Video: Enforcement officers strike - twice!

Terence R.W. O'Neill

Sep 5th 2008, 20:30

Do you not realise, that the arrogant restaurant owners , are obviously paying bribes to certain people who are helping them to break the law, all these infringements could & should be cleared up in no time, the ones that have been caught so far , must be offering too small a retainer. If there is a department in which bylaws are enforced ( or not in many cases) there must be somebody in charge. Where there ias a will there is a way, He/she should send out staff to check regularly , the wages of the Enforcement Officers to be paid for by fines imposed on those breaking the law. Forget the bribes, look after the public & don't say 3 hail Mary;s as penance. Do what you are paid to do.

dbugeja

Sep 5th 2008, 13:56

I perfectly agree with S, Curmi.

Last time I went to Ghadira Bay at 8.00am, the beach were scarcely of people But sunbeds and umbrellas were placed from the front of the beach with another 3 rows leaving no place for people who did not want to hire a sunbed or umbrella.

They should force law on these too.

Joe Camilleri

Sep 4th 2008, 17:45

Well Done!!! and a big thank you to the Sliema Police, Local Council, and the Lands Department for their intervention to clear the illegal tables, chairs, planters and the concrete platform from in front of the Costa Cafe, Depores Hall and from infront private residence Tigne Sea Front Sliema. Without there valued intervention we the residents would have been deprived of space required to enter our residence and prevent emergency services and difficulties experienced by pedestrians, person with disabilities on cratches and on wheel chairs attempting to walk and pass along the pavement and parking space for emergency services such as fire engines, hospital ambulance and funeral hearses
What is amazing is that the Enforcement officers at MEPA, MTA and others should do there job properly as they are being paid by us the Tax payers and not wait for the residents to report each and every case.
I wish the Prime Minister takes immediate action to re organise these authorities to be more accountable and transparent.

peter murray

Sep 4th 2008, 15:05

For repeat offenders the best enforcement measure is to shut them down! Nothing concentrates the senses than loss of income and if the establishment is closed enforcement measures then become redundant.

Mark Vella

Sep 4th 2008, 11:16

What about Bugibba?.....All Bars / Restaurants are building extra dinging space on the pavement in front of the bars / restaurants, thus causing even more parking problems, besides people can't walk around freely. What about people who have small children in Buggies? These have to walk on the side of the road to pass freely.

To make matters worse, most bars close down and leave the wide pavement there, which is then turned in to a lost parking space!

When people come to Bugibba, and the locals go out, we then return late at night finding no where to park, and Mr. Warden does make a good fortune out of us the next morning!

Ray Gatt

Sep 4th 2008, 10:45

@P. Camilleri - Int tal-'mickey mouse' jekk tippretendi li tista tikser il-ligi. Meta tinghatalhom il-licenzja dawn ikunu jafu ghalxiex dahlu. Jekk flokk 20 cover dawn issa ghandhom bzonn spazju ghal 40, il-'business' ma tantx huwa 'down the drain'. Ghax ma tghidx l-egoismu sfrenat u l-arroganza ta dawn il-propjetarji. Jien m'ghandix dritt aktar minnhom nusa il-bankina. U il-jaq mnejn gibta? Nispera li taqrah il-Malti.

Joseph Schembri

Sep 4th 2008, 10:42

I hope that the owner of the restaurant will be made to foot the bill for the action taken by government employees and the materials used.

Ray Gatt

Sep 4th 2008, 10:31

A Daley - a doom monger. What a bad loser you are. Go get a life. What 80ies? In the 80ies, authorities were more concerned on how they were going to disrupt PN's activities which in those days were practically every day. Tear gas (or is it accelerator), batons, firearms, some Police members breaking the law together with the island's worst criminals, frame ups, political killings, corruption galore, Dr. Fenech Adami's house attacked and family terrorised, curia attacked by drydocks hooligans, the Times building burnt down, tal-barrani, Rabat, need I write more? And all this when one of your highest party officials was a high rank in the Police Corp apart from the then police commissioner. And yet you still believe we were better then. Maybe you where??? I was not and time and again I was cheated of good jobs simply because my eyes are blue (brown really, but you know what I mean). Your party can't even run itself let alone our country. We are not perfect, far from it but we came a longway since the 70ies and 80ies. A long long way.

Eman Abela

Sep 4th 2008, 09:54

Amazing shot. Well done man!!!!

