Selfish residents

A councillor on the San Gwann council recently wrote in the council magazine that they are receiving numerous complaints from residents who are disturbed by persistent barking of their neighbours' dogs. He begged dog-owners to be more considerate for their peace-loving neighbours but unfortunately since then, nothing has changed.

Noisy residents (and here I am referring to all sorts of noises - loud music, shouting, machinery etc.) are still having their way undisturbed while ironically their quiet neighbours (sometimes old or sick) are forced to suffer "in silence" regular, persistent noises at any time of the day and night. Making complaints to local councils, as illustrated above, proves totally useless since the council lacks the necessary framework to take concrete action.

Most disturbed neighbours often refrain from filing a report to the police, partly because they feel they're trying to hit a fly with a sledge hammer and partly because these reports are often given secondary importance by the police who have much more serious or urgent problems to deal with.

In my opinion, a better solution would be for the local council to set up an action committee within the council itself, which would have the role to receive complaints, investigate them, and take preliminary action directly.

This "Neighbourhood Welfare Committee" should have the power to take legal action against those residents who fail to comply.

Asking politely, begging or writing in magazines till now has proved totally ineffective.

Enforcement in terms of hefty fines seems to be our last hope to put to silence these selfish residents once and for all.