The truth is finally out, the former Nationalist administration in Ħal Għargħur, led by then Mayor Helen Gauci, left behind a massive €173,000 financial hole.
Yes, that’s right, one hundred and seventy-three thousand euros in debts, losses, and unpaid bills, all accumulated under the PN’s watch at the local level, let alone what will be found when and if the party’s financial books will be presented.
Helen Gauci
This figure, confirmed the financial reports that were presented in the last Council meeting, 4 months after the new Labour-led council. One may also add that these figures do not cover the early months of 2025, when Gauci was still in charge before being voted out in a no-confidence motion last May. The damage may, in fact, be even worse once the full accounts are tallied.
Financial Mismanagement Exposed
According to the audit, the council owes over €100,000 to creditors and registered a loss of around €71,000 for 2024 alone. Among the questionable expenditures identified was a staggering €61,000 in “hospitality” spending, including the now infamous boxing event that turned into a financial disaster.
Labour mayor Mariah Meli, who took over following Gauci’s removal, explained that the new administration immediately began a cleanup operation.
“Over this period, I made it a point for the council’s management to be more responsible and sustainable,” Meli said. “We immediately began working with the accountants to close the 2024 books and identify exactly how much was owed.”
Her statement underscores the sharp contrast between fiscal responsibility and reckless spending, a contrast that residents of Ħal Għargħur can now see clearly.
The Boxing Fiasco
Of all the questionable spending, the boxing event stands out as the clearest symbol of mismanagement. The event left over €20,000 still unpaid, and to make matters worse, Gauci had publicly promised to cover the bill herself, a promise that, unsurprisingly, she never kept.
This fiasco has become the perfect metaphor for the PN’s local leadership: bold promises, big spending, and zero accountability.
Mariah Meli
Labour Cleaning Up the Mess
Now it falls on Mariah Meli and her Labour team to clean up the financial wreckage. The council has already asked the National Audit Office, together with the Local Government Division to investigate the spending that occurred under Gauci’s watch, a move that should bring some much-needed transparency to a situation long clouded by political spin.
At the end of the day, the numbers speak louder than words. The Nationalist administration’s legacy in Ħal Għargħur is not one of community improvement or good governance, it’s a €173,000 debt and a trail of unpaid bills.
The residents of Ħal Għargħur deserve better and this is what the Labour Mayor is working for, together with her colleagues.
1 Comment
Neville, temmen li l-PN se jipprezentaw il-kontijiet awditjati awtentici ?? Ma nemminx. Bilfors sabu lil xi hadd lest li jilghab il-loghyba taghhom, la tant awdituri kienu qatghu qalbhom !!!