What is the current situation in Swieqi?

The current situation is a result of many years, security was always an issue. When I first became mayor, four and half years ago, it was the main problem. Take a look at Halloween, it used to be absolute havoc, but with cooperation with the police we were able to tackle it. However, when the popularity for Paceville started to grow, especially with foreign visitors, the problem  of security increased. After years of negotiations we finally have a police station and the situation has considerably improved, but the locality's population is growing rapidly and new problems always seem to arise.

Swieqi is primarily a residential area, but recently a large number of apartments began being rented out to short term visitors. These apartments are not controlled, and the tenants often cause problems with noise and vandalism. In fact, it is a problem contained to a specific part of Swieqi near Paceville. We don’t have these problems in Ibragg, Madliena, or the upper parts of Swieqi. We need more security to tackle vandalism and disturbances. The problem is that the offenders reside all over the locality and do not live within a particular block. It always seems like we are one step behind.

Are there night time patrols?

We are assured by the police that there are patrols by rapid intervention unit officers. But the truth is, if you want to control Swieqi, all you need to control is that area next to the tunnels of Paceville, because that’s from where the majority of the offenders enter from. If we manage to control there we have more or less the grip on what is going to happen.

Are there concerns that the police station may be understaffed?

The important thing is that it is functioning, it used to be understaffed but it’s improving with the new recruits, and I believe it will continue to do so.

Why do you believe that the crime is not prevented?

It is hard to prevent as there is no regularity, it doesn’t happen every Friday or every Monday. We don’t have this problem every day of the year.

Do you think that technology is the way forward?

It may help, but I don't think it is going to stop it. It could act as a deterrent as people may behave more carefully. But you have to recognise that a number of these offenders would have already left the island.

CCTV is the next step we are going try, which will be based at the police station so officers could monitor it. It takes a long time and we're looking to finalise an agreement with the Malta Tourism Authority to partly finance some of the cameras but we will probably have to pay for monitoring, recording and so on. But it’s already a step ahead, even though nothing has been concluded yet.

Do you think there should be more assistance given?

Definitely, we need more patrols. I do not deny that they patrol, but there needs to be more.


Have you tried communicating with the Ministry of Home Affairs?

Yes, we have regular meetings, and  I just requested another meeting with the assistant commissioner, and a meeting with the new commissioner. We’ve met all the previous ones and they are aware of the situation

Do think there is a lack of respect for the community when people drink?

No, just look at Birgu and Mdina, there are number of commercial outlets, restaurants, and bars, but they don’t encounter these sorts of problems as people respect the silence there.  What I would say is that maybe it’s the type of commercial outlet that is the problem. In Paceville, some people drink an exceptional amount. I mean some of the scenes residents have seen are either fights or crazy vandalism, it is shocking. You are meant to live in your home peacefully, and the night is there for rest, instead people have to sleep with one eye open out of fear that their property will be vandalised. It just isn’t right, Swieqi is a residential area not a commercial one.

We have to really careful, since the way permits are being dished out by the Planning Authority, it risks becoming completely ruined, it’s already partly ruined. There are applications for hostels and other commercial entities, and this goes completely against the residential status of the area.  First we had students in families, then flats, now we want hostels, and eventually we will get hotels.

What about Garden View?

Yes, but that has been there for an extremely long time, I don’t know what regulations there were at the time or whether it was a mistake,  but it doesn’t mean that it should be repeated. It also was one of the very first buildings in the locality. I know it can be used as an excuse, but let’s not……..

Have you reached out?

We meet with the Planning Authority, but unfortunately they know all the loopholes.

It is a struggle for the council to keep up with the amount of applications, there are about ten a week. There is an architect and a lawyer who donate their services for free, but I cannot continue asking them for everything.

Is there help from the government’s side to help Swieqi’s growing over-development problem?

Definitely not, the Planning Authority does not help us at all. The population is always increasing because people are pulling down houses and building apartments, and now the number of floors have increased to four plus one. But have they checked whether or not the accessibility to the locality is sufficient, whether there are enough open spaces? No.

The authorities should take the necessary steps to ensure that everything in the area is suitable.  We have dead end roads and we have been begging the minister to open them up. I’m not asking, I’m begging, to the point of frustration. He does not even want to help us on this end. Why?

There are a number of streets that are in an awful state, take Triq il-keffa as an example. We have been begging for help to properly fix it and all they tell me “that is a council road, and a council should pay for it” . It is like telling a 7 year old son that he has to sustain himself. It is impossible. I’m not going to patch it up because it’s a waste of money, I would rather patch up other roads to make sure it does not get to that state, roads like that need to be completely resurfaced.

In three years of this administration, they have done nothing, and they cannot continue blaming the previous administration. In the last budget, not one single cent was allocated to Swieqi, for capital investment or projects. Why? Are these people any different?

I actually  believe that as a locality we pay one of the highest taxes, and is the least burden to the government since we have no state schools, no social housing, no government-run old peoples home, and there is practically no unemployment. I am not saying we’re special, but there are certain funds due to us.

I think it would cost about €3 million to fix our roads. Please tell me how the local council is able to pay for it. The Transport Malta CEO, James Piscopo, keeps telling me that this is our responsibility. But I ask why are other roads  in other localities being resurfaced, when none of the councils have the money to do that, unless they get special funds. How come San Gwann got so many roads resurfaced when we are only down the road. I do not have anything against the locality, and I’m only using it as an example. 

The reply will be that they've spent hundreds of thousands of euros in your area. To that I say that it is a farce. Yes they have spent money, for works they had to do since it was their obligation.  But even there, their priorities were totally wrong were they resurfaced, there are other roads in a much worse state. I can suspect their choice, it’s blatant, why some roads are done and some others. Whoever pushes I suppose.

Are there any plans from the council to increase public space?

We’ve been trying. Across from the police station there is an open piece of land, and we have been requesting the government, both current and previous, to purchase it to convert it into an open space for the area, and they have refused. It is simply not right, for a population this size it is needed. In ten to fifteen years’ time I believe will be trying to solve the problems caused by the issues today. No community can live happily without sufficient open spaces. And now they even want to start building in the valley!

We are losing our identity, it is our wish to have an arts and culture centre in the locality. It would be a regional one, so it would extend to San Gwann, St Julian’s, Sliema, Msida etc. The centre will promote and exhibit all forms of art. I have spoken with the Minister for Culture, who is not very encouraging on the idea.

The controversial master plan of Paceville did not properly consult Swieqi. Have they spoken to you since?

To be honest we asked them to come to a local council meeting but they refused. However they did meet the council. We would have preferred a council meeting so they could explain it more directly to the residents.  However, the people who came are not the authors of the plans, they are just employees.  I agree 100% with a masterplan, we even need one for Swieqi, but what worries me is the density of the population of the area. The population will increase to 20,000, plus 20,000 new jobs, plus more tourists, more daily visitors, how is this going to happen when all the surrounding localities are already densely populated. That being said they did listen to us, I went to the parliamentary group meetings, to the Meridien, at least it was scrapped.