Mario Calleja, Mayor, Marsascala
Marsascala playing fields being upgraded
Alex Ciantar (The Sunday Times, October 10) wrote that the Marsascala playing fields are in a very sorry state and that their equipment is antiquated and dangerous to users.
I thank Mr Ciantar for drawing the local council’s attention to this state of affairs. Indeed I encourage all residents to note whatever is wrong in our locality so that we will do our best to take action.
However, Mr Ciantar generalised when he included in his criticism all the Marsascala playing fields. He referred to them in the plural when it was clear he was complaining about the main one, which is in Misraħ Mifsud Bonnici.
He should know that we have three other playing fields in a much better state than the one he referred to. One of them, in St Thomas Bay, was inaugurated a month ago – on September 6, Marsascala Day.
I would like to assure Mr Ciantar that our council has already taken steps to upgrade the central playground and to change all the equipment because as he himself noted, it is not only broken and outdated, but also a hazard to users.
In fact, plans have already been drawn up and funds allocated to begin the reconstruction, modernisation and re-equipping of the playground according to EU safety regulations.
However, I would also like to say that some children vandalised both the garden and the equipment.
This is a running sore because we know that as soon as the playing field is refurbished, the vandalism will continue and it is obvious that the council has to find ways and means to prevent this.
I also think Mr Ciantar must have sent this letter to you more than three weeks ago, since all broken equipment was removed around that time.
Another misapprehension of Mr Ciantar which I would like to correct is his claim that a water bowser used to enter the playing field to wash it, and now this has stopped.
Water bowsers never entered the field for the simple reason that it is physically impossible for heavy vehicles to enter, drive and operate in the park.
A water bowser is only in Marsascala every other week to wash the promenade.
Mr Ciantar also complained that bars and restaurants are taking over public land by putting up tables and chairs on the field.
This is now impossible as benches have been fixed so as to cordon off the bars and restaurants from the field itself so that they cannot display tables beyond their legal limits.
As to his suggestion that these outlets should finance the park’s upkeep, that would be ideal if it could be put into practice.
Unfortunately it cannot be implemented as it is not the outlets’ responsibility to underwrite the running expenses of such playing fields. Local council regulations forbid us to ask for such financial assistance from private business.
Mr Ciantar also compared our playing fields with that of Munxar. Comparisons are odious and he should have never compared Marsascala, a locality of over 10,000 residents, and another 10,000 summer residents and more thousands of visiting holidaymakers with a small Gozitan village of a couple of thousand people.
It is clear that the requirements and problems of the two localities are miles apart.
But Mr Ciantar can rest assured that the councillor responsible for parks, Lawrence Ciantar, and myself have made the upgrading of our playing fields our first priority. We are also attending a presentation in this regard.
Your correspondent can put his mind at rest since with the approval of all councillors, the homework is being done well.
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c gatt
Oct 17th 2010, 20:22
Sur Sindlu jien nahseb li playing field mhux postu hemm. Anzi mhux postu hemm kemm ilhom li fethu dawk il hwient. Naqbel li jsir hafna vandalizmu ghax ikun hemm tfal kbar jilghabu hemm u jkun hemm ukoll hafna tfal wehidhom ghax il genituri jkunu qed jihdu drink go xi bar ta hdejn il bandli u ma jatux kas uliedhom. Sa fejn naf jien barra l bandli tax xatt tnejn ohra hemm mhux tlieta. Il bandli ta San tumas vera zghir lanqas fejn iddur, bandla wahda etc.. ma laqatni xejn. Jien ma bqajtx nmur il bandli tax xatt ghax naqbel perfettament li hemm dizastru. Hemm bzonn ikun sorveljat aktar wara li tiddecidu li tirrangawh,warden ezempju, ghax il wardens ikunu biss filghodu wied il ghajn, meta jkun hemm vera bzonnhom ma jidrux ovjament ghax int ghamilt kuntrat li jigu filghodu nassumi? Filghaxija fis sajf ma tarax wiehed idur u jkun hemm bzonn qawwi minhabba l parking u l hmieg l nies ihallu warajhom. Nsomma nahseb hemm bzonn ta aktar dixxiplina.
Jane Galea
Oct 17th 2010, 17:47
Jista' s-sindku jghidilnha jekk u meta se jsir il-park tal-familja hdejn Sant'Antnin u jekk hemmx garanzija li jekk isir ma ssirx hsara ghas-sahha ta' min imur hemm u jekk fil-futur ir-residenti u min ikun imur hemm jindunaw li saritilhom hsara f'sahhithom minhabba l-impjant min se jkun risponsabbli biex ikunu jistghu jfittxu ghad-danni?
