Construction ban in tourist areas 'being ignored'

For the past 2 years we have suffered on St. Ignatius Junction in Sliema. We've had trucks driving up one way streets, blocking traffic without warning, cutting stone in the street, swearing at the top of their lungs, because obviously they're too cheap to buy CB Radios. Not to mention the dust in all of our homes, and over our cars. There are no site inspectors, and no regard for safety or discipline. They have the green hoarding up, while doing the finsihing, but that still doesn't stop them from yelling at the top of their lungs at 7am.

Come to think of it, this building is directly in front of Hibernia House, doesn't this classify it as a building in a tourist zone?

We've called the Sliema police and the local council on a number of occasions, but they don't even care let alone show up.

...and I'm not going to get into the entire illegal immigration employment here.

It's true. malta is seen as a construction site by tourist. However, us residents have to endure all the disadvantages and inconveniences these construction sites bring about, like sounds, vibrations, dust, structural damages, etc. However, there is no law here enforcing that the constructing site should be well surrounded by netting and that all the precautions during digging and building are taken. What is unfortunate is that certain people who have an architect who is also an MP, get their permissions with no problems at all (my neighbours). Also, do these constructors follow the safety rules especiall when digging under someone else's property? Is there a law protecting the tenants of the nearby households, especially the adjacent ones?
Welcome to the Circus of Malta!!!

Half your problems will disappear when you stop building with Malta stone and stop sanding the walls. Reenforced concrete and concrete panel structures are the future. All you need are some new laws to stop putting big holes in the ground and then using them as illigal dumping grounds for all the garbage the same builders create from demolished buildings.
Grow up and grow some balls. You are at the end of your life as moles. Stand up and become Homo Sapiens.

The same old story in Malta, we have hundreds of laws and regulations but these are never enforced so rendering them useless. Then when it comes to prosecute a contractor we become a lawless nation.

No wonder that Malta has become a destination which a tourist never re-visits and those who come each year are cheated in doing so with nice brochures and websites. Shame on the Government.

I agree with Mr Briffa, the approach he mentioned is the best way forward I would think. I do not know what the rules and regulations are for construction workers vis-a-vis stone cutting and dressing but education should be given in a chance but guidlines must be issued.
Then if infrigments are still reported (which they will) enforcement would be introduced.
With regards to the comments about the Police by the same Mr Briffa, please do not generalise as I live in St.Pauls Bay and when a construction worker filled the street (and my just washed car) with white dust I called the police and they came (to be honest I had to call a couple of times) within the hour.
The problem with our politics is that whoever is in opposition, be it MLP or PN they will never work hand in hand with the government to find a better solution as this would enhance the image of who is Government. We just point out the obvious and then shut up. Concrete solutions should be found by both parties as they are their to represent the country as a whole.

@Antoine Zammit

Without being in any way or form discriminative, but bearing in mind the slice of GDP that tourism contributes to the economy, tourist areas could be spared this activity in peak season.

To the powers that be.

I have a nagging feeling that we would be so much better if our law enforcement system in Malta does just that....law enforcement.

***More*** resources should be allocated to the prosecuting entity...the AG?

Our law enforcement arms could then free up their time with detecting, investigating and then forwarding crimes and breaches of adminitrative law to the competent prosecution authorities, complete with affidavits to avoid having these personnel wasting their time in court.

And as regards crackdowns, I cannot for the life of me see the point of announcing any before they start.

Common sense that is all that is required. Summer in touristic areas is money lots of it spent by our visitors. If you have construction work to do in these high touristic areas do it in the nine months of winter, spring and autumn, move elsewhere to do your construction works in summer, that is all is needed. A case of Common sense in Xlendi - a building was ready for the roofer to do his piece in mid Nov 2007 - guess when he decides it is the right time for the least inconvenience and least possible of damage to the tourist industry - the 13th of August, yes the peak of the tourist season. If this is not a vendetta by the construction industry towards the touristic industry, tell me what is it??

