Antisocial behaviour

There is nothing worse than looking to authorities for help - they are called "authorities" precisely because they are supposed to have the authority to do something and take action - and getting the usual replies: "I cannot leave the police station unmanned, I'm alone here",

"Sorry, but that is not our responsibility, call Mepa/the health inspectors/something-or-other authority", and a myriad of other excuses. Some people I meet during home visits and through personal contact told me that if there is no corpse, the police will not show up.

It is small things that might seem irrelevant and unimportant but which happen repeatedly and with irritating, frustrating regularity that affect our quality of life.

Where are the police when someone is disturbing neighbours with loud music during ungodly hours, working on a building site without the proper equipment that reduces clouds of dust, or more dangerously demolishing a building and damaging other people's property?

Where are the police when the village yobs are making a nuisance in the middle of the night, vandalising public property?

I can give you the answers before anybody from "the authorities" writes back - "undermanned", "more important cases and crimes to attend to", "what you're saying is not true".

The solution is local police, not some private guard company interested in making money out of fines. Local police who get to know the area and its problems well. Their mere presence and, hopefully, their communication and negotiation skills should be enough to reduce the occurrence of antisocial behaviour, if not solve it.

Something which creates problems for residents are commercial establishments or, more precisely, their work practices. Why are conditions for licences for bars and restaurants drawn up by the Malta Tourism Authority, with establishments in villages and residential areas given permission to open till the early hours? Why were local councils created if they are not involved in this very "local" issue? What about licence conditions for other shops? We all know that the enforcement of licence conditions, especially when it comes to noise and opening hours, is zilch.

On-the-spot efficient enforcement of planning conditions is another area where the authorities lack "authority". It is no secret that some contractors seem to have a patron saint somewhere up high. The reports by Mepa's auditor are testimony to many a case where the developer seems to be favoured, with respect to other parties, including residents and other groups.

A particular case comes to mind in Attard where an apartment block is being built with all required permits but apparently against building regulations, with the minimum distances between the building and neighbouring houses being completely ignored. A "mistake" seems to have been made somewhere, somehow by someone. The time it takes for enforcement is another prickly issue. A rundown "farm" right in the middle of a residential area in the middle of Attard, which was supposed to be demolished to make way for the continuation of a street, which up to now stops abruptly, last summer created a big health problem for neighbours who were literally invaded by fleas resulting in severe allergic reactions and skin problems.

Will the residents suffer again this summer? Why are things so slow? Whose responsibility is it to make sure basic hygiene regulations are adhered to?

These are some of the problems residents face everyday. People need to know who to turn to. Someone who will take swift and effective action. It is time to rethink our policing system - a police force which is present, close to the people is a must, a "one-stop shop" that people can turn to for help.

Mr Cassar is Alternattiva Demokratika deputy secretary general and a candidate for Attard.

ralph.cassar@alternattiva.org.mt