Sliema residents gasp for clean air

E. Azzopardi

Sep 4th 2009, 00:48

The last sentence should have read:

" We EXPECT that positive results will be achieved shortly"

Hope is eternal and the last thing to die. It is useless hoping in this case. Legitimate actions need to be taken and fast as it is already late.. The time for requesting, pleading and hoping is over. No one listens, anyway. They say they do, but they do not.

A. de Barro

Sep 3rd 2009, 21:34

try living between two hotels like i do that each morning start up their boiler/ac units and horrible black smoke belches out of them with the smell being so bad that i have to get up to close the windows because I cannot breathe for the rancid smell coming along!! I am sure they are supposed to have filters.. as i did get up once to see where the smell was coming from and it was jet back smoke!! But it seems that hotels can do what they want at our expense as we give them subsidies from our taxes!!.. I live in High Street so i am sure that other residents have this experience too.. shouldnt the famous 'Authorities' do something about this?? Everyone makes an uproar about the Marsa Power station.. and its not only these hotels.. i saw this happening the other day very early in the morning at a hotel near Valletta... seems to be a common practice!

Myriam Warrington

Sep 3rd 2009, 20:53

What a good idea to promote cycling and walking! However please create cycling lanes which do not end suddenly (like the ones on the coast roads) first. It is too dangerous to use a bicycle in the present day traffic, not to mention frustrating for car drivers having to slow down if there are more bicycles in the roads, and therefore causing even more pollution because of the use of lower gears. Good and very careful planning is needed first without any discrimination. May I suggest that some Sliema side streets only be used for cycling? That might solve some problems ...and for those who need to park in these streets, a very low speed limit enforced. To encourage walking, the (Sliema) local council must definitely see to smoothing the very uneven and dangerous pavements first!!!!

Anthony Roberts

Sep 3rd 2009, 20:25

What about the South of Malta Please!!! We are also asthma sufferers because of the fumes and the emissions from the Power Stations even though we are told these fumes are harmless. I swept my balcony with a pan full of black dust, what are we residents here in Birzebbugia breathing in but 'harmless' back dust, rubbish!!

Joseph Galea

Sep 3rd 2009, 20:13

Mgr. Zammit McKeon. I agree with your comments but your complaint about noise pollution rings hollow when parish priests, such as you were, continue to condone the noise pollution by the petards that are let off during parish feasts. Your ex-parish, San Girgor, celebrates its feast this weekend. I am dreading the explosions that we shall probably be subjected to this weekend as I see the preparation activities on the infamous barge anchored in St. Julian's Bay - a barge that has been rightly described as "an instrument of torture" by a correspondent to The times.

Joe Morana

Sep 3rd 2009, 19:46

Readers may wish to learn that the Sliema "overdeveopment" is not a fictious claim by the Sliema Residents Association (SRA), but is a well researched/;documented reality transpiring from the MEPA Northern Harbours Local Plan , The MEPA Evironment Directorate Reports re Air pollution (2007-2008) and the ADT Traffic flow/management reports (2007) stating that some Sliema roads infrastuctutre is inadequate to cope with present motor vehicle traffic flows much less with future increases.
Who is accusing who of a hidden agenda in this debate?

MBorg

Sep 3rd 2009, 18:46

@ Joe Morana It is the large amount of cars and buses that use Sliema roads that pollute the air. Many of these do not belong to Sliema residents, so development or no development cars will still use the roads. Seeing that you are against development in Sliema I wonder if you own any property yourself. You see it is so easy to say certain things when these thing do not touch you.. I do hope that you live in a house and that you did not contribute to Sliema's overdevelopment by living in one of these blocks of flats you are complaining about.

Dr. John Zammit

Sep 3rd 2009, 17:52

I left Sliema area where I have been living since 1990 as I became sick with asma and suffocation and I still feel the suffocation till today, although I am now living in an open space near the sea but far from Sliema area. The Sliema/Gzira/Msida people are killing themselves living in that area full of pollution of cars and busses exhaust!

P Debono

Sep 3rd 2009, 17:01

I'm sick to the stomach of these Sliema residents consistently throwing their toys out of the pram and consistently getting what they want from the government - and they still keep on moaning! We've got far more pollution here in Gzira, not to mention far less parking spaces!!!! But we do not get any special treatment.

Joe Morana

Sep 3rd 2009, 16:17

@D Fenech
I definitely do beleive you.
When I was expressing my concerns and protests with MEPA officials re the overdevlopment of Sliema, I felt that I was practically derided at as I was informed by MEPA\s official (now promoted) that development was and is similar to the provision of electricity even if anyone wants to discount it .That is according this MEPA offcial, developmetn carreis with it inherent negative effects and risks on the environment and consequntly on residents .
Moreover MEPA's policy considers any development project on its own merits and not on the cumulative effects of such and other projects(e.g. Sliema) . How is that for sensible and sustianable town plannning planning logic comming from our national Environment and Planning Authority, paid for from public funds?. Can we hope for a real MEPA reform/overhaul??

