"With the ability of each and every one of you we will achieve results - people deserve the best service - hope, dignity - localities that they really deserve" Dr. Bernard Grech, Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Nationalist Party made these remarks when he was addressing an EPP local dialogue of the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions with the theme Strengthening Local Councils and Regional Councils in Malta organised by Anthony Chircop, President of the Eastern Regional Council.
He thanked all the councilors and insisted that they are making a difference on the ground. He recalled that it was the Nationalist Party that gave birth and always believed in local councils. He stressed the trust that the Nationalist Party has in the councillors. Bernard Grech reiterated that for the Nationalist Party the local councilor is a bridge between the residents and the locality but the government had turned local councils as a customer care branch of the government.
Anthony Chircop who serves as a member of the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions said that regional councils were not set up to remove the responsibilities of the local councils. "There should be strong local councils with adequate funding to operate well and supported by regional councils. This is the leadership model adopted by PN-led regions and even here we are seeing the difference that regional councils led by the PN they can do."
Dr. Chris Said, Member of Parliament and PN Spokesman for Local Governance said that the Nationalist Party will continue to push the basic principle it believes in - the principle of subsidiarity. He said that the Labor Party says it believes in local councils but talk is cheap. The PN was not afraid to delegate power and hand it over to the local councils so that the decisions are taken closer to the people. "You know better than those in Castille what the people in the localities need. The localities, even if small, have their own identity.
Francine Farrugia, Local Councillor, Siġġiewi spoke on the importance of the involvement of young people and said how the work of the PN when the youth local councils were formed led to her becoming active in politics. She said that the Labour Ministers are trying to take credit for the work that the PN Councilors are doing in Siġġiewi.
Four workshops were also held. The one about security was led by Thomas Demartino, Mosta Local Council Candidate, the one about the environment was led by Gabriel Micallef, Mellieħa Local Councillor, that about public cleanliness was led by John Baptist Camilleri, Marsascala Local Councillor while the one about strengthening local communities was led by Helen Gauci, Mayor of Għargħur.
The activity was moderated by Marylyn Sammut, Żurrieq Local Council Candidate.