Authorities' responsibility on noise pollution

Recently many letters, as well as editorials, have appeared in the local media dealing with the problem of noise pollution. They specifically refer to fireworks, church bells, traffic, stereos in cars, and construction sites as sources of loud and unpleasant noise. I would like to add another pollutant to the list.

Writing this letter, at midnight on a Friday, I can hear, and feel, the loud throbbing of disco music shaking the whole house. And, sadly, I know that this will go on and on until at least six o'clock in the morning. In these circumstances, trying to get a good night's sleep in one's own house becomes a nightmare. You can imagine that my family and I find it very difficult to sleep well under such conditions.

We live in the centre of Zebbug, and the source of noise pollution is the open-air disco at Gianpula, just underneath Rabat. The loud "music" drifts all the way to the centre of Zebbug and, depending on the wind direction, it is often still loud enough when it gets here to keep all of us awake all night. Of course, it is obvious that this state of affairs is extremely unhealthy and, in the long run, is bound to have extensive negative physical and psychological effects.

A number of pertinent questions come to mind:

Who has given the owners of Gianpula permission to terrorise the people who live in the area around their disco?

Is there a "legal" limit on how loud the speakers used in open-air discos should be?

Are there any restrictions on where and when such open-air discos can operate?

Are the authorities aware of the fact that these discos, and this one in particular, are harmful to family life and to people's health?

Should open-air discos be allowed to operate in such a densely over-populated island like Malta?

I feel that both Mepa and the police, or whoever is responsible for such monstrosities (the MTA?), should not allow a handful of sharks to bully decent people who need to have a good night's sleep. People who are keen to invest in the entertainment business should be obliged to build sound-proof and air-conditioned premises. The fact that it is possible for an individual or a group of individuals with loads of money, and presumably also with lots of power, to destroy the lives of so many, and get away with it, shows the hypocrisy of an uncaring government that claims to place the family at the centre of its policies, but then allows business to destroy families indiscriminately.

I hope that my complaint will not fall on deaf ears, as is often the case in this maltreated island of ours. People are entilted to their peace and quiet, at least between 10 in the evening and six in the morning, and the authorities have a responsibility to guarantee that their citizens can have a restful night.