Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/373141
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 31 AUGUST 2014 News 7 PN says 'cancellation' of council elections a blow to democracy MIRIAM DALLI THE government is not postpon- ing local council elections but is proposing "to cancel" the local elections planned for next March, according to PN Secretary General Chris Said. Addressing a news conference at the party's headquarters in Pieta, Said argued that the government was not only taking young people for a ride – after promising them a vote in next year's local elections – but is now threatening democ- racy and the concept of subsidiarity with its decision. He went on to question why the government launched a consulta- tion process only four months af- ter Prime Minister Joseph Muscat floated the idea and just six months before the elections are supposed to be held. "Every vote in democracy mat- ters, even in local government. A Nationalist government always sought consensus with the oppo- sition on matters of electoral re- form. Today, the government has reduced democracy to euros and cents and, when that argument no longer held, insisted the electorate was tired of elections," Said said. Said added that residents had the right to choose and change their councillors, pointing out that the government's justification for its proposal does not hold. "The Justice Minister first argued it was about saving €2 million, yet they found an extra €100 million to finance the Cabinet and €4.2 mil- lion to bail out the Café Premier. When he realised this argument was not holding, he spoke about voter fatigue. But how could you argue about voter fatigue with a 75% turnout in the EP elections?" he asked. PN spokesman for youths Rob- ert Cutajar and whip David Agius accused the government of taking young people for a ride, with the Vote 16 set to become "Vote 20". "Postponing the elections is an at- tack against youths and the govern- ment must reveal its true agenda behind its decision," Cutajar said. Agius said celebrating 20 years of local councils should be about strengthening them and discuss- ing how to allocate more funds. He added that the government, despite launching the public consultation, has not yet presented the opposi- tion with a copy of the draft legis- lation. Asked whether the PN saw a link between the government's decision to postpone the elections and the planned abrogative referendum on spring hunting, Said said the ques- tion can only be answered by Mus- cat. "Only he knows what he has in mind, but elections should not be based on political calculations. Cal- culating politically would probably mean the PN would benefit if no elections are held next year but our concern is the democratic tool to which citizens are entitled." Justice Minister in defence of proposal Justice Minister Owen Bonnici however defended the govern- ment's decision to hold the public consultation just six months before the local elections are due. Speaking to MaltaToday when asked whether the government's proposal has created uncertainty among councillors who are due to contest the elections in March 2015, he said this is the perfect time. "This is the perfect period to hold the public consultation, which is four weeks long, meaning it is nei- ther long nor short. We will take a final decision after gathering the feedback and the councillors will be informed in reasonable time," Bon- nici told MaltaToday. He insisted it was legitimate to ask whether local elections should be held every five years. While the government has more than once explained that local elec- tions cost the country €2 million, Bonnici yesterday insisted the pro- posal was not about saving money. "The country's economy is doing well and the commercial sector is moving forward; we don't need to save money by not holding the elec- tions. Extending their term would however mean more money for the local councils, which they could use for other projects," he said. Bonnici skived allegations that the government was giving in to the requests of the hunters' lobby that has been urging a standalone abrogative referendum on spring hunting. "An abrogative referendum is regulated by referenda laws and lo- cal council issues have nothing to do with referenda. One has nothing to do with the other. We will obey referenda laws," he said. Bonnici added the government was not betraying youths and the Vote 16 pledge: "The law has been approved and there is nothing in the law that says their first election has to be in 2015." Apathy inside elderly peoples' home shocks Caruana "I was shocked by the apathy and lackadaisical attitude in many old peoples' homes and centres," par- liamentary secretary for the elderly Justyne Caruana told MaltaToday over surprise visits she conducted, after launching a complaints sys- tem for elderly patients and their relatives. The Gozitan lawyer, who replaced Franco Mercieca as junior minister responsible for the elderly, car- ried out personal, surprise visits on homes for the elderly, as well as residences for disabled individuals. She said the visits had been spo- radic and without prior notice, and that some had taken place this week. Many staff members had in- formed her directly of the prob- lems that many patients faced with daily care. "We make it a point to investigate a complaint but making a physical presence on the spot is a must. We have made specific raids on food quality," Caruana said. Indeed at St Vincent de Paul gov- ernment home the canteens had been closed for some time after the complaints were seen to be justi- fied. Caruana said that specific com- plaints about staff members' en- gagement with the elderly had led to government officials interview- ing residents, individually. She ex- pressed serious concern about the level of care in some homes. "A constant concern is the physi- cal state of the old people's homes and we have engaged architects to come up with a maintenance pro- gramme for the homes." She said that there had been im- provements in the sector. "We have set up an email address and freep- hone to collect complaints about the state of the residential homes and the care of the elderly. But we are sure that there are unfounded grievances, and that is why we have to investigate each and every claim." Residents at homes for the eld- erly, both government- and those which are privately-run, have been allotted a freephone number to contact whenever they have a com- plaint to make. The number is 80072367. The Health Directorate is em- powered by law to inspect homes for the elderly to check about resi- dents' complaints. Chris Said addressing the media with (left) David Agius and Robert Cutajar Justyne Caruana