Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said this morning that he looked forward to working with local councils on improving the environment, which will be at the heart of the new government's policies.
Dr Gonzi in the drawing up of the Cabinet retained for himself direct responsibility for both the environment and local government.
"I have placed local government, the environment and tourism in one package because they cannot be separated from each other," Dr Gonzi said.
Speaking at a press conference at PN headquarters, Dr Gonzi welcomed the result of the local council elections held on March 8 in 23 localities.
The elections saw the PN win 46 percent of the vote to the MLP's 52 percent, an increase by the PN of 2% compared to the last elections in the same localities in 2005. The PN retook the majorities in Mqabba, Sta Venera and Mellieha. When one excludes Zejtun and Marsa, where no elections were held in 2005, the PN growth was of 5%.
Dr Gonzi thanked the candidates for standing for the local elections. He said this round of the elections should, at long last, have put paid to mistaken comparisons between local and general elections. Having a majority at the local level did not translate to a majority at national level.
This did not mean, however, that voters at local elections did not send their messages, and such messages needed to be heeded by the government and the parties, Dr Gonzi said.
The Prime Minister said one should discuss during this legislature how the local councils will continue to evolve. One issue which should also be discussed was whether the country could continue to have local elections every year.
"Can this country afford to practically come to a stop for two months every year because the local council electoral campaigns?" Dr Gonzi asked.
In his remarks Dr Gonzi also pointed out that for the first time ever, a local council, that of Nadur, has a majority of women councillors - two Nationalist and one Labour. More remained to be done for women's participation in decision making to rise, he said, and this was a good message which should be heard.