A reform of the way public car parks are operated is in the offing and parking attendants, though keen on regularising the sector, fear it might cost them their job.

“Car park attendants that have worked in the sector for some time agree that the system should be regularised, however, we’d like to be given first preference when the tendering process starts,” Ivan Camilleri, one of the parkers who has met with transport authorities to discuss the reform, said.

The Transport Ministry and Transport Malta have, over the past months, met with representatives of car park attendants to discuss the proposed reform.

Answering a parliamentary question by Labour MP Anthony Agius Decelis on Monday, Transport Minister Austin Gatt said public car parks were already in private hands, however, the government received no revenue even though the individuals who operated them “expected payment but gave no receipt in return”.

According to parkers, the present system sees two parking attendants (who work alternate days) being granted a licence for each area. Their “salary” fluctuates, depending on the tips they get in a given shift by people parking in their lot.

The Union Ħaddiema Magħ­qudin, which represents the majority of the car park attendants, has met with the Transport Ministry and Transport Malta to discuss the reform. The secretary of the union’s manufacturing, IT and private sector section, Nicholas Baldacchino said parkers agreed that a regularised system, leading to better quality of service, was “a must”. What worried them, however, was that they might lose their only source of income. Some had even proposed giving up their parker’s licence and be compensated financially.

Mr Baldacchino noted that car park attendants had asked for the right of first refusal when the call for tenders to render the service would be made.

Parkers said they were willing to adopt a system that included a standard fee applicable for each parking lot, part of which would be claimed by the government.

Mr Camilleri commended the “authorities’ initiative of discussing the reform with the parkers themselves rather than missing this stage and heading straight towards implementing the reform”.

“I agree there should be a reform but we fear attendants might lose their car park area. I do believe that, once the land is public, the government should get some revenue. We could reach a balanced agreement, where parkers get a decent pay and the government gets its part too,” he added. A middle-aged parker said the “donation” offered by clients barely covered his family’s basic needs. “Being a car park attendant is not an easy task. We have no public convenience and nowhere to shelter. We’re also constantly thinking up ways of managing the continuous influx of cars,” he said.

Pointing at the row of cars in front of him, he said he asked people to park in particular areas according to the time they would head back home at the end of the day. Regular clients, who trusted the parkers and “knew them on a personal basis”, left the car keys with the parkers whenever the area was full so they could then move the car when space was available.

Another attendant said a tender would guarantee his income for a definite time. As things stand, private companies like circus organisers could be granted a permit to take up a whole parking area for weeks, kicking the attendant out of the area even though he was licensed to attend cars in that zone.

“Just like anywhere else, you’ll find the bad and the good guys. We are all human and if we’re having a bad time and someone does not tip us we might give a disgruntled look or pass on some comment. At the end of the day, our livelihood depends on the donation our clients make,” he said, indicating the pouch hanging to his waist.