Michael Scicluna, St Paul's Bay
No big effort needed to keep Malta tidy
I would like to thank the editor on the leader regarding the islands' shabbiness (September 2). To make these little islands a tidy place only a little effort is required from the authorities and that is to enforce. The machinery exits but not enough oiling goes on. The country needs hands-on management and not armchair managers. There has to be some sense of discipline instilled and very quickly.
I remember when the roads were not made of tarmac and water bowsers used to come around to settle the dust; we used to have dust bins for the rubbish and road sweepers came around every day in all towns and villages. We did not have modern take-aways but the outlets we had did not create so much waste.
Before a major effort is made to clean up the place one has to see what is making it dirty; vehicles that leave building materials in their wake, horse dung, machinery leaving fields and drive onto a main road, grass cuttings, rubbish dumping...
There should be a task force for just this purpose. I see workers cleaning up arterial roads and they do a good job of it; there should be more of them around more frequently. No one likes to see rubble walls collapsing or unfinished, weeds growing across roads.
What I cannot understand is why bigger countries with millions of people can do it and we, a little jewel in the Mediterranean with 400,000 people, fail. Less talk and more action is needed.
Keep it up, editor, keep drumming it in. Perhaps one day we will get there, if not for our sake for the sake of the next generation and those to follow. And readers, please make every effort to keep Malta tidy.
Popular Stories
In Discussion
10 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
MOIRA SCICLUNA
Sep 8th 2009, 08:42
Well said Michael. To add something to what you had to say. I am sure that the few tourists who visit our country get a very bad impression whilst on the beaches or walking along the promenade. The MTA is spending a lot of money to promote Malta but then what do tourists get once they visit our country. Filth and dirt everywhere. Authorities action please and do make sure you find the culprits who are actually dirtying the place.
E. Azzopardi
Sep 8th 2009, 01:15
It seems that we are either, not willing or incapable of keeping this tiny rock clean. In certain places it is not dirty but filthy. Rubbish taken out after collection, dogs' dirt in many places, things thrown on the ground, cigarette buts all over the place ( remember a minister had said anybody caught throwing a ciagarette but on the ground LM25 some three years ago!!!) ETC
We have been hearing of discipline and enforcing but we are just kidding ourselves.
"People will doubt what you say but will believe what you DO"
anthony vella
Sep 7th 2009, 18:34
i believe those of us who do not care, those who think they are above everyone else, those who keep their house in order, very clean and tidy looking, perhaps they do not love their country enough. i am sure that some people learn only when they have to pay a fine. it is very strange how countries with millions of citizens can maintain a clean environment all year round, while in malta and gozo, a country with less than half a million citizens is always begging its own citizens not to dump on the land. sometimes you see bbq leftover such as plastic bottles, plastic bags, beer bottles etc, the usual stuff, left there by the usual people as well...i see those young boys and older men who go fishing as a hobby, they spend hours every day trying to catch some fish...but when they are gone they leave behind plastic bottles, small plastic containers, plastic bags, as if nothing is wrong. the sight remains ugly on shore until rough weather takes all rubbish into the sea for its inhabitants to deal with the garbage problem themselves. somehow people have to learn not to dump on lovely malta and gozo
B Agius
Sep 7th 2009, 17:49
Bigger countries make their citizens PAY for keeping their country clean. And the evidence is clear - and seen by all everyday. Citizens pay council rates and in return they get good services - one of them is cleaning services. Although no one likes paying taxes - at least in these countries you see what you get for your money.
Janet Bayes
Sep 7th 2009, 15:52
Surely the education of youngsters is the route to follow? If the parents and other adults within the family cannot educate the children not to throw litter, then we should be educating the children through school/church/clubs etc. Provision of receptacles to place ones trash is the street is a must. As a child I was taught to hold onto the trash till I saw a bin to put it in. I taught my kids the same, and now they are teaching their kids.
As for the fly tipping of rubble and other trash - - - are there not laws about this? If not maltese law, maybe some european law? If so, it needs to be used to the full.
If we want to leave these islands suitable for our kids, grandkids and other generations to live here, we need to act soon.
This includes the recycling aspect too. Households that do not recycle their plastic, paper, cardboard,cans and bottles need to think about what they are doing. Again, teach the kids who will teach the adults.
JOSEPH ZAMMIT
Sep 7th 2009, 15:23
Agree with all! To repeat--ACTION PLEASE!!! LET US DO SOMETHING. JUST DO IT!
Andrew Cachia
Sep 7th 2009, 14:30
Maltese beaches....an ashtray... cigarrette butts every...disgusting especially for young childrenn playing with sand castles etc
Noel Camilleri
Sep 7th 2009, 11:53
I am a cyclist and scuba diver and I am appalled at all the rubbish which I see both on our roads and also on the seabed. It makes me wonder why we have spotless homes but then we have this "I don't care attitude" when it comes to the communal cleanliness. I hate to say it but I feel that we will only learn if fines had to be imposed. Do you remember when the authorities had introduced the towing system? Initially quite a good number of cars were towed and the fee to get your car back was about Lm45 (if I recall well). Now everyone is very careful how and where to park - no one likes to fork out his hard earned cash. So the only way for us to learn is by being heavily fined. Obviously more police presence on our roads will help, but then I would like to suggest that the police will set a good example by taking care not to throw their cigarette ash on the roads (the smokers only). Let us all wake up and help keep our islands clean. We will all benefit.
Paul Pace
Sep 7th 2009, 09:34
Well said Michael.
Francis Bellizzi
Sep 7th 2009, 09:33
The thing that upsets me most is walking through our capital city, Valletta and see empty plastic bottles and discarded take away containers in every nook and cranny. It can`t be a good advert for us with all the tourists walking around. The authorities must act and bring us into the 21 st century and in line with other countries.