David Darmanin
Real estate veteran Frank Salt, who will be one of the six PN candidates contesting the 27 March elections for a newly formed Madliena ‘administrative committee’, said that he intends looking into “good roads, services, cleanliness, security and the protection of the value of properties” as priorities to make a difference in the Madliena/High Ridge hamlet, which he describes as “neglected”.
Salt recently published a letter in other sections of the press urging Madliena residents to “show their solidarity with the proposed committee members and go out to vote”.
He co-signed the contribution with fellow PN candidates Mary Anne Abela, Kenneth Demartino, Wallace Farrugia, Anna Paris and Quentin Tanti. PL candidate Alexander Chetcuti was not included as one of the signatories of the letter.
“As you know, this is the first time I got involved in such a venture, but I am doing so because I feel that I, along with a very strong team of colleagues, can do something to make Madliena a better place for residents,” Frank Salt told MaltaToday.
Madliena and High Ridge residents have often complained about the general neglect of the area – which is predominantly made up of luxury properties.
Over the years, abusive permits have been granted for developers to construct property right at the edge of Wied id-Dies, while villas have been converted into apartment blocks at the expense of neighbouring properties whose prices declined due to them losing the status of being located in exclusive villa areas.
Besides, some Madliena residents have also had to use their personal funds to resurface roads that were in a dangerously neglected state.
Neighbourhood security leaves much to be desired, as can be seen by the numerous burglaries made in the area.
Salt himself complains “of the general conditions of the physical surroundings” in Madliena – mentioning roads and lighting specifically.
“Madliena, as a district, is on the outer boundary of a much more densely populated council area, and has over the years not been given the priority or attention it deserves,” he said. “This is why the new committees have been set up - in order for the residents of Madliena to elect fellow residents to make sure this does not happen in the future.”
For the first year, the hamlet committee will be given the responsibility to administer a budget of €1.2 million specifically allocated for road works.
“When settled, the committee will look around the area and see what other matters can be undertaken to make the lives and conditions of the residents more comfortable and convenient,” Frank Salt explained. “Being a council of residents who live in the area, we will be in a better position to know the problems. We will hopefully be able to tackle these problems successfully.”
Asked whether he considers the remit of the committee wide enough to resolve Madliena’s most urgent problems, Salt said that he would not stand for election unless he felt that he can give a valid contribution to his neighbours.
“I am sure my colleagues feel the same,” he said. ddarmanin@mediatoday.com.mt
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