Horses, karozzini and the Valletta mayor

I refer to the letter by Paul Borg Olivier (July 25) where he insists that he is against all forms of ill treatment, be it to humans or animals.

Answers to the question as to why these horses are not using the shelter near the Mediterranean Conference Centre, when this was moved by none other than himself, appeared often enough on the media.

The "eyesore" shelter, as the mayor called it, was placed in an area which is rarely frequented by tourists. If the karozzini are not in a position to earn a good livelihood, these creatures would not be able to be properly kept and tragically would end up in an abattoir. These men and their families would also have no option but to struggle hard to make ends meet, ending on social benefits.

The karozzini are considered part of Malta's culture. Our government on numerous occasions featured them for tourism purposes. Our group (the Animal Rights Group) are in constant contact with overseas organisations and connections.

Yes, the karozzini certainly deserve their prime shelter opposite the Palace in Valletta's main square.

Perhaps our mayor has forgotten the meetings that he recently had with the GWU and the karozzini committee, giving his word of honour that a shelter would be re-erected in Palace Square.

As for the "heavy loads" the horses are expected to draw up Valletta's "hills", I must clarify that much study has also gone into this. The horse route of Valletta from Palace Square is the one with the least going up streets. The drivers also know how to balance and handle the weight to cause less effort on their horses. The horses do not constantly carry passengers for eight-hour stretches! They work on a roster basis and that is why the shelters having a shade with full facilities are so vitally important while waiting for their turn.

The Valletta Palace shelter could be made extremely attractive with the help of a good architect.

Regarding permits from MEPA, surely a permit can be obtained quickly enough as when it came to the visit of the Pope. The construction of the stage was not covered by a permit - this was issued 24 hours later. Another example is the Elton John concert. MEPA had not issued a permit for the application to construct a temporary structure. This was filed a week after construction work began.

The mayor is further surprised as to why the criticism is solely aimed at him. Could it be that he is the one mayor in Malta who insists on giving penalties even when a horse is sheltering under some form of shade. Yet he purposely denies their rights to have the promised shelter re-erected - or perhaps he is omitting to mention that there was another alternative to the apron and that the men even now, under very awkward conditions, do pick up most droppings.

I certainly think it is about time for the government to intervene in what has become now a national, if not international disgrace. This unnecessary suffering and distress is certainly not caused by the karozzini owners who have been crying out for a shelter to be re-erected in Palace Square for over three years. The Valletta mayor seems to be acting above our present government, which most believed would put an end to unnecessary distress and cruelty under the Animal Welfare Act 2001.