Appeal to youth and residents of Swieqi

I fully empathise with Ralph Agius Fernandez (Unkept Promises in Swieqi) for his sense of frustration over the social inertia in our locality.

Unfortunately, the local business community, including the two leading banks of Malta, do not support life in our locality. The local business community never comes forward with any proposal or encouragement. Last year, when the Swieqi local council invited all the local business community to an initial meeting, both banks failed to even send a representative.

Mr Agius Fernandez is one who does not curse the darkness but instead he lit a small candle in Swieqi by being one of the group of youths who founded the Swieqi Football Club.

Thanks to this group of Swieqi youths, we have a fairly successful team competing in the MFA league. They perform miracles. They run a club without funds because even the council is now restricted in supporting such initiatives. The Swieqi team has nowhere to train and they have to pay to find any training pitches late in the night on the other side of the island.

Every city, big and small, every village in Malta and Gozo have a place where youth can meet. In Swieqi we do not. It is the sacred duty of the Ministry of Education, Employment and the Family to provide our locality with a sport facility, even temporarily. Empty promises, speeches of good will, declarations of good intent... we have had enough of these to write a book bigger than the Guinness Book of Records.

All those born in Swieqi in the last 35 years have lived all their lives without the chance to play anywhere in our locality. The young generation has no sense of belonging.

My appeal to Mr Agius Fernandez and young Swieqi residents like him is not to give up now. As a member of our local council, together with my colleagues, I have never stopped banging on doors. Finally I believe we may be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Encouraged by the never-ending efforts and commitment of Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said and Minister George Pullicino, I still believe we will solve the complicated issue of the ownership of the only plot of land left unbuilt in Swieqi. The city needs a civic centre. We need a police station, a hall, a council office and much more. We will continue to press the government and I for one will not rest until I see the smiles on the faces of those who like Mr Agius Fernandez believe in the youths of Swieqi.

Yes, politicians make promises and some more hungry for power than others do promise heaven on earth to win a parliamentary seat. I will settle for the civic centre first for the benefit of all the residents and secondly for a football pitch where we can encourage young people to get together in a healthy and positive environment.

I appeal to the many Ralphs in our locality to make their dreams public. It is their right to speak up and the obligation of the authorities to take action and not just offer solidarity.

I wish to take this opportunity to inform all the residents of Swieqi that our Swieqi football team is playing its MFA home games at the Luxol sports ground from this year. I appeal to one and all to start coming to our games to support the club. Thanks to the determined, dedicated young men in our society, Swieqi could start making the headlines for the right reasons.