E. Azzopardi

Sep 4th 2008, 09:50

They had better check again Tigne Seafront. One particular caffe is back to normal. Also if you defied the law and drilled holes in the pavement you don't just tell the owner to remove them and fill the holes with cement. The PUBLIC pavement must be restored to its orginal state. No standards whatsover in this country. EU or no EU.

P Sultana

Sep 4th 2008, 09:43

Guys, you know it is all hot air ... you are applauding a single action when in a short while the issue will blow over and we all go back to anarchy ... I know it, you know it, and the authorities don't really care. Take a look around you at the disgrace of this country.

Carl Pol

Sep 4th 2008, 07:53

A much needed action. However why is the restaurant (Lorenzo's) in the little nice street near papparazzi allowed to occupy 85% of the street not only with tables but huge umbrellas and lights. One can hardly pass through that street .

noel mifsud

Sep 4th 2008, 05:46

I think Mscala permits for tabes are now ok, cause from the day after the tables and chair were again on the pavement. Is this 3rd world country thanks

Vicky Grech

Sep 3rd 2008, 22:21

excellent job... now please extend this good practice to other localities primarily bugibba and qawra. here the situation has become such that 2 way lanes have been rendered one way since bar and restaurant owners have literally built a table area on the streets! as a result cars can't use the road and pedestrians can't use the pavements.

E Caruana

Sep 3rd 2008, 22:14

And what about Marsaxlokk??

L Galea

Sep 3rd 2008, 20:54

p.s. what about the cafes etc in Marsaskala who have their tables and chairs on the playing field where children are supposed to play safely?

L Galea

Sep 3rd 2008, 20:53

@P. Camilleri
Mr Camilleri, first of all pavements are meant to be used by pedestrians to walk safely on, not to be used by restaurants and cafe's to serve patrons on.

Furthermore, to add insult to injury, they not only put their tables and chairs outside, but exceed many times their allocation.

Such permits should be stopped by the authorities.

What if someone has an accident when the restaurant or cafe owners are within their permits limit and sues the Government for damages?

Also as indicated by other respondents, all beach concessions should also be stopped as beaches are public property to be enjoyed by the public not for private persons to make a profit from.

Moreover, I agree with Mr Casingena.
Have the health authorities ever checked what risks are patrons running when eating and drinking with all the pollution of the traffic going by?

William J Gatt

Sep 3rd 2008, 20:47

@ A Daley

I see you're back with your pathetic comments as always. Do you really need to question EVERYTHING that happens on a daily basis? Just sit back and enjoy the show! As for the eightees, well I'd suggest you let them rot away and have a forward-looking approach. What on earth does the timing of an election have to do with law enforcement? Get a life mate!

Now that you've got me wondering...why did the cow cross the road?

Joseph Portelli

Sep 3rd 2008, 20:22

Well done. When is it goin g to be Birzebbugia's turn? in winter? So far everybody has done what they fancied and got away with it including the individual who is building a block of flats facing the sandy bay but with windows and balconies facing the sea.

P. Camilleri

Sep 3rd 2008, 19:19

Jaq! I can't believe what you guys are saying! It shows you don't own a business.....Malta, the land of jealousy....I wonder how would you react if you were the actual owners! Business is down the drain and to add insult to injury this is what they do! I have no interest in those cafes, but I know how it must have felt .....Pajjiz tal Micky Mouse!...

Gerard Cassar

Sep 3rd 2008, 18:34

Action ought to be taken immediately an infringement happens and not let days pass.
Letting days pass might be taken as if the authorities are lenient, hence abuses.

C.Cassingena

Sep 3rd 2008, 18:14

Last week it was the turn of M'Scala and on Sunday some restaurants put so many tables outside their premises that they even took the parking space in front of them (without the necessary permits).

By the way.. how come these restaurants are being allowed to use the pavement for their business? How come a bar/restaurant licences for 20 persons is left to utilise the pavement to serve 60 persons? is MTA recovering the difference in the licence? and what about the health authority? is it hygienic to eat in these locations?..

J Oatmon

Sep 3rd 2008, 17:52

Why not have a hotline number to call when there is 'pavement blocking' - like the smokey vehicle hotline?

J Oatmon

Sep 3rd 2008, 17:47

I see the same 'pavement blocking' at the 'Black Gold' area everyday I go past - I did complain but I was basically told to 'get lost'.
Later I sent an email to the MTA about the infringement quoting the relevant section from a goverment legal document, covering pavement encroachment - but nothing was done of course.

Today you still have to weave through the tables and chairs where people are eating in front of these places - is someone being paid to 'look the other way' I wonder?

