GRTU calls for happy medium over law enforcement in Paceville

In the wake of a police clampdown in Paceville over loud music and the closing of outlets after certain hours over the last four weeks, the Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprise - GRTU is looking for a "happy medium between not killing the fun of the industry and not damaging other segments that also spend money in other outlets in the area".

The police swooped on Paceville over the last month, ensuring that the law, which was largely ignored and only sporadically enforced, was being observed, meaning that music should not be heard outside outlets by 1 a.m. and switched off by 4 a.m., the president of the GRTU's Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure Division, Philip Fenech, told The Times.

The police clampdown was due to complaints from hotels that music was leaking into their rooms, or into self-catering apartments, he said.

Mr Fenech supported the idea that the streets should be kept clean and that "veteran" tourists also had to be looked after. "We want to find that happy medium because every market is vital for our value-added chain in the tourism economy."

However, he still thought that soundproof outlets and those where the sound does not bother the neighbours should be able to operate until 5 a.m., that is, adding another hour - a proposal that was shot down last year.

Mr Fenech said he had received many requests for the extension of music in such places beyond 4 a.m. to 5.

His argument is that "our social behaviour patterns have changed throughout the years in terms of leisure time. Today, those in the services industry do not work from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., so leisure time is confined to late at night.

"It was never the establishments that wanted to stay open late; it is the demand by locals and tourists, who are hitting nightlife as late as 1 a.m. Every year, people are going out and staying out later," Mr Fenech said.

The issue has arisen more than ever, now that the "unfortunate" enforcement exercise is being carried out, he said.

The government had been asked by the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association to enforce the law because it felt that noise pollution and other aspects of social behaviour were having a negative effect on tourism in general and particularly on the Paceville hotels and residents.

The fact that establishments have, for the last five years, been making an effort to forbid underage persons from entering bars has resulted in their social displacement, with youths creating "eyesore" pockets on the outskirts and in certain areas in the centre, where they sit and drink (from anything but glass containers) in the streets, Mr Fenech explained.

"I do not believe we should have anarchy. We should look at the bigger picture; every type of tourist in Paceville needs to be satisfied with our product. It is important that they integrate and do not damage one another... Some entrepreneurs and consumers are looking at the situation in a piecemeal fashion," Mr Fenech claimed.