Local Councils Association head steps down, ‘relationship with Buontempo non-existent’
Local Councils Association President Marc Sant has decided to step down, saying his relationship with Parliamentary Secretary for Local Councils Stefan Buontempo was “non-existent.”
In a letter sent to mayors and councillors, Dr Sant, nephew of former Prime Minister Alfred Sant, said that he had to step down as he was chosen to serve in the public sector and therefore could no longer occupy a political position. However, when contacted by The Malta Independent for further explanation, Dr Sant said that he and Parliamentary Secretary Buontempo had no relationship at all. “We did not communicate. Our relationship was non-existent,” he said.
Dr Sant explained that this lack of communication between the two came about because of trust issues. “I personally do not trust the man enough.” He said he had already thought of leaving the association two years ago. “Back then I had already realised that I would be getting nowhere with this Parliamentary Secretary.”
According to Marc Sant, the situation at the Association for Local Councils became stagnant as there was “nothing going on.”
“I have said this before; the Association has to work in a better way. Members of the Executive need to be more proactive. I tried to address the most fundamental of projects, but these issues will not be solved if things remain the same,” he wrote in his resignation letter.
Dr Sant said that members should discuss the formulation of new policies instead of trying to push their own personal po- litical agenda. At one point in the letter, Dr Sant made clear reference to transparency issues. “Complex issues regarding the Association’s involvement in EU projects have been solved. However, I still cannot understand the resistance against basic practices of transparency and accountability.” He mentioned the listing of meeting minutes and payments online as an example.
Dr Sant’s resignation comes at a time when the Association is preparing itself to host the Commonwealth Local Government Conference in November.
This is not the first time he has criticized the sector. In 2015 he had complained that funds for local councils were not distributed properly and that certain projects which were less important than others were allocated funds.