D Vella

Sep 3rd 2009, 16:14

@D Fenech
I think I know the blocks you are writing about.They have to the ugliest most depressing blocks in Malta...What they should do is knock them down not add insult to injury. Pathetic.

c. camilleri

Sep 3rd 2009, 16:01

Would the Sliema Residents Association please give us the names of its members and the date and place when they were elected?

Monica Cini

Sep 3rd 2009, 15:48

What about the residents in Marfa Road Mellieha. We are experiencing the same problems and mounts to a statutory nuisance.
Noise is a source of irritation and stress for many people . As far as i know noise and air pollution are covered by Environmental Protection Acts.
Who dares to go for walks and cycle. We keep our doors and windows closed because of the fumes and deafening noises of cars and music.
This problem could be solved if Mellieha local council would decide to have this road into a pedestrian area and turn the street into a more greener area. Traffic could be diverted to the bypass. A shuttle service could be introduced to serve shoppers in the core of business areas.


It is not helping our tourism sector as tourists like to sit outside bars and restaurants.I often see them covering their mouths and ears because of the noise and smoke inhalation.

The souvenir to take back home with them is the smoke and deafen ears !

Where are the health inspectors ?

D Fenech

Sep 3rd 2009, 14:45

Mepa - If I did not here it with my own ears, I would not have beleived it.
I called a case officer about an application which she recommended for approval involving extra floors on an existing block of apartments.
In Qawra there is a road with twelve blocks which were built without garages amounting to 120 apartment without one garage. Now they have applied for three extra floors adding aroung 60 more apartments. That is 180 apartments with around 20 parking spaces in front of them. When i asked the case office how this objection was ignored as the citizens are already having major parking problems, She told me that the speculator will be made to pay some 1,000 euros as a penalty for not providing a garage to the local council who will eventually spend the money on trees and embellishment of the locality. As if that will solve the parking problem. She promptly assured me that Mepa is not there to please the citizens but to implement the policy.
That my friends is the bottom line. The problem is not just Sliema. Its Qawra Mellieha and practically everywhere.

nella bencini

Sep 3rd 2009, 14:24

I say........ lets get P.A for 'filfla'................. no cars, clean air, no nothing................ bliss!

E. Azzopardi

Sep 3rd 2009, 13:51

For the last 14 years we have had continuous construction (Sliema) and nobody in authority was willing to listen let alone help. Very sad indeed. To reduce pollution you need to reduce car /buses emissions. But with the attitude that " all the buses passed the test" we are fools. Everybody can see all the buses fuming through Tower Road.
May I suggest that the SLC and SRA join forces and if they need the help of the people to legally protect Sliema, they only have to ask for it because we are now up to our necks. Do not rely on the persons in authority. I did and I was let down,. Action and not words.

J.Bonnici

Sep 3rd 2009, 13:23

How can we have clean air when half the cars pollute more than the East German Trabant?

adrian gatt

Sep 3rd 2009, 13:11

Those who would like to join SRA or require more information on this association please send us an email on sliemaresidentsa@gmail.com or by post to SRA P.O.Box 66 Sliema.

C. Farrugia

Sep 3rd 2009, 11:24

What about MSIDA and GZIRA? Parking for Sliema Residents.....Pure Air for Sliema Residents.....bla bla...

J Farrugia

Sep 3rd 2009, 11:23

@ Charles Flores - trucks and bowsers pay the same tax if not more than you do with your car. You cannot discriminate, can you? Where have your morals and democratic virtues gone? As long as you are comfy anything goes these days. Even discrimination between vehicles.

Jim Calhoun

Sep 3rd 2009, 11:14

Sliema residents gasp for clean air

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090903/local/sliema-residents-gasp-for-clean-air

In today's Times of Malta this article brings to attention one of the many elements of high-density population in a limited space. I've attached a photo of just a few blocks of the 2 kilometer span of high-rise condos that span the seafront in Sliema.

Adding to the exhaust; a high percentage of the residents are dog-lovers and owners. Morning, noon, and night you will see many hundreds of dogs being taken for a stroll. Dog urine and car emissions make for a potent combination; overpowering the restaurants and rock beaches.

And it's not the tourists driving the cars or walking the dogs. These smells are here all year round.

Joseph E Briffa

Sep 3rd 2009, 11:13

It sticks out a mile that there is no political will to tackle the dust and noise problem..What can MEPA do if it has to reflect the policy of the authorities of the day? The construction industry is considered the backbone of local industry and no party is willing to disrupt its activity. Malta has been one big construction site since WW2 and there doesn't seem to be any end in sight as the Maltese worker is primarily employed in the construction industry and in its ancillary activity, quarrying, woodworks, aluminium works, plumbing, electrical works, tiling, painting, pointing, concrete works etc The political will to at least regulate these activities is very weak if it exists at all and enforcement of whatever regulations there are is very relaxed. So it seems as if we all have to keep putting up with all these unpleasant things. I moved out of Sliema 16 years ago as I could not take the noise pollution and the parking problems any more. Living in the country is much more pleasant and relaxed.

