Labour`s partisan tactics poisoning institutions - AD

Alternattiva Demokratika has appealed for consensus within the Association of Local Councils after the controversy that erupted at the mayors` conference last Saturday, when all the Labour Party`s representatives walked out.

AD expressed disapproval at the MLP`s decision to abandon a meeting which had met to discuss and adopt the Operations Review drawn up by Labour, Nationalist and independent mayors.

"AD congratulates the Nationalist, Labour and independent mayors who prepared this document, which deals with the restructuring of the Association of Local Councils".

AD`s general secretary, Stephen Cachia described the MLP`s attitude as profoundly undemocratic, especially when one considered that the document was an example of non-partisan agreement and consensus involving all parties.

"The Labour Party`s tactic of systematic partisan warfare on one issue after the other is poisoning and paralysing the country`s institutions," he said.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued after a meeting last Wednesday, the MLP councillors` section again condemned the comments made by Local Government Minister Austin Gatt at the end of the mayors` conference.

He had accused the Labour leadership of failing to respect democracy and said the government would work on the basis of the report irrespective of the walk-out, because it had been unanimously agreed by the mayors.

The MLP councillors said that while the Operations Review was put together by representatives of all sides, the Nationalist mayors had moved a motion off their own bat on the adoption and implementation of the report.

It said that in addition to this, councillors had not been given the required 15 days to consider and make comments on the report.

The section added that it was a serious shortcoming on behalf of association chairman Ian Micallef to have refused the request by Labour mayors and deputy mayors at the conference for a short break in order to reach consensus on a motion that would be acceptable to everybody.

It maintained that this decision left the MLP representatives with no option but to withdraw from the conference.