Reacting to Minister Gatt’s comments

A number of reports have appeared in various sections of the press and local television referring to Minister Austin Gatt during the news conference he gave regarding the finances of Local Councils.

Angelo Xuereb, ex-Mayor of Naxxar, objects strongly to these reports where reference was made to the Naxxar Local Council during the period of his tenure of office. It is not in any way true that when he completed his office as Mayor he left a financial deficit, as was reported. In point of fact, the Council actually had Lm76,151 when Mr. Xuereb vacated his post as Mayor, and following payments that were still due to be made, the resulting balance in hand was a positive Lm55,933 in the black.

One has to clarify that although the Special Fund was to be dissolved, the Council had been given the go ahead by the Local Councils Department to amalgamate these funds with those of the Council. This is duly recorded in the minutes of the Naxxar Council.

Mr. Xuereb feels that the reported comments are unfair and depict an untrue picture of the work of the Mayor and Councillors serving on the second Naxxar Council. This because they had all worked hard and striven to undertake various projects, works and activities for the good of all Naxxar residents while always keeping a positively healthy financial balance.