Labour has 97 candidates for local council elections

The Labour Party is fielding 97 candidates - 81 for Malta and 16 for Gozo - for the local elections being held in 22 localities on June 12.

Elections are this year being held at Vittoriosa, Qormi, Siggiewi, Attard, Birzebbuga, Floriana, Gzira, Gharghur, Hamrun, Kercem, Luqa, Marsaxlokk, Mosta, Munxar, Paola, Qala, Safi, San Lawrenz, Sta Lucija, Swieqi, Xaghra and Zebbug (Gozo).

Labour leader Alfred Sant said 16 per cent of the candidates were women, 18 per cent were aged between 17 - 30 and 19 per cent were over 60. Forty-seven were already councillors.

This, Dr Sant said, presented a good mix of experience and enthusiasm. His party was presenting the best team for these elections.

He said that wherever Labour candidates were in a majority, they had implemented more than 80 per cent of what they had promised. On the other hand, councils with a Nationalist Party majority implemented under 50 per cent, he claimed.

He said the Xaghra council, which had a Nationalist majority, had issued a tender for a water culvert estimated to cost Lm7,000 which had then risen to more than Lm21,000.

The Luqa council, which had a Labour majority, had started its term with a deficit of Lm90,000 but this had been paid during its three-year term. The council implemented 85 - 90 per cent of its programme.

Labour councillors would work to benefit from EU programmes strengthening links with other people and creating twinning programmes with EU and non-EU councils.

He said that for the first time the party was presenting its own team for Safi, where three Labour candidates would be contesting.

Asked why the party had not accepted the mayors of Marsaxlokk and Gzira to contest on its behalf, Dr Sant said the mayor of Marsaxlokk had ceased to be a member of the party two years ago and the Vigilance and Disciplinary Board had also advised the party against accepting the nomination of the Gzira mayor.

Dr Sant reiterated his belief that the participation of political parties in council elections polarised councils and the MLP would stop contesting as soon as the PN agreed to do the same. He said the Church was of a similar opinion.

Labour's manifesto focuses on employment, social welfare, education, the environment, information technology and local, regional and international work.

The manifesto also stresses the party's commitment against the introduction of local taxes.