Newly installed charcoal bins at Ghadira stolen
A number of new charcoal bins installed at Ghadira beach over the past weekend have already been stolen, Resources Minister George Pullicino complained today.
He was speaking at Ghadira where he explained that the beach cleaning system had been reformed.
He said the old waste bins are being replaced by sets of grey and green wheelie bins, the former for recyclable materials and the other for the remaining waste.
Mr Pullicino said the new bins were installed at Ghadira last week, but many people still threw their litter in the sand, despite having not more than 15m to walk to the nearest bin.
The minister said the beaches have been placed in three categories.
Class A blue-flagged beaches such as Bugibba, Ghadira, St George's Bay, Pretty Bay and Golden Sands are being cleaned between 6 a.m., and 6 p.m. by uniformed beach cleaners.
Class B beaches such as Armier, Gnejna and Mistra will be cleaned twice a day and the others once a day, because they are less popular.
Mr Pullicino said his ministry is also replacing other beach funiture and installing 140 new beach ladders.
The ministry had collected some 8,000 tons of algae from the beaches over the past weeks.
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J S Borg
Jun 18th 2009, 21:16
Why on earth do we have laws? Very simple to be applied to very unfortunate individuals.
If the authorities would like to have clean undergrounds no vandalism and similar mishaps there is a very easy solution: Spend some good money to film these perpetrators vandalising and then screen them on local TV stations showing full blown faces.
Joe Fenech
Jun 18th 2009, 18:17
T Abela
"Morti di fame sabih!....issa johorgu il bonds u tara kif jixorbuhom. "
Ma nafx x'isejjahlu bniedem li jisrah landa taz-zibel?!!! Bond huma investimenti fl-arja... Hawn min qed ifalli ghax kellu hafna bonds!
MT Caruana
Jun 18th 2009, 14:58
@Brigid Garroni
Taf x kien jonqsok izzid....li min ha l-bins halla nota warajh, li hu tal PL!!!
U ejja come on!!!
S. Camilleri
Jun 18th 2009, 14:29
How about the government reassigning wardens from traffic persecution to booking these kinds of individuals... Oh of course... It would be too difficult on the poor brown shirts!! Out in the sun with all their gadgets, nowhere to lie hidden in wait of the unwary drivers! Imsieken ....
Until people who litter or vandalise public property are made an example of,.. and I mean HARSH fines... there will always be beaches to clean
Stefan Gauci Scicluna
Jun 18th 2009, 13:28
This is a shameful act. In my opinion the Government should combine bigger investment in beaches with a stronger sanctioning system and more education at the same time. Well done for every Government effort to improve the image of this country.
Everyone should make a small effort to promote a better looking and organized Maltese environment. Policy coordination between different ministries and administrative levels (even at local level) can help in creating more sense of pride and respect towards our environment.
Stefanie Boyd
Jun 18th 2009, 13:06
Till Sunday Armier was still covered in Algae! I hoped its cleaned now!
C.R. Taliana
Jun 18th 2009, 10:29
Meta jibdew isiru sanzjonijiet u multi suret in-nies, imbaghad forsi naraw xi titjib. Dan diga ghaddew minnu pajjizi ohra fid-dinja u n-nies tghallmu. Meta persuna thammeg jew tisraq ikun haqqha kastig.
T Abela
Jun 18th 2009, 09:24
J Fenech:
Morti di fame sabih!....issa johorgu il bonds u tara kif jixorbuhom. EDUKAZZJONI U RISPETT LEJN IL PROXXMU M'HAWNX!
Joe Fenech
Jun 17th 2009, 18:33
This is a country that has no REAL pride!
Joe Fenech
Jun 17th 2009, 17:24
Una razza di morti di fame!
T.Farrugia
Jun 17th 2009, 12:48
please lets not turn this into a political debate. what happened is neither PN no PL's fault. unfortunately some people have got nothing better to do with their lives so they vandalise properties. hope they are caught and humiliated!!!!
B J Schranz
Jun 17th 2009, 12:22
It is shameful that some people have to resort to such acts! It boils down to ignorance to say the least.
What this and other similar acts clearly indicates is a prevalent lack of national civil pride. Some people think that only their domestic confines matter and the rest can be abused.