A.Sacco

Sep 3rd 2009, 10:33

From today's Times;".....the soot was causing major inconvenience to the residents of Msida, Pieta and parts of Ta’ Xbiex" : "Concern at the high levels of pollution in Sliema ". Now add to this the perrennial problem of the fallout of black dust/soot over the villages of Fgura,Paola, Tarxien, Zabbar, etc. and you are left wondering whether any parts of Malta will be left, where one can breathe some clean fresh air!

Joe Genovese

Sep 3rd 2009, 10:32

"It noted that the fact that such a question was raised by a member of the European Greens, left one questioning the environmental credentials of the locally elected members of the European Parliament".

Had they come clean and showed who funded their recent campaigns, would there be any need now for questioning these credentials?

Until and unless they do come clean they have no credentials.

And a way must be found to have the people (and this is no demagoguery) discredit them.
To have the European Parliament know that they have lost our trust.
The grounds may not be sufficient for "impeachment" but will they be able to look at their colleagues straight in the eye?

What is so sad about this is that they have all been tarred by the same brush. Even the newcomer from the world of academe.

Whoever said hope springs eternal?

J Farrugia

Sep 3rd 2009, 10:13

Kmieni qamu dawn is-sliemizi. Illum qeghdin igergru li m'ghandhom ebda pulmun ta' arja nadifa biex jiehdu n-nifs u naqbel maghhom. Pero' it-tort huwa taghhom. Min biegh il-proprjeta' tieghu (dar b'zewg sulari) lin-negozjanti ghal eluf kbar ta' liri biex wara dawn id-dar saru flats gholjin 17 il sular? Mhux is-sliemizi stess? Huma saru sinjuri u issa qeghdin igergru. Heqq, pacenzja ghax skond li tizra tahsad. Tippretendu li n-negozjanti ma jibnux biex igibu r-return fuq l-investiment li ghamlu meta taw lis-sidien slimizi eluf ta' liri??? L-ewwel ibieghu il-proprjeta' taghhom u wara jeqirdu li m'ghandhomx pulmun ta' arja nadifa. Haqqkom. Il-flus jaghmu lil hafna nies.

Charles Flores

Sep 3rd 2009, 10:08

Is it not about time the Sliema local council and the Sliema Residents Association did something about the heavy vehicle traffic that roars along the seafront road from Ghar id-Dud to Spinola Bay? I do not know of any other popular pedestrian zone with a road adjacent to it anywhere in the world that has such traffic allowed during all hours of the day. The idea is to prohibit the bowsers, construction lorries, scammels etc from the area at certain hours of the day (10.00 to noon and 18.00 to MIdnight), leaving access only for small cars, karozzini and, of course, the buses. The idea is to give the many locals and tourists a respite from the noise and the danger.

Mgr.Victor Zammit McKeon

Sep 3rd 2009, 08:45

I spent thirteen years in Sliema between 1980 and 1993 as parish priest of St.Gregory's Parish Community. During this time I witnessed the Sliema front et alia coming down and being rebuilt with high rise buildings. I can say that I lived and worked in dust. From the roof of the parish church I used to enjoy the sea but not anymore.To-day, the part of the Sliema front between the Tower and Fond Ghadir sees no sun. Have we solved any problems? Some have become very rich and the majority poor of healthy air. BUT MORE: WHAT ABOUT THE NOISE AND AIR POLLUTION IN FLORIANA WHERE I HAVE BEEN LIVING SINCE 1993?
No comments from the EU or some other bodies. Oh! Well, it is just a suburb some reason out but there are human beings who need to be protected.

Glenn Camilleri

Sep 3rd 2009, 08:34

I live in Gzira, and my airpurifier filters have to be changed every 2 months instead of 1 year as described in technical manual of purifier. It becomes really dark black, thats what we are breathing carcinogens.

I have also sent a letter to the EC which the reply was exactly the same as this article states. Malta failed to keep the pollution within the safe range.

We need to get rid of our buses first , and catalytic converters must be a must. There's lot of things which need to be tackled about this issue.

P. Bonello

Sep 3rd 2009, 08:24

There is only one way of reducing this suffocating polution which is killing us slowly. Buses must be made free and then we can legislate on the overuse of motorcars.

R Caruana

Sep 3rd 2009, 08:18

I have been trying in vain to get the authorities (MEPA) to take action on flagrant disregard of building regulations on a major site on Tower Road for months. I just ask anyone who is remotely interested (MEPA perhaps?, the PM?, the Mayor?, the Minister for Environment?) to walk down to Tower Road and visit the site that has taken over a road with a permanent crane and to witness the lack of hoarding, the chasing of bricks without vacuums, the taking over of road space without visible permits, the state of the road and the environment in general around the site. But does anyone really care???