A total of nineteen karozzini horse shelters will be set up over the coming weeks in various spots in Sliema, St Julians and Valletta to shield the animals from the scorching heat.

Addressing a press conference this morning beside a newly installed horse shelter at the Sliema Ferries, Parliamentary Secretary for Animal Rights Roderick Galdes said that the horse shelter saga has been running for these past 20 years.

He said that the previous Government spent €40,000 for each horse shelter, which was too exorbitant a price.

The new shelters will cost €3,000 each and will later be fitted with water points and drainage pipes.

Mr Galdes expressed his disappointment that the Government’s plan to have ten shelters set up in Valletta is being unnecessarily delayed by the Valletta Local Council, which refused to issue the road works permit.

The parliamentary secretary said that the plan had obtained all the other necessary go-aheads but was being impeded by Valletta mayor Alexiei Dingli who, Mr Galdes continued, did not even discuss the matter with his fellow councillors.

There are currently around 40 horse drawn cabs operating around the island, in what Kevin Debono, from the Karozzini Association, described as “a dying trade”.

“We’re desperately trying to keep it alive. We value our horses even more than we value ourselves.

“Unfortunately, you sometimes get a handful of cab drivers who behave irresponsibly and give the rest of us a bad name.”