We need a strong educational campaign starting at schools. But it is not teaching that the action is wrong that should be stressed but the WHY or WHY NOT !!! People need to learn why they should act one way and not the other!
Cameras could be a deterrent plus provide security. I also agree that much much heftier penalties should be imposed on those caught vandalsing or in any way mistreating such public facilities. They should be publicly shamed by having them and their wrongdoing publicly exposed ! If they have no personal shame perhaps they might have their families' image at heart, hopefully !
I believe that the majority of the Maltese population are not of this same ilk and they should not suffer the ills of the minority.
Stephen Farrugia
Jun 17th 2009, 10:42
L.Galea
Il politika qed titlalek al rasek. Inwahhlu f gonzi habba l bram ukoll??
Ahmar biss tara... u qed tamel hazin siehbi...ax b kulur wiehed ma tpengi xej sura!!
P Debono
Jun 17th 2009, 09:18
Ara vera l-Maltin mejtin bil-guh ta.
Imbad meta kemm kemm tmiss il-yellow line bil-karozza, minghajr ma tkun qed ittellef il-hadd, pront pront iwehhillek citazzjoni!
victor vella
Jun 17th 2009, 09:14
L Galea, Nahseb li vera li ghandkom memorja qsira ta, xridt tisraq il eachimien il labour nofs tankijiet tal 45 gallons, li f lahhar issa qed jinbidlu?jew forsi xi mandra li kont issib.Hallina man.
Lill onorevoli Pullicino pero nitolbu biex il bajjiet ihalluhom ghal familji u mhux bil fors ikollok tikri umbrella u is siggijjiet bieh tmur gurnata bahar. Jien dik li qisek qieghed il knisja wiehed wara l iehor ma togobniex u fuq kollox dawn qed jghamlu il liri minn fuq il poplu ghas spejjes tal poplu, ghax dawn tal beach concessions suppost li inadtfu huma.
R.Gatt
Jun 17th 2009, 09:09
@ Galea L - Those who stole them are simply vandals and have no political allegiance.
So you know who they are Mr. Galea? Why is it that just because Karl Abela wrote political vandalism you assume straight away he's pointing the finger at your party. You're not the only ones in the country you know.
Going to vandalism and carelessness on our beaches, one could always employ a beach warden who's job would be to make sure that: 1. Beach users leave it clean when time to go. 2. Beach furniture is not stolen. 3. Keep an eye on swimmers (sort of lifegaurd) and maybe other chores. Obviously, this would only be for the swimming season.
philip pace
Jun 17th 2009, 07:40
To Karl Abela.
ALMOST CERTAINLY you see a political motive behind every vandalism act that happens in Malta!
Vandalism has no political colour, it is just another negative aspect coming from man.
Therefore stop generalising as that is another negative aspect coming from the Maltese.
Get real for once and be positive.
A.Sciberras
Jun 17th 2009, 07:18
The Minister should rightly be cross. I to am cross as many of the shrubs i have planted at Addolorata cemetery, bought from my money,to embellish the place have been stolen. Even a tie-bag to save a 34u tree from destruction was stolen. As this is considered petty crime, no action is ever taken.
Funily enough, things go missing when ever the grass cutters turn up. I hope the ministry investigates!
D. A . Agius
Jun 17th 2009, 06:57
Either:
Introduce corporal punishment;
or
Close off beaches and make controlled entrance/exits
or
Invest in a public places wardens (beaches, gardens, parks) that open the sites at dawn and close them at dusk. This is what is done in various locations and that works. THey should be armed with video cameras to take pictures of litterers and present them to the police together with details.
25 staff @ 20K EUR salary/year, 30K EUR for two supervisors and one manager at 40K EUR.
Total cost is 600,000 EUR per year. Stretch it to 1 Million EUR per year for equipment, awareness, basic maintenance and start real enforcement. Add changes to laws so that culprits are automatically given options of either jail or community service and let's see if this does the trick!
R Axisa
Jun 17th 2009, 06:07
Could it be that may be these bins were a pain for the deckchair and umbrella people???? I believe no one wants to stay near bins at the beach!!
J Micallef
Jun 17th 2009, 00:58
Ever thought of tying them to a solid base, its an easy solution and can work, if designed well obviously.
