The article (TMIS Sunday, 21 August) highlighting the lack of funding suffered by the St Paul’s Bay Local Council applies equally to the St Julian’s Local Council. Both areas are affected by a heavy influx of visitors especially in the summer months being popular holiday destinations. Moreover, the recently published 2021 census preliminary information revealed that, again in both cases, the population density is by far the highest in Malta and Gozo.
Yet, the authorities base funding to these councils on numbers that are unrealistic as these exclude the impact on these particular areas of the large number of visitors that are not reflected in the census. The authorities need to urgently do something to remove this anomaly and thus increase funding, especially to cover a much-needed improvement in the current cleaning service in St Julian’s, including, of course, Paceville.
As a long-time St Julian’s resident, I can vouch for the fact that never has the area been so shabby. I include even such prime areas in the proximity of the five-star Hilton Hotel. The public garden in the main Portomaso square is in a terrible state with broken stairs in many places and a lack of cleaning or any maintenance of the hedges and trees and garbage bins that are inadequate in size to cater for the large volume of rubbish generated especially by the students attending the language schools in the area and others who frequent the area including ticket vendors for the popular hop on hop off buses and the very popular Tal-Linja bus stop.
On the several occasions that I drew the Local Council’s attention, I am told that the best is being done with the inadequate funding received. As regards maintenance of the public garden there seems to be an overlap between the responsibilities of the SJLC and those of the Lands Department which, I understand, is responsible for the maintenance of the adjoining Spinola Palace, now vacant and crying to be turned into the SJLC’s office. This is something which St Julian’s certainly deserves in replacement of the badly sited existing premises in Forrest Street.
Following my various complaints to the SJLC on the lack of supervision of the work carried out by the staff of the current cleaning contractor some improvement is evident but, still, cleaning is not up to standard and there are areas, especially in Paceville, which have not been swept for weeks and not days. It is just not acceptable that it was on my insistence (twice as once was not enough!) that something was done to put in place garbage bins along the public gardens. This leaves one wondering if any sort of supervision on the cleaning staff is exercised by the cleaning contractor and even by the SJLC staff.
Another sore point is the vandalism to closed down and unused buildings such as the former Rokna Hotel and restaurant. The entrance was forced open recently and I drew the LC’s attention some months ago to a badly damaged low-lying glass pane of a window leading to the building’s basement. This is just above the pavement and a child could easily suffer serious injuries. Surely the owners should be made to secure the building, repair the broken glass panes and ensure that the steps leading to the former hotel’s entrance are kept clean.
This is an appeal to the authorities concerned to take immediate and appropriate action not only to increase the much-needed funding to the SJLC but also to do something about the cleaning and general upkeep of the public garden. It is useless spending funds on the installation of an open-air gym, which is hardly used, and then claim a lack of funds for cleaning and maintenance of the planted areas. Our mayor, Albert Buttigieg, has my full support in his quest for adequate funding and also for a replacement to occupy the post of executive secretary which, I am told, became vacant some eight months ago on the untimely death of the previous incumbent.
These are urgent matters that should be kept outside the realm of politics. One cannot but get the impression that Mr Buttigieg is being side-lined by the powers that be due to his having contested the last general election as a member of the Nationalist Party. The local residents, as well as the numerous visitors, both local and foreign, have a right to live in a clean environment apart from the fact that the area is one of Malta’s prime tourists’ destinations.
The accompanying photos give some indication of the pitiful state of some areas in St Julian’s. Action please! Minister responsible for Local Councils and Minister for Tourism!
Anthony R. Curmi
St Julian’s