It is impossible to stop construction work during summer, contractors do have employees and they want to work to work in summer. But with some common sense (which some time is not so common!) we can solve the problem. First of all work should NOT start early, not before 8.00am. Secondly engineers and architects will plan to do the demolition and excavation works before the summer period, in order to leave the building for summer time.

You do get noise from building especially when machinery is used but not that huge amount of noise coming from demolition and excavation!

A few days ago I was talking to a very good friend of mine, who was a General Manager in a hotel in St. Paul’s Bay. About 3 yrs ago in the summer time when this hotel was full of tourists, some government corporation decided to dig a trench in the middle of this road in front of this hotel!!

Need to say more? Hail to the efforts made by MTA to attract tourists to Malta!

So let common sense prevail! Works cannot be stopped but we can reduce noise and inconvenience in the height of the tourism season.

Antoine Zammit

We don't expect workers to stop building works, but they should observe the law. ! stone dressing and cutting should be done at the quarry . 2. in dry weather stones should be cut under running water 3. they shouldn't excavate rock before 7 a.m., stop at 1 p.m. and resume at 4 p.m. 4. when sanding is done , green covers should be put up to contain the dust . 5. any left-over stuff should be covered in plastic over-night; 6. working sites should be fenced in and works on trimming stones done inside the fence not in the street. And thanks to the likes of Vella, Malta has been turned into a shabby dirty place. Dirt doesn't seem to bother him. But the rest of Maltese are bothered, nay are sick of this disrespect for the environment.

@ victor vella - It's the law!!!!!! And Mrs Coleiro Preca is right to complain!

@ martin saliba - ' A few ... irritated'??????? it's the whole bloomin' country that's irritated!!!!! Tourists are irritated; locals are irritated! And it's the lawl!
Anyway, when the hunting season opens, look around you and see for yourself how many sites are literally deserted, abandoned!

Cushy jobs? Let's get to know each other, mate, and see which job pays more!!!! I have a cushy job, yeah, cos I worked hard for it and I got there!

@Bert Cassar. the emergency clause relates to ; for example, if a main water / drainage pipe burst in a touristic area,then excavatrion and works i order to repair it are deemed as emergency and YES work can be done irrespective of the LN.

the whole idea of having a ban on constructuion in key touristic areas is so that when we have visitors to our country who paid a lot of money to come here and enjoy their holday they actually do. Working in the tourism industrry I am forever hearing comments that malta is just one building site.. or have they stopped building yet? etc.

for those contractors who has work to be done, they shoud ensure that it wil finish or nto start in those key months and perhaps work in a different area.

@ Victor Vella/Martin Saliba

Thank you. You have kindly illustrated to us why this country can never, ever progress into the 21st century with the rest of our European counterparts. So much for joining the EU!

So we want the construction industry to stop work in Tourist areas during the summer , so that those government employees and others can have a 3 month holiday without any hassle, then these same people go home during the winter months and don't want any construction near their houses, so we then stop work there and go to work in tourist areas, get off you lot

Its seems that most of you contributers have a cushy job in an office or are just MP's ( manga passiga ).

Imagine a contractor with 20 odd employees havine to stop work becaus a few people are irritated. What would happento the empolyees? Do you expect him to give them 3 mmonths leave and then ask them to come back to work after September? Its easier said than done. Get on with yoiur lives and let others try bto at least.

I often call Malta and Gozo a "Banana Republic". I would now like to re-phrase this as "a cosmetic Banana Republic" because almost every single Law/Rule/Regulation on the statute book is either deliberately and defyingly ignored, flaunted or bent. Instead of pressing for enforcement, the Government continues to create quangos and barricades to erect hedges behind hedges. Two summers ago, excavation began UNDER OUR OWN APARTMENT BLOCK in the height of summer. MEPA referred us to the St Paul's Bay Council, the Council referred us to the Police, the Police deflected us back to MEPA and we embarked on a merry-go-round. In the meanwhile works continued, disturbance roared galore and drilling and excavation continued unhindered until the job was completed. Nobody lifted a single finger to enforce the Law. However - as somebody rightly pointed out - if you park on a yellow line you get an immediate ticket and fine. That is the administration's sole interest - collecting money to feather its own exchequer so that more and more money can be plunged into a number of projects that sky-rocketed over their intended budget as a result of atrocious planning. Welcome to Malta.