Ann Camilleri
Jun 16th 2009, 22:58
It's things like these that make me proud to be Maltese... not....
Imma kemm hawn nies injoranti!!
Alfred Cassar
Jun 16th 2009, 22:16
A number of green wardens, without any uniform obviously, should be employed to look after our beaches especially at the time when people start leaving the beach. I continuously see people collecting their items and leaving behind them all sort of rubbish on the sand. Surprisingly enough a lot of these are young people. Go to Golden Bay and you will see this happening everyday.
An immediate fine on the spot will play the trick. They will think twice next time.
This is the kind of action we demand from the authorities.
J. Bugeja
Jun 16th 2009, 21:36
Because I forgot the lights of my car off at 6pm a few meters away from a petrol station I got a ticket from a foreign warden.. Then what should these kind of people (if they can be called human) get?
Wardens should be available on beaches taking care also of such issues such as littering.. But I cannot understand why some people find it so difficult to keep a small bag where they can put the litter in and then throw all away. Do not blame only us Maltese I saw many tourists especially those students that left a lot of litter on beaches behind them.
Graham Crocker
Jun 16th 2009, 21:34
Hey Hey these type of people need a place to sleep in.
joe muscat
Jun 16th 2009, 21:06
@Karl Abela
Political vandalism ? what you`re saying, this is one reason for what our country never improve, we want to involve always politics. This was just vandalism and nothing else.
Brigid Garroni
Jun 16th 2009, 20:51
@L Galea The political vandalism always came from the same side. But of course, then the very people who commit it point fingers at everyone else, just as they used to destroy and loot PN clubs and say that it was the PN supporters who did it in order to throw a bad light on them, the little angels. I suppose it was also PN supporters who burnt the Times, broke into the Curia and into the Fenech Adamis' home and terrorized everyone in their path. They were just attempting to make Labour look bad.
v.pulis
Jun 16th 2009, 20:22
@ Joseph Schembri
Believe it if you will but no, I have never ever dropped a matchstick or littered in my life. Since I was a young boy I have always loved the environment and I even used to take my bus tickets all the way home and drop them in the bin at home. I don't know about you but from the way you reacted to my comment I suspect in your caseyou are not in a position to throw stones because as the saying goes you have to be pure to exorcise.
Michael Agius
Jun 16th 2009, 20:17
Kollu t-tort ta GonziPN !
M Agius
Jun 16th 2009, 19:34
fines should be imposed.
Ghax il-Malti meta tmisslu l-but jitghallem.
Galea. L
Jun 16th 2009, 15:59
Karl Abela
Political vandalism Karl?
Is this what pn supporters used to do during Labour administration?
As the saying goes, it takes a thief to catch a thief.
Those who stole them are simply vandals and have no political allegiance.
Joseph Schembri
Jun 16th 2009, 15:50
@mark camilleri: did you tell the young girls who left their rubbish behind to pick it up? Very often a simple telling off from an adult is all that is needed - at that age girls can get very embarrassed when caught doing something like this and that is all that they may need to learn their lesson. You had nothing to fear - as I did when I recently told off a group of young male punks to pick up their rubbish.
I will leave vindictive and cruel punishments to the minds of people like vpulis - who I am sure has never dropped a matchstick in the street.
Wilfred L Camilleri
Jun 16th 2009, 15:49
Unbelievable! These ignorant people need to be caught and thrown behind bars for a few days in order to learn that vandalism will not be tollerated. Fines for littering should be higher and should be enforced, especially in places like Ghadira. Perhaps those caught littering should have their picture plastered on newspapers and TV programs and then maybe they will learn!
laurence schembri
Jun 16th 2009, 15:40
These people must live in a pit, what will I do with a charcoal bin in my home.
A country without shame.
v.pulis
Jun 16th 2009, 14:42
At the risk of repeating myself I propose that if or when these scum are caught they should be given such a punishment that will remain branded on their excuse of a mind for the rest of their lives. I would make them clean the beach where the crime had taken place under a scorching sun once a day for the whole Summer besides fining them a hundred fold the cost of the bins. Iassure you after this treatment they'll be reduced to a shadow of their former thieving selves.
mark camilleri
Jun 16th 2009, 13:26
i was at ghadira last weekend and was pleasantly surprised to see a man cleaning the beach picking up bags and things people leave on the beach. I thought that when people come to a clean beach.. they will tend to leave it clean. I was dismayed however though that 3 young girls behind me picked up their towels and left behind them empty ice cream cups and snack bags. I think a green warden every now and then would not be a bad idea.
