Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1535753
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 25 MAY 2025 4 INTERVIEW Alfred Zammit: 'The Labour Party shouldn't take issue with internal criticism' VALLETTA Vice-mayor Alfred Zam- mit believes the Labour Party needs to be more open to internal criticism as he speaks of a frosty relationship with fellow councillors. As we sit down for this interview, Zammit tells me that he isn't consult- ed and is sometimes kept in the dark about council meetings. Zammit, a well-known TV person- ality, was Valletta mayor from 2019 to 2024. In last year's council election though he was pipped to the top spot by newcomer Olaf McKay, an out- come that has left him with a bitter taste. Zammit speaks about unnamed peo- ple within the Labour Party, who ac- tively worked against him during the 2024 election campaign. He tells me this issue has since been addressed by the party's administration, but to this day he doesn't know who instructed voters to vote for other candidates. But despite his grievances, Zammit clarifies he is still on good terms with the PL. He insists that the decision to move his popular TV programme Ka- lamita from ONE to Smash TV was purely commercial. I ask Zammit about the rapid change the capital city has seen in re- cent years, having transformed from a purely retail destination that 'died' after 7pm, into an all-day and night haunt for shopping, eating and enter- tainment. This has led to a prolifer- ation of on-street tables and chairs and elevated noise nuisance in the evenings. Zammit explains that the problem with tables and chairs boils down to a lack of proper enforcement. But he pushes back against action to address issues such as noise, which he says would "kill the city". He stresses that as a European capital city, one can expect a certain level of activity. Valletta Vice-mayor Alfred Zammit, a mainstay on ONE TV before seeking new pastures elsewhere, delves into his relationship with the Labour Party and fellow local councillors. He also speaks to Matthew Farrugia about the realities of Malta's capital city