In introducing the AD candidate for Ħaż-Żebbug, Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson, Prof. Arnold Cassola, said: “In these Local Council elections, we are focusing our attention on sustainable mobility, accessibility and open spaces because we believe that our towns and villages, especially the town cores, should maintain their original characteristics whereby the people, pedestrians and, in particular people with impairments (people with disabilities, senior citizens, parents with young children) should be free to circulate without any fear of danger. The streaming of Council sessions, promised over two years ago, has still not been introduced in many Councils, including here in Ħaż-Żebbuġ”.

Monique Agius, AD Candidate for Haz-Zebbug said: “Whilst we understand that the funding for Local Councils has been relatively curtailed, it still remains unacceptable that roads like Triq Mamo, Triq Mula and Triq il-Qamh, in the area of Tal-Grazzja have been left to deteriorate to this disastrous state. Road maintenance should be a priority for the local council because these roads are not only unfit for cars but are even more of a danger to pedestrians, including people with a disability and with young children.”

“As regards the local library, this is getting better but we need to keep improving and encouraging reading, with a wider selection of books, better opening hours, literary events to engage young readers, and working more closely with the book council. If elected, I will push the Local Council to work closer with local organisations and especially those working on preserving the history of Żebbuġ given that Zebbug has a great history which needs to be preserved and made more known to the general public. If elected, I also pledge to be closer to the people not only during election times, but will be open to meeting people. The Council should have a regularly updated website and Facebook page, possibly a mailing list with the agenda being sent out beforehand so that people know what is going to be discussed. Citizens should also be allowed entry prior to the official start of the LC meetings so that matters of common interest could be discussed”.

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Fl-introduzzjoni tal-kandidata ta’ AD għal Ħaż-Żebbug, iċ-Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika, Prof. Arnold Cassola, qal: “F’dawn l-elezzjonijiet tal-Kunsilli Lokali, qed niffokaw l-attenzjoni tagħna fuq il-mobilita’ sostenibbli, l-aċċessibilita` u l-ispazji miftuħa għaliex nemmnu li l-irħula u l-ibliet tagħna, speċjalment il-qalba tal-irħula, għandhom iżommu l-karatteristiċi oriġinali tagħhom fejn in-nies li jkunu għaddejjin bil-mixi, u speċjalment persuni b’diżabilita, persuni anzjani, ġenituri bi tfal żgħar, ikunu jistgħu jmorru minn post għall-ieħor mingħajr biża ta’ xi periklu. L-istreaming imwiegħed aktar minn sentejn ilu għadu mhux qed iseħħ f’bosta kunsilli, nkluż hawn f’Ħaż-Żebbuġ “.

Monique Agius, il-kandidata ta’ AD għal Haż-Żebbug qalet: “Filwaqt li nifhmu li l-fondi għall-Kunsilli Lokali ġew relattivament imnaqqsa, jibqa’ inaċċettabbli l-fatt li toroq bħal Triq Mamo, Triq Mula u Triq il-Qamħ,fl-inħawi ta’ Tal-Grazzja tħallew jiddeterjoraw għal dan l-istat diżastruż. Il-manutenzjoni tat-toroq għandha tkun prijorita`għall-kunsill lokali għax dawn it-toroq mhux biss mhux tajbin biex jgħaddu karozzi minnhom imma huma wkoll ta’ periklu għan-nies li jgħaddu minnhom, inkluż persuni b’diżabilita` u bi tfal żgħar.”

Rigward il-librerija tal-lokal, din qed titjieb imma jeħtieġ li nibqgħu intejbuha u ninkoraġġixxu l-qari, b’għażla usa’ ta’ kotba, ħinijiet itwal tal-ftuħ, attivitajiet letterarji biex inħajru l-parteċipazzjoni ta’ qarrejja żgħażagħ u ħidma aktar mill-qrib mal-Kunsill tal-Ktieb. Jekk inkun eletta, inħeġġeġ il-Kunsill biex jaħdem iktar mill-qrib ma’ organizzazzjonijiet lokali speċjalment dawk li jaħdmu biex jippreservaw l-istorja ta’ Ħaż-Żebbuġ peress li Ħaż-Żebbuġ għandu storja kbira li jeħtieġ tkun preservata u mxerrda mal-pubbliku ġenerali. Jekk inkun eletta, inwiegħed ukoll li nkun qrib in-nies ta’ Ħaż-Żebbuġ mhux biss fi żmien l-elezzjoni imma nkun lesta li niltaqa’ man-nies b’regolarita’.”

“Il-Kunsill jeħtieġ li jkollu sit elettroniku aġġornat b’mod regolari u paġna fuq il-Facebook, forsi wkoll lista tan-nies tal-lokal li jirċievu l-aġenda minn qabel biex ikunu jafu x’se jkun jiġi diskuss. Ikun tajjeb ukoll li l-pubbliku jiddaħħal xi ftit qabel ma tibda s-seduta ufiċjali biex jiddiskuti xi suġġetti ta’ interess komuni.”