A lot of illegal economic activity in garages is taking place in residential areas all over the island to the annoyance of residents.

Some persons abuse openly while others work behind closed doors because they have been verbally warned but no further action was taken! Why should neighbours suffer and have to resort to Mepa when enforcement officers should be doing their duty?

Not everyone has the courage to come out in the open with their objection and when people do report, as a minimum, they get the cold shoulder from the other cowardly neighbours but, more often than not, they end up being hounded by these ‘cowboys’ who would simply refuse to uphold the rule of law, as was recently revealed in a court case.

Police patrol cars pass by but do not stop even though it is evident that illegal commercial work is taking place in residential areas.

Who is finally going to stop these’cowboys’?

There definitely is no place in residential areas for such activities. However, it is the trend nowadays that many who own a garage, big or small, are tempted to provide a service from such premises. I am referring to the carpenters, sprayers, mechanics and other tradesmen that all make use of machinery and tools that disturb others around them.

It shouldn’t be the man in the street who reports these activities. I suggest that enforcement officers be directed to carry out their duties with much more enthusiasm and to clamp down on such abuses. When police officers on patrol notice that a workshop has sprouted in a residential area, they should stop and ask for the trading licence, the VAT registration number, etc.

Most neighbours will not give evidence, even if they are on the verge of a nervous breakdown, out of fear of being bullied, so it is law-enforcing officers who have to act.