Kevin Borg

Sep 3rd 2008, 17:41

@ A Daley

Do you really honestly truly think that back in the dark ages of the eighties the law enforcement was carried out this way? Have you forgot the special police with battons and masks covering their faces while enforcing the law on inncoent civilians?

In the eighties contraventions were not related to table and chairs but to other more serious issues which it would be better not to mention hear because the Times editor might get a nightmare while asleep. The state of enforcement was a far cry from the one carried out today.

As for you question re the timing the answer is simple. If the goverment acted this way pre-election we would have heard the opposition making statments regarding extending the zone for the owners to put more tables and chairs and so trying to win a couple of votes.

Anne Marie Kissaun

Sep 3rd 2008, 17:33

Well, here we go again. Excellent. However, Giorgio's Caffe still has not removed the 4/5 tables at the front of the entrance which I think is very arrogant of the owner and this must be looked into urgently as afterall the others seem to have followed the rules and regulations one way or the other. Also, I have been writing about AMIGOS further down from the Metropole Hotel and yet nothing has been done up to now. What about Vino Veritas at the bottom of Dingli Street, he too is making use of a big portion of the pavement. Well, in my opinion, these and others should be taken to task afterall, as what is good for the goose is good for the gander. Looking forward to seeing my comments coming to fruition.

Charles Camilleri

Sep 3rd 2008, 17:27

@ A Daley> Please change you disk. The election is still far away. You surely make us sick.

Charles Camilleri

Sep 3rd 2008, 17:22

Dear Parl. Secretary responsible for lands don't you see that this owner is just making a fool of our law enforcement methods? Is it not time to revoke his license. Being lenient is only sending the wrong message and is giving a bad name to the Govt who is seen as accomplice with these people.

George Borg

Sep 3rd 2008, 17:20

An invitation to the Law Enforcement personnel - Just visit Marsascala TODAY (between 6 PM and 1 AM) and you will see for yourself. Barbecue will be held in the heart of marsascala. Seek and you will find! And .... Good Luck to you and the Maltese tax payer too.

S Curmi

Sep 3rd 2008, 17:17

I perfectly concur with Jonathan Micallef.
“UNUSED DECKCHAIRS AND UMBRELLAS ON BEACHES MUST FOLLOW!!!”
They are scandalously set there permanently!!! THE BEACHES SHOULD BE PUBLIC!!!

Jonathan Micallef

Sep 3rd 2008, 16:57

About time seeing some enforcement actions!!! NOW VIP ATTENTION MINISTRY RESPONSIBLE: ALL THOSE DANGEROUS ( my toddler got hurt with them) FIXED POLES, UNUSED DECKCHAIRS AND UMBRELLAS ON BEACHES MUST FOLLOW!!!

A Daley

Sep 3rd 2008, 16:57

So, why exactly was all this never done prior to the election?

Will it be sustained?

Why was it that when the law was enforced in the eighties, it was considered to be heavy-handed?

M Busuttil

Sep 3rd 2008, 16:56

AND WHAT ABOUT MARSASKALA, IT IS A BIG SCANDAL!!!!!!!!!!!!

L Galea

Sep 3rd 2008, 16:53

Congratulations.

Such owners should be made to pay all the expenses connected with the removal of the furniture, the furniture confiscated in favour of the Government, and a hefty fine equivalent to their declared income for six months or a year.

They should also be closed down after each offence, first time for six months, second time for a year and third time forever and the owner never allowed to operate in the same type of business, even if through a company.

If the owner or his relatives hold any shares then the company should also not be allowed to operate in the sector.

That will teach these cowboys.

Mario Bonavia

Sep 3rd 2008, 16:52

THIS WILL INCREASE THE POSSIBILITY OF THE PRESENT GOV TO WIN THE NEXT ELECTION - MTA SHOULD BE MORE AWARE OF OTHER ILLEGAL PRACTICES - THIS WAY WE SHALL ALSO GET RID AND MINIMISE TO NILL THIS ABUSE - ITS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT FOR TENANTS TO LIVE IN PEACE IN THEIR HOMES AND NOT FORCED TO MOVE AND SELL THEIR HOMES WHICH WILL ALSO GIVE THEM A FINANCIAL BURDEN AT A LATER STAGE.....HOPE THIS WILL CONTINUE AND STOP ABUSES

Kevin Borg

Sep 3rd 2008, 16:43

Well done.

