I have just come to the end of yet another stay with my friends in Mellieha. As usual I have enjoyed myself, particularly the local festivities and other Maltese nights that followed the festival. I believe that Mellieha has big aspirations to put itself on the map and I must admit that quite a lot of what I witnessed seems the right way to go about it but alas, there is a long, long way to go yet.

My friends live in Mellieha Heights, which is a lovely area where people look after their houses and most of them are foreigners who have used their last penny to come and live here. On a cool evening last week I decided to take a short walk in the vicinity of where I was staying and I arrived back livid at what I saw.

Yes, the houses and villas are beautiful but the surrounding areas are abominable. There is a lovely walk on Etna Street that brings one to a place overlooking the bay and beyond. Honestly, one cannot walk and look at the view as one has to be on the look out to avoid the dog poo, and this is a place where most tourists in Mellieha are told to come and enjoy the view.

In a 20-minute walk I came across six large areas of derelict land full of dried flora and rubbish, which has either been dumped or blown there by the winds. One particular square was dug up over a year ago to be made into a playground and has been left in that state because the council, so I’ve been told, has run out of money. And this is Mellieha Heights, which is supposed to be the follow up of the famous Santa Maria Estate. Surely, these open horrible areas could be flattened down and made into car parks thus saving the two-way narrow streets from having parking on either side of the road and making a pleasant walk turn into a dice with death experience.

My friends who are British do not have a clue as to who is responsible. I brought the subject up in the local pub and was advised to go to the local council or Mepa or to write to the local newspaper. I’ve opted to do this as I am now on my way back to the UK hoping that somebody who can bring about some improvement to such a lovely area will do something about it. Maybe next time I come back I will be able to write to you and say what a wonderful job has been done by those responsible, also hoping that Mellieha will be on the map as the most desirable place to live, stay or visit in Malta.

Dennis Mason

Yorkshire UK