Building permits: A plea to the Prime Minister

In her letter entitled Invitation To Mepa Officials (May 16), Anna Busuttil could not have depicted the situation any vivider. Countless others have gone through or are still going through the nightmare described by the correspondent, when their peace is shattered because development over their roof was given the green light by Mepa without considering consequences.

People who had lived in tranquillity for years in apartment blocks are suddenly made to endure untold hardships because developers turn their sights on the roof of their apartment block, in order to add further apartments and penthouses. In most cases, this kind of almost unbearable activity goes on for years.

The stairwell inside the block, normally held by residents in pristine cleanliness and adorned with plants and picture frames, becomes thick with construction dust and gravel, with workmen climbing or going down the stairs at all times of the day from early morning. Security of the block becomes inexistent, as the front main door is left open by workmen to ease their access. The level of construction noise turns peaceful existence into a struggle for sanity.

Developers have no qualms when bullying tenants to make their balconies available for their building supports to shore up their concrete work, with iron and wooden upright props staying in place inside tenants' balconies for weeks on end. Many tenants are afraid to complain, as they know that they risk being manhandled or abused, or even have their property suffer structural damages inflicted on purpose and vindictively. One tenant I know, an ageing widow living on her own, recounted with tears in her eyes that she had to endure two winters with rainwater seeping into her apartment below, during and after construction work on her roof, as the new building was left in shell form without any doors or windows for months on end.

Lawrence Gonzi has pleged reform of Mepa. One priority crying out for reform is for Mepa to change its act and turn into a bulwark of the peace-loving citizen when deciding about building permits. Additional buildings on roofs of long-established apartment blocks should only be sanctioned after making certain that those living underneath will not have to endure inconveniences that shatter their lives. Tenants should be interviewed, and their views and opinions sought out before sanctioning takes place. It is not enough to just nail a notice against the building and then expect tenants to make formal objections which, anyway, in most cases are ignored.

Dr Gonzi should ensure that Mepa does not pass the onus of responsibility onto the residents by simply stating that they may opt to go to court against the developer to fight for their rights, as many residents lack the finances and even the strength and stamina it takes to initiate legal proceedings against bulldozing developers.