Recently, we’ve had a number of letters to this newspaper complaining about all the things going wrong in Swieqi – from the rowdy tourists in their morning ascent from a night’s out in Paceville to the evasive Arriva buses.

Now it’s true that a good night’s sleep and an occasional bus to Valletta are pleasant enough. However still, the truth is that this locality, which numbers close to 10,000 residents, is failing to offer even the basics.

We speak much about youth participation and voluntarism. Yet, the organisations and sports groups have absolutely nowhere to carry out their activities. Help from the local businesses is minimal and, moreover, the local council has its hands tied behind its back and cannot give out any grants or assistance. So all initiatives are shot down immediately.

And since the mid-1990s there has been talk of a civic centre. Again, it has never materialised and I’m quite sure most residents are not too optimistic about it happening in the near future either, despite the millions of euros that are spent in other localities. And what about a police station? And a post office?

They were all promised to us years ago.When will this locality be taken seriously?