Gerald Fenech The Nationalist Party won a majority of 63% in the elections for hamlets, which were characterised by a disappointing turnout as low as 22% in Xlendi.
The highest turnout, 48%, was registered at Fleur de Lys. The average turnout was just 35%.
Overall, Labour managed to obtain 34% of the vote with independent candidates registered just 3%.
But Labour polled quite strongly in localities such as Bubaqra and Xlendi, where it actually obtained a majority of votes with just two candidates in the latter village, and one in the former. These administrative councils will still have a PN majority of candidates.
Labour also elected councillors in what were deemed to be Nationalist strongholds in Madliena, Kappara, and Fleur de Lys – electing nine of the ten candidates who contested on the Labour ticket.
There was disappointment for some high profile PN candidates, especially Kenneth de Martino in Madliena, who surprisingly missed out on the election while the party elected three candidates in Paceville Xlendi and Bubaqra and four in Fleur de Lys, Madliena, Kappara and Marsalforn.
The PN’s ‘landslide’ victory fell short of a convincing turnout, despite putting in much store to get out the vote with its party agents out in force to convince people to vote.
Nationalist candidate for Madliena and now the hamlet’s chairperson Frank Salt told MaltaToday he hoped to create a sense of belonging to the hamlet and that he would seek EU funding for the area. “The reason why I stood as a candidate for the PN was that I felt this is low key election, and that through the PN banner more things could be done where application for EU funds are concerned. We hope to get Madliena up to scratch on lighting, security and the state of its roads, and also to create a sense of community which is sadly rather lacking in the hamlet.”
The elected councillors were: Bubaqra - Joseph Caruana, Pierre Farrugia – chairperson, Maria Schembri (PN) Joseph d’Amato (PL) Annetto Bugeja (Ind)
Fleur-de-Lys - Antoine Attard, Ronald Briffa – chairperson, Ramona Cardona, Anthony Formosa (PN) Emanuel Farrugia (PL)
Kappara - Janet Barthet, Frank Bartolo – chairperson, Peter Calleja, Alfred Mangion (PN) Robert Vella Bonnici (PL)
Madliena - Mary Anne Abela, Wallace Farrugia, Anna Paris, Frank Salt – chairperson (PN) Alexander Chetcuti (PL)
Marsalforn - Emanuel Debono, George Sacco, Maria Saliba – chairperson, Joe Zammit (PN) Carmen Camilleri (PL)
Paceville - Karl Consiglio, Joseph dei Conti Manduca, Richard Scicluna – chairperson (PN) Carmen Camilleri (PL)
Xlendi - Godwin Azzopardi – chairperson, Mark Busuttil, Mary Anthony Cassar (PN) Vincent Borg, Joselle Buttigieg (PL)
Santa Luċija - Maria Carmela Bellamy, Louis Cassar, Joseph Mizzi, Alfred Stellini, Maria Stellini (Għaqda Għall-Għan tal-Komunità)
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