4th Aug 2008
Complaint :
Triq il Kantra Xlendi as far as know know qualifies as a touristic area for construction purposes. There is works with the Gaffa going on at the moment. We have asked enforcement to take action but we have been told by the Gozo people that is is not excavation and it is permitted. Can you please email me and describe exactly what to excavate means. According to the oxford dictionary - excavate v.t. make hallow, make(hole, channel) unearth, get out, by digging. If the legislator meant something else then the wrong word is used in L.N. 295 /07.
Reply 6ht Aug 08
Case Reference No. : CM 01536/08
Location : Site at Triq Il-Kantra, Xlendi


Follow Up of Complaint

Your complaint regarding the alleged illegalities has now been
investigated.

The definition of "construction" in LN 295/07 includes "... demolition,
excavation or removal within any site..." whereas Schedule III (Regulation
5)(1 c) disallows only "demolition works or excavation..(between 15/06 and
30/09 in Tourism Zones)".

Therefore "removal" of material from a site is not considered as
excavations according to the Construction Site Management Regulations.



Yours sincerely,




Louise Cremona
for Director of Planning

Hey......is it true there is a construction ban in tourist places?
And why is it in tourist places.......are we maltese second class citizens......ok it's hot but do do certain construction machinery has to be utilised as early as possible in the morning!!!!

It's about time I think that this environmental pollution stops once and for all. Everywhere has become a construction site - demolition works, construction works ; the roads are literally full of trucks carrying stone or debris; one would think we have an earthquake everyday. Construction cranes are everywhere. Excavation works start at sunrise and carry on during the whole day till sundown. Stone dust is all pervasive.Sones are dressed on site instead of at the quarry site. The stones are not wetted and therefore stone dust flies everywhere especially on windty days. Sanding of stones and facades takes place without any protection for the surrounding premises. It's a real shame. The laws are flouted by the workers; if you talk to them they tell we are working. The police won't show up when you make reports, or they come after 4 p.m. when the workers would have left. The names of the phone numbers of the contractor and the owner are not displayed anywhere except on the big construction sites. When are we going to become a bit more civilised and start respecting the people and the environment? Once every five years?

AND THE TRAGEDY IS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE FOR GOVERNMENT!!

Living in Marsalforn is close to being unbearable during the summer months due to the huge increase in the summer residents, the large amount of cars which increase the pollution and the lack of parking spaces. However, to make it worse crains and large trucks are constantly blocking the streets even though construction works aren't supposed to take place during the summer especially in august. I can't understand how these continue to work and how a traffic warden is rarely present to guide the traffic! I think it is ironic that the Zebbug Local Council issued a newsletter stating that no construction permits where to be issued until the end of august! Where have the building regulations gone?

And what about the new construction site management regulations, were they just a pre election stunt, cause as far as I can see none of what was promised to us is being enforced.

@ Mr Xuereb

With regards to the definition of the word construction i would also refer to the same LN as this is the LN that an infringment is said to be done against. as defined in the same LN it states
“construction” includes works, activities, events and practices for, or in connection with, the building, alteration, renovation, finishing, demolition, excavation or removal within any site or
building within any type of construction works as defined in Schedule Vl".

Whilst demolition and construction are inserted in the definition of "construction" in the latter part only Demo and Exca are mentioned.

As I said before I am against any of the works listed under the definition to be carried in certain areas of Malta but "construction work" has a wide meaning as you can see and for certain people this might be misleading.

As for the emergency works you mentioned, I am sorry but i did not quite understand.

