Final warning to litter bugs

The government issued what will probably be the last warning to litter bugs yesterday, reminding them that the trial period for the littering regulations will come to an end with 2005 and that the fines issued as from Sunday will be for real.

The new fines regime, which along with the new plain clothes wardens has been on trial for the past three months, varies from the littering fines set at Lm25-Lm50 to those for illegal dumping at Lm1,000 to Lm2,500.

The government said the trial period had yielded 1,364 warnings - 1,231 for littering and 133 for dumping - by Boxing Day.

Those warned until the end of this year will have to pay double next year if caught red-handed again - for the fine they are given in 2006 and for the warning received during the trial period. Furthermore, the fines can be doubled if the littering or dumping is done in heritage sites or ecologically sensitive sites.

The trial period did not come without its teething problems. Earlier this month The Times revealed the findings of a review of the system which highlighted the actions of some heavy-handed wardens.

Among the exaggerated fines reported, the Central Information and Management Unit's (CIMU) document underscored an incident in which a warden slapped a whopping Lm1,000 on someone who had washed the pavement with soapy water. If any fine should have been issued at all, the report had noted, it should have been a littering fine of between Lm25 and Lm50.

The report was aimed precisely at pointing out such glitches during the trial period.

Environment Minister George Pullicino was quoted as saying in yesterday's statement that the new fines send a clear message that such irresponsible acts will not be tolerated and that whoever litters will have to pay, in line with the polluter pays principle.

The new fines will be enforced both by the "regular" uniformed wardens as well as the new green "plain clothes" wardens who can only enforce the fines of the Littering Act, the government said.