Filming in Attard

Filming in St Anthony Street, Attard has become the order of the day. Residents have been putting up with the inconvenience of having to park elsewhere and with limited access to their homes. But now we've gone past the inch and these film-makers, or rather their local representatives, have taken a strong hold on the ell.

Notices have been put up prohibiting parking under penalty of a tow for the whole stretch of road from the US Ambassador's residence to the tip of San Anton Gardens. (This happened also when the Ambassador was last celebrating July 4.)

I have a strong feeling that these notices are illegal and that to close a road to traffic one needs the approval of ADT and the specific dates and times have to be published in the Government Gazette well in advance. What strikes me most is that they do not employ the slightest bit of prudence. This week they closed the road for no fewer than five days and people are being prohibited from going through on foot. We, with our shopping, our children with their babies, friends, delivery men are forced to park in other roads and plod our way home under the scorching sun. And did they politely ask for a friendly permission from the residents? By no means. Only once when a Maltese film was being shot did the organisers approach the residents asking permission, apologising for the inconvenience caused and ultimately voluntarily compensated the residents as best they could.

These are not simply my views but a good number of residents with whom I discussed the problem agree with them entirely