Sliema – A building site that needs proper governance

In a press conference in Sliema, AD Chairperson Michael Briguglio said that his main priority as local council candidate is to ensure that the quality of life of Sliema residents is given priority over the inconvenience caused by big developers and careless contractors.

Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson, said: “Sliema is a case study of a failed local council. The locality is practically run by big contractors who do not observe construction regulations, both as regards construction as well as regards transport used. Various construction projects are characterised by daily inconvenience to residents and by blatant cases of lack of enforcement: the so-called protective “green nets” used for hoarding are a case in point. Very often, such nets are simply ceremonial rags that make a parody of the Environmental Management Construction Site Regulations.

“Roads and pavements in Sliema are disgraceful, to the detriment of pedestrians and drivers alike. Potholes, broken pavements and uneven infrastructure are practically everywhere around the locality. Contractors often carry out shoddy work, and construction trucks are frequently overloaded, thus causing damage to roads, pavements, sewage systems and so forth. Once again, I invite Transport Malta to publish reports on such inspections and on enforcement carried out on overloaded trucks”.

“If elected in Sliema Local Council I will continue the work I did when I was councillor between 2003 and 2009, where I introduced a culture of consultancy with residents, and where Sliema Local Council started objecting to unsustainable developments. This was successful in the victories against development at Il-Pjazetta, Chalet and Qui-si-sana, to the benefit of residents. In short, I will do my utmost to ensure that Sliema Local Council acts in the interests of residents and not in the interests of big developers and careless contractors”

Carmel Cacopardo, AD Spokesperson for Sustainable Development and Home Affairs said: “AD is verys satisfied that Dr. Godwin Grima had the courage to admit a mistake in the Directive number 5 with regards the partecipation in politics of public officers. The Directive, in paragraph 4.1 reads: ‘the prospective candidate has no option but to avail himself/herself of unpaid electoral leave for an uninterrupted period of at least 15 working days’. Some AD candidates were informed in writing that they needed to take unpaid leave as the Directive declares. ”

“When I met the Director of the Local Councils he was not in a position to give me an explanation. It was only when I met the Principal Permanent Secretary Dr. Godwin Grima that the administration recognised for the first time its mistake in the way the directive as written because it does not correspond with the declared government policies. It is difficult to conclude whether this was a genuine mistake or a U-turn. AD said from the start when it learned about the directive that it was not accetable that Local Council candidates are penalised for offering their services to their locality.”

“Whether this was a U-turn or an honest mitake, AD is satisfied that common sense prevailed in the end and that all the candidates who are employed with the government running for local council elections can rest assured that with Alternattiva Demokratika’s effort their rights were upheld.” 
 
Sliema – Sit ta Bini li ghandu bzonn Governanza Tajba

F’konferenza stampa f’Tas-Sliema, iċ-Chairperson tal-AD Michael Briguglio qal li l-prijorità ewlenija tiegħu bħala kandidat għall-kunsill lokali hija li jara li l-kwalità tal-ħajja tar-residenti Slimiżi tiġi qabel l-iskariġġ miġjub minn żviluppaturi kbar u kuntratturi traskurati.

Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson, qal: “Tas-Sliema hija każ tipiku ta’ kunsill lokali fallut. Il-lokalità tista’ tgħid li mmexxija mill-kuntratturi l-kbar li ma josservawx ir-regolamenti tal-kostruzzjoni, sew f’dak li għandu x’jaqsam mal-bini sew fir-rigward tat-transport użat. Bosta proġetti ta’ kostruzzjoni joħolqu inkonvenjenza ta’ kuljum għar-residenti, u  hemm bosta każijiet ta’ nuqqas ta’ infurzar. Bħala eżempju, nistgħu nsemmu x-‘xbieki ħodor’ li jgħattu l-binjiet u l-lant tax-xogħol, li sikwit huma sempliċement ċraret għall-parenza li jwaqggħu għaż-żuffjett lir-Regolamenti tal-Immaniġġjar Ambjentali għas-Siti tal-Kostruzzjoni.”

“It-toroq u l-bankini f’ Tas-Sliema qegħdin fi stat tal-biki, b’konsegwenzi għas-sewwieqa u min ikun miexi fuqhom. Tista’ tgħid li l-lokalità miżgħuda bil-ħofor, bankini mkissra u infrastruttura mibnija kif ġie ġie. Il-kuntratturi sikwit jagħmlu xogħol ta’ kafkaf, u t-trakkijiet tal-ġebel spiss ikunu mgħobbija żżejjed, u għalhekk jagħmlu ħsara lit-toroq, il-bankini, u lis-sistemi tad-drenaġġ, fost l-oħrajn. Għal darb’ oħra, nistieden lit-Transport Malta tippubblika r-rapporti tagħha dwar l-ispezzjonijiet li tagħmel f’dan ir-rigward u dwar l-infurzar fir-rigward ta’ trakkijiet mgħobbija żżejjed.”

“Jekk niġi elett fil-Kunsill Lokali ta’ Tas-Sliema, se nkompli fuq il-ħidma li wettaqt bejn l-2003 u l-2009, fejn daħħalt kultura ta’ konsultazzjoni mar-residenti, u fejn il-Kunsill beda joġġezzjona għall-iżvilupp insostenibbli. Kellna suċċess fil-każ tal-iżvilupp tal-Pjazzetta, iċ-Chalet u Qui-si-sana, u minn dan gawdew ir-residenti kollha. Se nagħmel ħilti kollha biex niżgura li l-Kunsill jaħdem fl-interess tar-residenti u mhux tal-iżviluppaturi l-kbar u kuntratturi traskurati”.

Carmel Cacopardo, Kelliem tal-AD għall-Intern u għall-Iżvilupp Sostenibbli, żied jgħid “AD hi sodisfatta li Dr. Godwin Grima mexa ta’ ragel u irrikonoxxa li d-Direttiva Numru 5 dwar il-partecipazzjoni fil-politika tal-impjegati pubblici kien fiha zball. Id-Direttiva fil-paragrafu 4.1 taghha tghid hekk: ‘the prospective candidate has no option but to avail himself/herself of unpaid electoral leave for an uninterrupted period of at least 15 working days’. Xi kandidati ta’ AD kienu infurmati bil-miktub li huma htiegilhom jiehdu leave bla hlas skond kif tezigi din id-Direttiva.”

“Meta jiena iltqajt mad-Direttur tal-Kunsilli Lokali dan ma kienx f’posizzjoni li jaghtini spejgazzjoni. Kien biss meta iltqajt mas-Segretarju Permanenti Ewlieni Dr. Godwin Grima li l-amministrazzjoni irrikonoxxiet ghall-ewwel darba li l-mod kif  inkitbet id-Direttiva kien sbaljat ghax ma kienitx tikkorrispondi mal-politika dikjarata tal-Gvern. Dan difficli li nifhmuh ghax mhux facli li nikkonkludu jekk dan kienx kaz ta’ zball genwin jew U-turn. AD sostniet mill-bidu nett li saret taf bid-Direttiva li m’huwiex accettabbli li kandidati ghall-elezzjonijiet tal-Kunsilli Lokali jkunu penalizzati talli  qed joffru s-servizz taghhom lill-lokal.” 

“Kemm jekk hu kaz ta’ U-turn kif ukoll jekk hu kaz ta’ zball AD hi sodisfatta li s-sens komun fl-ahhar rebah u li l-kandidati kollha li huma impjegati tal-Gvern fl-elezzjonijiet tal-Kunsilli Lokali jistghu jserrhu rashom li bis-sahha tal-intervent ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika d-drittijiet taghhom gew imharsa.”

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