Swimming pool cleaning machines 'vandalised'

Two machines used to clean the pool deck at the national pool complex in Tal-Qroqq were set on fire early yesterday morning by vandals who managed to enter the complex even though two watchmen were on duty.

National pool executive chairman Maurice Gruppetta said the machines were worth close to Lm2,000. The watchmen realised something at the complex had caught fire after smelling smoke.

They contacted police who went over to investigate.

Mr Gruppetta denied damning claims made in a letter published in The Times yesterday from Angela Galea, who was writing on behalf of the swimming national team.

He said that although the situation at the pool was far from perfect and could always be improved upon, things were not as bad as Ms Galea had made out.

Among others, Mr Gruppetta denied Ms Galea's claim that the pool temperature was three degrees lower than it should have been on two consecutive days. He also said the pool's boiler had not been fully functional because of the lack of fuel.

However, he did acknowledge there had been a problem with the floodlights.

He said the pool's condition had not affected visits from foreign teams or caused a reduction in the size of the Maltese national squad.

The management, Mr Gruppetta explained, spent over Lm2,000 a year, excluding labour costs, to repair items that would have been damaged or vandalised.

He said the pool's water and electricity bills ran to an average Lm150 a day and paraffin to heat the boiler cost the complex Lm350 a day last month.