There has been a drive to demolish two-storey houses in Swieqi and replace them with five-storey apartments for commercial profit. Perfectly normal houses have gone down and high-rise flats have taken their place. This works towards substantial financial profits.

But it is also changing the demography of Swieqi, where a family of four members is being replaced by about 20 apartments or more, to be occupied by at least 60 new residents. The political bias towards the blue party is shifting slowly but steadily by supporters of the red party, which aspires to remain in power.

The aesthetics of the new apartment blocks is questionable and does not fit in respectfully with the rest of Swieqi’s houses. Formerly beautiful and tranquil Swieqi has been turned into a building site and an environmental ruin.

This is no less than a power game by the authorities now in power.