Neglect remains rampant in some parts of Addolorata Cemetery, despite regular maintenance and the daily collection of 35 bags of rubbish from the country’s main graveyard. Photos taken by Times of Malta and a regular visitor show corroded bins, garbage bags dumped on tombs, unkempt passageways, depleted buildings, an accumulation of litter and weed and pruned branches left on footpaths.

“This shows lack of respect towards our precious ones who were laid to rest there. It hurts... we did not bury them at Magħtab,” said Nathalie Grech Bugeja whose parents and aunt are buried at the cemetery.

We did not bury them at Magħtab

The pictures, taken last week and again yesterday, show neglect at different spots at the cemetery.

Although the bins at the main entrance and passageway are usually kept clean, this does not apply to the rest of the area.

Rubbish appears to be increasing recently while the buildings have been in a deteriorated state for a while, Ms Grech Bugeja said.

“Maybe for some it’s just a place where bodies are laid to rest.

“But for me and for many, we have our loved ones there and they deserve every respect,” she said, noting it was not fair that people were being paid to keep the place clean and yet it had degenerated into a “disgraceful state”.

Some of the pictures were sent to the Health Ministry, which said it will look into this case.

“While the government will look into this case and examine why such an amount of rubbish has accumulated at the Addolorata Cemetery, it is good to note that the Health Department has already increased the workforce to rectify the state of neglect in which this national patrimony has been left for the past years.”

Workers collect, on average, 35 plastic bags of rubbish every day during their routine cleaning-up, a spokeswoman said, adding that restoration was recently carried out on passageways and walls, while trees were also pruned.

The planning authority last year released proposals for public consultation about a policy that will among others establish the best practices for the “proper daily management” of cemeteries and to ensure these were conserved or upgraded as needed.