A case in point was last Sunday evening. My wife and I could not even go through the mass of tables and chairs with my son's push chair while we were walking in the area. According to their permit they are suppose to leave a passage of 1.50m. What if a disabled person had to go through? He would obviosly had to go of the pavment and bypass the tables and chairs through the road, as my wife and I had to do, with the obvious risks.

Pavments are public property and should remain so. Allocations for tables and chairs on pavments should be respected by the cafe's owners. If not then action has to be taken as we saw today.

Again well done to all involved.

Simon Swartz

Sep 3rd 2008, 16:42

More fines More fines!! Let's get the hack out of these abusers!! clean the streets!!

Revoke the license permanently and more importantly make sure they FOLLOW the law!!

pierre agius

Sep 3rd 2008, 16:37

UP WITH THE LAW! Well done!

P Borg

Sep 3rd 2008, 16:36

The only way for this to work is to have an exponential increase in fines for every repeat offence.....the ONLY way!

P Borg

Sep 3rd 2008, 16:33

What about the kiosk at Fond Ghadir that has taken up virtually 80% of the available promenade? You know the one - near the Shadows sculpture.......

Ivan Galea

Sep 3rd 2008, 16:22

Thumbs up to whoever is involved in these operations of removing obstacles created by the many Cowboys in circulation in our Mickey Mouse Republic....(now even literally finding itself as part of our local cuisine....!!!)

J Farrugia

Sep 3rd 2008, 16:20

This is not acceptable. The authorities should not condone such repeat offences. They must revoke this shop's licence once and for all. It seems that this coffee shop owner does not want to abide by the rules and the law. So let's start by hurting him where it really hurts. Revoke his licence not for 6 months or 1 year. Close him once and for all since he is arrogant and a repeat offender, who doesn't want to abide by the law. Who is paying for the government workers who twice had to go to his property and remove the offending objects? The people of Malta? then close him up as he is doing to others. And please let's not stop here. There are others who are equally arrogant. Let's continue this crusade. Illegalities are never to be condoned.

Charles Micallef

Sep 3rd 2008, 16:17

And what about Qawra and Bugibba, it's scandalous!

SIMON AMATO

Sep 3rd 2008, 16:16

GOOD JOB AGAIN FROM HON DR JASON AZZOPARDI. ITS IRRELEVANT THE PARTY YOU SUPPORT. WHEN A MINISTER/PS DO SOMETHING GOOD I BELEIVE I HAVE TO SAY PROSIT. THIS IS WHAT OUR COUNTRY NEEDS, AS DR JOSEPH MUSCAT ALWAYS SAY WE HAVE TO BE POSITIVE NOT NEGATIVE ONLY. AT LEAST WE ARE EXPERIENCE WHAT MEANS NEW BLOOD IN CABINET.!!!

Gavril Flores

Sep 3rd 2008, 16:04

I agree with Mr. Saliba that licence hould be removed by the third time, especially in the context taht the first two were done in less then three months. hope that owner will learn the lesson

C.Camenzuli

Sep 3rd 2008, 16:03

Once again well done to the Law enforecement division. Well done also for clearing the street vendors from the Valletta Bus terminus even if the kiosks on the right hand of whoever enters Valletta are back on occupying the pedestrian and bus commuters area.
What about the 'bill board type' vans and trucks occupying daily the parking space in Msida around the GWU Monument in front of the Church. These vans, hired on purpose display bill boards for parties, concerts etc., Is there any Law which concerns these infrigments

John Williams

Sep 3rd 2008, 15:47

Second time round in Sliema
In Gozo the authorities were still boarding the ferry back to Malta when more furniture came out

martin saliba

Sep 3rd 2008, 15:38

Third time and its a strike. Revoke the licence. While on the subject of street furniture, can someone do something about the furniture in front of Preston bar Sliema. God knows i've tried but all in vain. He has a garage whih you cannot park in front off but then he takes up two parking spaces with tables and chairs. I would allso like to know if he has any kind of "protection".

Joe Tabone-Adami

Sep 3rd 2008, 15:35

There's plenty more of that in other areas around Sliema - especially in residential parts not far from the Ferries. Evening and after darkness hours inspections would prove very surprising to the Local Council and to the Police - if, that is, they bother to carry them out!! Do Sliema residents have to spell things out more clearly?

J.M. Chapelle

Sep 3rd 2008, 15:33

Lands, you have my applause.

peter grech

Sep 3rd 2008, 15:32

enforcement officers should go to Bay Street next and remove all the tables and chairs around the pathways, you can't even walk along, they are so filled up with chairs and tables