Karl Abela
Jun 16th 2009, 13:00
Julian
This country will never learn. Almost certainly , this was political vandalism. There are many individuals in this country who cannot stand to see progress being made. Without a doubt, the reform of our beaches has hurt alot of people who abused for years and have turned against the government. So its not all that difficult to understand what happened.
This is exactly the same political motivation which motivated the destruction of hundreds of trees in Mellieha which had incidentally just been planted by the government and had cost the tax payers thousands of euros.
Viva Malta w l-Maltin.
John Borg
Jun 16th 2009, 12:44
Poplu injorant u qatt ma jitghallem !!!! Hasra li minhabba xi galantomi jittebba' l-isem tal-pajjiz!!!!
Reuben Micallef
Jun 16th 2009, 12:42
Shame on these people,! Its about time that beaches have security or greenwardens,ensuring that these things dont happen and also to enforce and dash out fines to whoever litters or leaves a mess after a bbq.Just some time ago a beach was rendered spotless cause of the niece of Mr Ferguson ,why cant we have it that way for ourselves.
What I fail to understand is why we Maltese have such lack of pride and behave this way here,yet go abroad and marvel ourselves about cleanliness of other countires and their beaches.Im positive that most of us wouldnt even think about littering when abroad.We should be mature enough not to litter etc,etc not because we get a fine if we do it but because on the short/long term we are harming ourselves(e.g tourism industry),its useless having MTA and the govt spending money to promote Malta when we dont even do our bit except when its time to grumble and moan.
Julian Zarb
Jun 16th 2009, 12:30
it would be nice to see some constructive comments once in a while instead of consistent moaning and groaning...we are ALL responisble for our environment and our civic duties and I would suggest we start to use these powers to make this a better place to live! It can't be THAT difficult getting 400,000 people working together for a better quality of life.....can it?
Tourism Journalist and media Presenter
tony borg
Jun 16th 2009, 12:06
One word...
Pathetic!
clive borg
Jun 16th 2009, 12:02
pajiz imgewwah anke ghaz-zibel!
Stephen J Muscat
Jun 16th 2009, 11:54
Not surprised at all!..........to give another example, a number of the installed picnic furniture at the Wied Babu promenade in Zurrieq/Qrendi made a disappearing act! Unless strict enforcement by all means possible and harsh fines are imposed, this barbaric nation will never be educated!
Peter Borg
Jun 16th 2009, 11:45
Abroad you may find appropriate public facilities however few abuse.
I bet it is just stupidity injected in our Maltese DNA.
Mention flower pots on roundabouts, "warning" lamps in construction sites /roads
Shame on us Maltese!
R.Gauci
Jun 16th 2009, 11:35
Min seraqhom kien qed ifittex xi fdalijiet milll-bbq 's ghax trid tkun vera mejjet bil-guh!! Possibli hadd ma ra xejn? Imbad nistagghbu b'xi kaz bhal tal-VAT!!
Julian Zarb
Jun 16th 2009, 10:58
There are two answers to this paltry act of social vandalism: more enforcement by empowering wardens to spotcheck the beaches for such uncivil behaviour and impose hefty fines under new bye laws and the other is to instal cctv cameras (even webcams will do the job) to identify these criminals! On the other hand, if neither of these work then we can always resort to the final solution - close all beaches to activities after sunset when supervision is not available! This would be a very sad day when we resorted to this austere measure, but I am afraid we will never learn otherwise!
Tourism Journalist and Media Presenter
M. Gatt
Jun 16th 2009, 10:51
Where are the wardens when you need them!?
In most foreign countries they have park rangers. Can't we have beach 'rangers'???
C A Camilleri
Jun 16th 2009, 10:49
Il-mistoqsija tiġi waħeda.....imma x'razza ta' nies konna ġejjin? Yes it is a 'minor' theft but it says much about us Maltese as a nation. Shame