In a press conference in Attard, Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party said that the election of its candidates will ensure that residents’ quality of life will be given top priority through community development.
Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson, said: “AD is proud of Ralph Cassar’s achievements in Attard Local Council. Through his persistence and consistency, he introduced a culture of consultation in Attard local council. He convinced other councillors to take a joint stand against destructive development in a quarry site which has also become a dumping site, and the council also took a stand to push down speed limits in residential roads. Moreover, he introduced various initiatives to the benefit of the community, from waste management programmes to cultural activities. AD gives priority to such initiatives, hand in hand with residents, NGOs, educators and others. This helps restore a sense of belonging within communities, which are currently threatened by uncivic behaviour of big developers, careless contractors, reckless drivers and various lobbies which are tied to the Nationalist and Labour parties”.
Ralph Cassar, AD candidate seeking re-election as councillor said: “My attitude has always been to insist on AD’s priorities while cooperating with all councillors. The challenges ahead include improving the public library service, a service used by thousands of people each year. A new public library with more space can become a centre for the whole community and a space for cultural and social activities. A mobility plan will be top priority – I will work to convince the council on the need to lobby authorities to plan to make residential roads safer, give priority to pedestrians and bicycles and the need for cooperation between the local council, the region and the public transport contractor to continuously improve the public transport system. The starting point should be a travel pattern survey – we need data on where people travel especially for commuting to work. Another issue is the public-private partnership for the resurfacing of residential roads. The current scheme is unaffordable and puts Councils in a catch-22 situation – they either take on unsustainable debts for the resurfacing of a handful of roads or else they have to make do with the meagre yearly allocation for street maintenance. Even in this respect I am proposing that new concepts for residential road design should be piloted in Attard – that of people-friendly residential roads. I will also continue raising awareness on the need to restore Attard’s heritage including the railway embankment (il-linja tal-ferrovija)”.
L-izvilupp tal-komunita huwa prijorita’ ghall-kandidati tal-AD
Waqt konferenza stampa f’H’Attard Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party qalet li bl-elezzjoni ta’ kandidati taghha jigi zgurat li l-kwalita tal-hajja tar-residenti tinghata prijorita’ permezz tal-izvilupp tal-komunita’.
Michael Briguglio, ic-Chairperson ta’ AD, qal: “AD hija kburija b’dak li wettaq Ralph Cassar fil-Kunsill Lokali ta’ H’Attard. Permezz tal-persistenza u l-konsistenza tieghu, huwa introduca kultura ta’ konsultazzjoni fil-Kunsill Lokali ta’ H’Attard. Huwa rnexxielu jikkonvinci kunsilliera ohra biex jiehdu pozizzjoni wahda kontra l-izvilupp destruttiv f’barriera li anke saret mizbla b’muntanji ta’ terrapien. Il-kunsill ha pozizzjoni wkoll biex inaqqas il-velocita’ tas-sewqan f’toroq residenzjali. Barra minn hekk, introduca inizjattivi varji ghall-beneficcju tal-komunita’, minn programmi ta’ immanigjar tal-iskar ghal attivitajiet kulturali. AD taghti importanza kbira lil inizjattivi bhal dawn li jsiru id f’id mar-residenti, ghaqdiet lokali, edukaturi u ohrajn. Dan iservi biex iregga’ lura sens ta’ shubija fil-komunita’ li bhalissa qed tigi mhedda bl-imgieba xejn civika ta’ zviluppaturi kbar, xufiera jsuqu bl-addocc u lobbies b’sahhithom li huma haga wahda mal-partit Nazzjonalista u dak Laburista”.
Ralph Cassar, kandidat u kunsillier tal-AD qal: “L-attitudni tieghi minn dejjem kienet li ninsisti fuq il-principji tal-AD filwaqt li nahdem mal-kunsilliera l-ohra. L-isfidi li ghandna quddiemna huma t-titjib tas-servizz tal-librerija pubblika, servizz li jintuza minn eluf ta nies kull sena. Librerija pubblika gdida jista’ jkollha aktar spazju u tista’ ssir centru ghall-komunita’ kollha u spazju ghall-attivitajiet kulturali u socjali. Pjan ta’ mobilita’ se jkollu l-oghla prijorita’ – jiena se nahdem biex nikkonvinci lilll-kunsill fuq il-bzonn li nipperswadu l-awtoritajiet biex jippjanaw toroq residenzjali aktar sikuri, jaghtu prijorita’ lil persuni fit-triq u r-roti, u l-bzonn ta’ kooperazzjoni bejn il-kunsill, ir-regjun u l-kuntrattur tat-transport pubbliku biex inkomplu nahdmu ghat-titjib fis-sistema tat-trasport pubbliku. Il-punt tal-bidu ghandu jkun stharrig fuq il-mudelli tal-ivjaggar tan-nies – ghandna bzonn informazzjoni fuq fejn qeghdin imorru n-nies specjalment dawk li jmorru x-xoghol filghodu biex nippjanaw ahjar is-sistemi ta’ trasport. Kwistjoni ohra hija l-private-public partnership ghall-kisi tat-triq residenzjali. L-iskema prezenti mhux affordabbli u tpoggi ‘l-kunsilli f’pozizzjoni impossibbli – jew jkollhom dejn insostenibbli ghall-kisi ta’ ftit toroq jew inkella jippruvaw jaghmlu x-xoghol bl-allokazzjoni mizera ghall-manutenzjoni tat-toroq. Anke f’dan ir-rispett, jien qed nipproponi li kuncetti godda dwar id-disinn ta’ toroq residenzjali jigu kkunsidrati f’H’Attard – bhal toroq ‘mixed-use’ b’prijorita ghan-nies. Jien se nkompli wkoll nohloq kuxjenza fuq il-bzonn ta’ restawr tal-wirt storiku f’H’Attard, inkluz il-linja tal-ferrovija.”
Żur ukoll: www.kunsilliAD2012.wordpress.com
