Broken lives of city dwellers

Nightlife, art and culture may be booming in the capital city, with hip bars and up-market restaurants mushrooming in its quaint streets, and restoration and rehabilitation works on every corner.

But scratch the surface of its baroque façades and the superficial lustre uncovers a world of decadence and decay - and the contrast between the two is widening.

"Everyone thinks of Cottonera as the most plagued with grave social problems, but Valletta is on a par," points out Fr Saviour Grima, the young parish priest of St Augustine - the smallest of the capital's three parishes that includes the notorious Mandragg.

The "enormous" social problems include drugs, gambling, usury, abuse and theft, he lists. "Localities around ports have the same problems, but somehow, Valletta tends to be overlooked."

It is no news that the area spreading from Hastings down to the Manoel Theatre and Marsamxett Harbour has always been considered to be dodgy.

But nothing seems to have changed over the years... And Fr Grima, who experienced somewhat of a culture shock when he came from the North, is the first to vouch for that.

He is inundated by requests for assistance from his parishioners - the majority of them being over 61 years old and living alone in solitude and poverty, according to a survey he carried out.

The telephone does not stop ringing in his office, located in a breathtaking building in Old Bakery Street - which, like many buildings in the capital, would not appear to be as stunning, spacious and downright palatial as it actually is from the outside.

The St Augustine priory commands panoramic views of the rooftops and skyline of the capital, down to Marsamxett... But zooming into the details of the surroundings also reveals broken windowpanes and dilapidated, uninhabitable homes.

Of the 1,500-strong community, 34.5 per cent are over 61. But while it is no surprise that Valletta has an ageing population - of the couples that got married there over the last three years, only three reside in it - it is worrying to Fr Grima that many of these elderly also live alone; according to parish statistics, 30 per cent of the community.

Moreover, they have been confined to their homes for years, not only for health reasons and lack of accessibility, but also because they are afraid to leave their apartments after 5 p.m., and normally lock themselves indoors.

"They feel it; you see them crying alone. They have no one and they worry about who is going to take care of their funeral arrangements," says the 34-year-old, who has been the parish priest for five years and has adopted Valletta, his new home.

"The lack of lighting in the streets does not help; you can do whatever you want after 7 p.m. when the shops close and it is a case of carte blanche for crime."

In Christmas, meals were prepared for 40 people, who had nothing to eat, and if they did, would be eating it alone that day, he says, adding that the residents "attack" anything that is free.

This is the reality of St Augustine parish residents, as Fr Grima describes it, listing loneliness, mobility problems, ill health, including depression, and lack of accessibility as the fundamental concerns.

Some of the elderly have to be carried down, say, five flights of stairs, with no spot for a breather - then it is the wheelchair's turn!

Usury is another problem that Fr Grima encounters among those who cannot even afford to pay bills and medication. "They are unable to budget," he says.

"One woman has three children, but cannot afford to buy milk," Fr Grima continues. Their children go on to be single mothers and do not necessarily help financially.

Fortunately, however, "despite the fact that they fight a lot, the Valletta people are also very supportive of each other and have a strong sense of solidarity," he points out, adding that someone goes to teach this particular woman how to cook and takes care of her children.

Meanwhile, four groups of anonymous gamblers and alcoholics meet at the parish.

"The beggars may not be on the streets, but they are in their homes," Fr Grima maintains.

He is establishing close contact with the residents, visiting them in their homes to be aware of their problems, getting close to the family and accepting them as they are.

The parish priest is backed by a Mandragg resident - a Valletta boy through and through - who offers a guided tour of the hood.

Born and bred in the area, he is doing his utmost to try and instill values in his children and offer them a better life, but living next door to crack addicts, who walk onto the balcony naked, or in crazy underwear, is not making his job easy. "I cannot even open the window and I feel like a prisoner in my own home," he says.

Eighteen months ago, his flat caught fire when the flames from the neighbour spread into his. To date, he has not found any assistance and is doing his utmost to restore his home, or find alternative housing.

"Arranging the house again has sent me back 10 years," he says.

"It is true, I am from Valletta, but I was not brought up that way.

"My children have a depression; at parents' day, we were asked if my wife and I had problems at home. My daughter is ashamed to say she is from Valletta when she goes out because the reaction is always negative."

Such is the stigma that surrounds the capital, he admits.

"The minute you say you are from here, people give you odd looks."

In Fr Grima's parish, only eight per cent of the community is aged between 13 and 20. But the youths still manage to get into trouble.

"You'll find most of them gambling their entire pay away the day they receive it," says Fr Grima, admitting that theft is also rampant.

The youths are characterised by a "lack of education and intelligence, a sense of rebellion, and nowhere to expend their energy; they are considered to be tough and, therefore, have a bad reputation".

Many attempts, mostly voluntary, are being made to set them on the straight and narrow, through a variety of courses.

Only two students at the Junior Lyceum are from Valletta, while university students from the capital can be counted on one hand, Fr Grima points out.

The area is also bad on the drugs front, he says, comparing it to Qormi.

The problem is the lack of police presence, but he is taking a proactive approach, looking into where most crime occurs in collaboration with the police. A form of "neighbourhood watch" to control crime is being discussed with the Police Commissioner.

"When you look at Valletta from above, Republic and Merchants Street appear to be important areas, but the real heart is the outskirts, where the people live. What is being done there?"

In a building that has practically changed shape as a result of the filth that has accumulated, located in St Patrick Street - one of the worst - there are actually signs of life...

The shaft is a rubbish dump, the walls are damp and dangerous wires sprout from everywhere.

Climbing the hazardous stairs, which would appear to be hanging on a thread, and with a precarious roof hanging loosely overhead, visitors are faced with a grimy toilet in the landing.

Posters of semi-naked women adorn walls that could do with a lick of paint, to say the least, while a picture of Our Lady hangs opposite for good measure.

Valletta mayor Paul Borg Olivier is aware of the Mandragg problems, which, he maintains, are not specific to that area, but also exist in the lower part of Valletta.

A number of social problems are exposed, but others, particularly those related to the elderly, such as loneliness, difficulties in making ends meet and family problems, are often hidden, he says. In view of this, the council has engaged a community worker on a part-time basis. The mandate is not to solve social problems, but to identify the victims and refer them to the right form of assistance.

Last year, a social network, including the different parishes, NGOs, societies and other stakeholders, was set up in Valletta, primarily piloted by the community worker.

The network has identified the major social concerns and is working on small, but realisable projects to improve quality of life, Dr Borg Olivier explains.

For example, a project with the St Elmo primary school has been set up to help students with homework and extra attention after school hours, while initiatives to empower parents in their approach to education have also been embarked on.

The local council is also in discussion with the Family and Social Solidarity Ministry for the improved implementation of the National Social Policy on a local level - to adapt it to Valletta's scenario and cater for its specific needs. The idea is to create a more holistic approach and see, for example, why people are unemployed, the mayor said.