and Infrastructure Minister Joe Mizzi said on TVAM this morning.

He said a freephone service would be set up for people to report potholes.

OIL EXPLORATION

Mr Mizzi said the government was giving a boost to oil exploration and would open all the areas around Malta for interested companies. He said he had held a meeting with a company interested in drilling two exploratory oil wells and would be meeting another today.

On the building of the new Parliament, Mr Mizzi said the new Parliament House at City Gate currently could not function as a parliament. Not only were there not enough committee rooms, but there was even not enough space for the advisers in the main chamber. The current parliament had 25 spaces for advisers, while the new one had four, he said. And there were no cables for communication between the advisers and the ministers.

Mr Mizzi said talks would be held with Renzo Piano on the City Gate project so that where possible, the people’s wishes could be realised.

Asked whether the open theatre would be roofed, the minister said the whole project would be discussed with Mr Piano.