Sleepless nights

Several readers have complained recently about the unacceptably loud outdoor discotheques which plague our nights several times a week in summer.

This is not a new situation but one which has been allowed to carry on for years, at the expense of those of us unfortunate enough to live within a 5km radius of two discotheques in particular – Gianpula and Numero Uno.

Reports to the police, letters to the newspapers and complaints to local councils have made no difference whatsoever. Last week, for example, we phoned the police station in Mdina to complain about a Ta’ Qali disco (MFCC or Numero Uno) which was so loud that it was impossible for us to sleep. The policeman on duty admitted that we were not the first to report this.

A few days later, we had to call the Rabat police station at 4.20 a.m. as the Gianpula DJ was still playing deafeningly loud music involving heart-thumping drum and bass sounds, which resulted in another sleepless night.

The police claim that they respond to public complaints but can do little to change the actual situation, given that permits have been issued.

I feel that the following questions deserve an answer:

1. Why should such outdoor discos be given permits until early morning when it is obvious that many people in Rabat, Mdina, Attard and Żebbuġ have to suffer such an assault on their eardrums two or three times a week?

2. What entity is responsible for issuing the permits and what is their justification?

We are aware that other people have complained about similar circumstances in other localities, so this is actually a nation-wide problem that must be addressed. We are sorely in need of a national policy to remedy this ongoing abuse of the rights of the ordinary citizen. A contributor to The Times mentioned the initiative of the Attard mayor who is asking the public to sign a petition to register the fact that we have had enough.

This is an excellent start but mayors from all the affected localities should also join in since it is high time for some coordinated pressure on the authorities to restore the right of all citizens to a good night’s sleep.