Keep Malta clean

Through The Times I would like to make a few comments which I especially address to Environment and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino.

I am extremely disappointed at the dirty and filthy image of Malta's towns and villages. I am a law student in Israel and I spent five weeks in Malta as an English language student.

During my stay in St Julians, I could not miss the fact that the roads, the sidewalks and the surroundings of most buildings are extremely polluted and not clean.

My daily walk to school from my host family's house, only five minutes away, had become more than unbearable. Often, I had to walk along smelly pavements. The smell was unbearable, especially in the heat when it became revolting.

Before coming to Malta, many people told me about the "environmental" problems in this "historical island". At first, I thought they were over-exaggerating. After all, how dirty can a small country like Malta be?

Unfortunately, it seems I was mistaken. It is really a shame that an important and historical island like Malta is unable to protect its natural history, tourist centres and main attractions.

It seems I am not the only one affected by this problem. Most of my adult professional classmates constantly point out the environmental problems in the country. Even a well-known internet website for European travellers has drawn attention to the situation and advises people to reconsider their decision before coming to the island. It would indeed be a pity if Malta ended up killing the goose that lays the golden egg and losing on tourism given today's heavily competitive market.

To my mind, the solution could be very simple. I noticed that at times one can walk for more than a kilometre without coming across a litter-bin. As a result, people throw refuse on the ground. If only they could dispose of their rubbish somewhere! I believe streets would then look much cleaner.

The Mexican city of Campeche had the same problem years ago. It was considered one of the dirtiest cities in the whole of Central and South America. This was changed with the election of a new governor who simply decided to invest in rubbish-bins all around the city. One year later the "smelly" reality changed and Campeche became one of the cleanest cities in the area.

I hope this letter will be received in the spirit in which it was written, that is, of genuine concern. I truly hope my words will not fall on deaf ears.