Thursday, 10th July 2008

Missing ladder at seaside

Emily-Barbaro Sant, Mosta

A 74-year-old friend of mine who spends the summer months at her flat in St Paul's Bay is finding it difficult to swim near the Gillieru Restaurant.

For many years, there used to be two ladders, one for the divers and the other for common use. While that of the divers is placed there to accommodate them and then taken away, that for common use is not placed at all. A report was filed with the local council but the only reply given was "to wait and see".

Swimming for my friend is very good therapy but unfortunately she is being deprived of it. Because of hot weather, going to Sirens is out of the question for her as it is too far.

In this day and age, when the needs of senior citizens are being very much looked after, could someone please help? I am sure my friend is not the one and only who enjoys her daily therapeutic swim near the Gillieru.

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Comments

Petyer Abela (on 10/7/08)

I refer to your comment regarding the ladder near Gillieru and would like to clarify; that the council does not install ladders. The comment is passed on to the competent authority. One can assure you that the council has followed the normal procedure and passed the comment accordingly.

One has to consider the fact that one can be assured that the competent authority will act at their earliest convinience, considering that, there are many other localities requiring the same requisite.

Joseph Galea (on 10/7/08)

We too noticed and missed the ladder by the Gillieru, although we did see the 'divers' ladder' being installed and removed as required.

I wonder if the removal of the 'public ladder' is a subtle way of discouraging the public from using a certain area, thus reserving it for 'divers.' It's time the local council took some action.

Marylu Coppini (on 10/7/08)

I sympathise with this correspondent's plea for someone to come to his aid regarding the authorities' nonchalant attitude towards making the Gillieru and public Sirens area more user-friendly for local and visiting bathers. Believe me, the Sirens public area is not much better.

I have been pleading with the local council for some weeks now to clear some dangerous boulders which were thrown into the most popular of the old 'banjijet' when works took place some years ago to construct the Sirens private pool. The reply was that government officials have instructed them not to clear the rock pools because of the natural species that are native to these pools. If the government officials are so concerned about natural species they should have penalised the Sirens mangement for allowing their workmen to ruin the old banjijiet and the surrounding area in the first place! The whole area has been regarded as the refuse site for building works around the private concrete pool ever since this was created some years ago.