Dar il-Wens Foundation faces being fined for parking its van, which it uses to transport disabled people who make use of their residential homes, on the road instead of in a garage.
Ronald Galea, the NGO’s administrator, told The Sunday Times of Malta that he and his driver were approached over the past few days by a policeman telling them that unless they parked their vehicle in a garage they would be fined.
“This is the first time that we’ve been told anything of the sort in the 20 years that we’ve been operating,” Mr Galea said.
He explained that the van is used daily and is parked close to Dar il-Wens’ residential home in Wied Blandun, Paola. “We are very careful not to park in front of residential houses. We always park in the white box adjacent to the garden,” he said.
This is in line with the Motor Tractors regulation, which states that larger vehicles cannot be parked in front of residential homes as this can make that house prone to crime, making it easy for burglars to jump on a van and reach the balcony.
Yesterday the same policeman, who resides in Wied Blandun, warned Mr Galea that “a file” had been opened on “this case”.
“He insisted that we were breaking the law because the van is a 22-seater and that if we weren’t going to park it inside, then we were going to start getting fined.”
The NGO runs a residential home in Kalkara and independent living apartments in Paola for 18 residents aged from 38 to 73.
“I tried to explain that we are an NGO and that we use our money for the wellbeing of our disabled residents and not to purchase a garage for our vehicles but he kept insisting that by law we cannot park it on the road,” Mr Galea said.
The Motor Tractors regulation specifically refers to commercial vehicles or to vehicles heavier than five tonnes, neither of which is the case with the Dar il-Wens’ van.
A traffic expert told The Sunday Times of Malta: “Strictly speaking such a van would have to be parked 50 meters from residential building, but as long as it is not parked in a way which can invite crime, then there should be no problem.”
Mr Galea in the meantime is at a loss. “I would not want us to break the law – if indeed we are. Perhaps I could make an appeal to the generosity of your readers, should they know of any indoor space were to park our vehicle.”
kchetcuti@timesofmalta.com