Are they being ignored? Very mildy said. There has never been any enforcement whatsoever irrespective of all the promises and the guarantees given by those whe WERE responsible or are responsible now. It is good to have meetings and your pictures in the papers but that is not enough. We were promosed more inspectors. Building contractors have total disregard for the public and let no President of the Buidling Contractors come and tell us that they do their best not ot bother the residents. But we have been saying this for ages and nobody seems to bother. Just like the fumes out of the vehicles. What did you say ''Smart Island''? Who are we kidding?????? Is there somebody with some guts out there???

Well my friends, please remember that "all laws are there to be broken", and may I add that "Who dares, wins".

@Mr Bertu Cassar. the meaning of 'construction' in Marie Louise Coleiro Preca's statement did NOT specify what kind it is , for all you know , she may be refering to the DEMOLOTION and EXCAVATION works being carried out which in reality falls within the LN295 you proudly displayed. For those worried about EMERGENCY works being carried out in tourists area, the LN does not apply under these circumstances.
finally the word construction as defined on the internet reads soemthing like this:

In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of multitasking.

perhaps the LN should be changed and clearly identify ALL construction work that CANNOT be done in tourist areas.

Only tourists???, what about the permanent residents? - or do these only count as beings with rights just a few months before election time?

Last week Half republic street in valletta was closed due to work on the pavment. Authorities should give example. (A Busuttil)

Which means that if the pavement in Republic Street developes faults in summer due to some ninkomppoop, we have to wait till sept/oct or even December to make the necessary repairs. Is that what you mean Mr Busuttil? And you will be the first one to shout foul because the pavement in a major artery took weeks if not months to repair. We are maltese.

@ R Azzopardi

Its in good hands....Its in Gonzi's hands

I agree with Dr. marie Liuse Cpleiro Prceca,Every Tourist zine Construction works shoul stop.

I would urge Ms Coleiro Preca to have a look at LN 295 of 2007. as the ban is only on excavation and demolition and not construction.

In accordance with Schedule III Regulation 5 1c of Legal Notice 295 of 2007, the Malta Environment & Planning Authority notifies the public that inorder to mitigate the nuisance of construction sites during the summer period, no demolition or excavation works will be allowed to be carried out in Tourist Areas (as issued by Malta Tourism Authority) until the 30th September 2008

Please note that I do agree that all works of construction should be halted during the high peak tourist season. (please have a look at almost every street of bugibba)

Dear Ms Coleiro Preca kindly get your facts right, the ban is not on construction works but as per below....

"In accordance with Schedule III Regulation 5 1c of Legal Notice 295 of 2007, the Malta Environment & Planning Authority notifies the public that inorder to mitigate the nuisance of construction sites during the summer period, NO DEMOLITION OR EXCAVATION WORKS will be allowed to be carried out in Tourist Areas (as issued by Malta Tourism Authority) until the 30th September 2008"

Please note that I do not agree that construction should continue in certain areas during summer (especially for example in almost every street of bugibba) I just wanted to point out the REAL facts.

@vincent a galea. You are wrong. MPs do not get a ticket. This is one of their privileges.

Law is only enforced with the small fish it seems.

Very True and Prosit Ms. Coleiro Preca! Come around Sliema and one can see the construction going on next to hotels. Where are you MEPA?????????

Last week Half republic street in valletta was closed due to work on the pavment. Authorities should give example.

I would go further than that. Next door to me (not in middle of tourist area) they start banging at 6.30 am and sometimes before, Monday to Saturday and sometimes on Sunday! Even on public holidays. What do you do? They don’t care as no one wants to do anything and no one will stop them! They don’t even clean the mess they leave behind! It’s not only tourists who are suffering with this complete state of leis affair! And don't come round saying it’s not the authorities' fault! Should we accept this?

LOL , that is true

Ms Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, did you park your car correctly? Please check it out. You will get a ticket! That is the only law enforcement in Malta!