Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/41002
Title: The future of the regional committees in Malta
Authors: Mula, Johan
Keywords: Local government -- Malta
Decentralization in government -- Malta
Malta -- Politics and government -- 21st century
Issue Date: 2018
Citation: Mula, J. (2018). The future of the regional committees in Malta (Bachelor’s dissertation).
Abstract: The process of decentralization in Malta initiated with the introduction of the local councils in 1993. The idea behind this government’s decision was to ‘debureaucratize’ and widen the participation of the people in the democratic process by giving them, through their elected representatives, more direct involvement in the administration of their locality (Vassallo, 1995). In 2011, almost 20 years after setting up the local councils, the government decided to introduce the regional committees. Subsidiary legislation 363.160 (2011) established 5 regional committees with a number of functions as mentioned in this legislation. The principal function of the regional committees, which also provided their main source of income, was the local enforcement system (SL 363.160 of 2011, Part VI, Article 29). However, before the general election held in 2013, the Labour Party (PL) promised an overhaul of the system and this was even included in the party’s electoral manifesto (Malta Tagħna Lkoll – Manifest Elettorali, 2013). Consequently, in 2015 a government agency, the LESA, was established in order to take over the local enforcement system from the regional committees (SL 497.14, 2015). This has resulted in a substantial deficit in the financial statements of the regional committees. As a result, the question which automatically crops up is: What is the future of the regional committees following the government’s decision regarding the local enforcement system? The aim of this dissertation is to analyze the impact of this decision on the future of the regional committees. The study shall analyze the opinion of the mayors, politicians, and top civil servants regarding this issue. Quantitative analysis in the form of questionnaires and qualitative analysis attained through one-to-one interviews were used throughout the research. The study reveals that there is mutual consent that the regional committees are essential but should be operated better in order to be beneficial to our country. Moreover, the findings of the study provide recommendations with regards to other possible functions which may be handed over to the regional committees in the future.
Description: B.A.(HONS)PUBLIC ADMIN.
URI: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar//handle/123456789/41002
Appears in Collections:Dissertations - FacEma - 2018
Dissertations - FacEMAPP - 2018

Files in This Item:
File Description SizeFormat 
18BAPA0014.pdf
  Restricted Access
1.31 MBAdobe PDFView/Open Request a copy


Items in OAR@UM are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.