F. Debono
Oct 17th 2010, 17:05
A free advice to the Mayor of Marsaskala: To have money for the upgrading of the playing field, publish another magazine like the one, ‘Max-Xtajta’, the profits instead of going you know where go to such fund. Don’t worry if the Auditor General pulls your ear to the fact that this goes against the local council's law.
Tridx thallina nghixu sur Calleja! Mela lir-residenti ta’ Marsaskala hsiebthom in-naghag ta’ Bendu!
I will give you a few tips how you can raise money for such refurbishments;
a) Anqas safar; b) anqas parties u lunches; c) anqas telephone bills including mobile phones; d) anqas spejjez bla bzonn bhal kapulavur tad-Douzelage li ghad irridu nisimghu hafna fuqha; e) aktar hsieb u serjetà kif jinghataw it-tenders u mhux lill-oghla offerti, etc..
Sur Sindku meta tirritorna lura Malta minn fejn bhalissa qieghed tistinka u tahdem bla heda ghall-Marsaskala we will be able to talk more clearly.
M. Galea
Oct 17th 2010, 11:58
Sweet talk by the Mayor does not impress anyone. Apart from Alex Ciantar many took the trouble to bring to the attention of the Marsascala council numerous complaints but unfortunately always fell on deaf ears. The most common complaint is that the council keeps residents in the dark. The Mayor tends to listen to the business sector and not the residents whose vote is always sought after before any election. There are instances where the Mayor shouted down at residents saying that we are never satisfied, claiming his efforts are the best you can achieve from all Councils. Self praise is no praise!!
J. Bonnici
Oct 17th 2010, 11:28
Mr. R. Farrugia you are dead on. This is our local council the full time watch dog. The Mayor watches and doesn’t do anything. Criticize him and you get some action. Otherwise everything is swept under the council’s carpet. When it comes to controversial projects the council is impotent, like in case of the family park labeled unsafe for being next to the obnoxious Sant’Antnin recycling plant not covered with health studies, the proposed yacht marina, the caravan site and now the area of Dun Tarcis Agius earmarked for an underground car park and shops. In all cases the council and its Mayor are aware but refrain from objecting in front of the authorities. The Marsascala residents are the last to know for consultation in this council does not exist. We are continually being taken for a ride. The council has become more of a property agency rather than a council’s office.
Peter Dimech
Oct 17th 2010, 10:56
Our council doesn’t know the meaning of maintenance. This is a reflection of the pitiful state in which the locality of Marsascala is in. Painting street furniture such as the railings and metal benches along the promenade is a pure example of the careless attitude displayed by the Mayor and council. Metal chippings is left lying everywhere not lifting a finger to have it cleaned. Marsascala has become the bin village, recently the council had a spark idea to place 120 useless mini bins along the promenade. People are still pondering as to the use of these bins. Are they ashtrays, suggestion boxes or a delight for dogs to cock their legs up?
R. Farrugia
Oct 17th 2010, 10:44
X’kontradizzjoni min-naha tas-Sindku ta’ Marsaskala. Min-naha jghid li hija kontra r-regoli tal-Kunsilli Lokali li jitlob lin-negozji ghajnuna finanzjarja ghaz-zamma tal-bandli u min-naha l-ohra s-Sindku jiftahar kemm jinghata sponsers mis-settur tal-business, bhal fil-kaz tal-Karnival, it-twinning tad-Douzelage, ikliet u parties u l-produzzjoni tal-magazine tal-Kunsill, ‘Max-Xtajta’. L-istess Sindku w l-Kunsill tieghu jipproponu l-PPP (Private Public Partnership) ghal progett li s’issa r-residenti ghadhom ma jafu xejn bhal progetti ohra kontroversjali, dak tal-Gnien Sant’ Anna li jsir ‘car park’u aktar hwienet minflok l-uniku gnien fil-lokal. F’dan il-Kunsill ma tezistiex konsultazzjoni man-nies, insiru nafu meta xi applikazzjoni tidher quddiem il-Mepa.
Evelyn Cassar
Oct 17th 2010, 17:44
R. Farrugia hemm bzonn li nqumu fuq taghna u nigbru petizzjoni halli ngieghlu lis-sindku u l-kunsilleiera jirrizenjaw ghax jahdmu ghal tal-hwienet biss u mhux ghalina.
M. Micallef
Oct 17th 2010, 10:18
Unfortunately in this case the Marsascala Local Council proved to be insensitive and lack initiative to foresee this problem coming. One doesn’t let things deteriorate to the extent that the playing field in question becomes a danger to our kids and take action when criticized.