I must disagree with Mr Philip Fenech (The Sunday Times, May 5) who said that Xarabank did not project what is really happening at Paceville and only portrayed the area from a negative angle. How can one portray a positive angle when there is very little positive to portray?

I am 26 and have been to Paceville a number of times and I certainly confirm the footage shown on Xarabank of under-age drinking as I have seen this with my own eyes. Also in the day I work close to Paceville and with quite a few tourists and feel quite embarrassed and lost for words when nine out of ten ask me if this is Malta`s slum area and find myself unable to disagree.

If one is abiding by the law and has nothing to hide then one should not feel threatened by a programme such as Xarabank, where all types of controversies are debated, but the response by owners of establishments in Paceville have proved otherwise.

I do agree that young people need a place of leisure and Paceville once was that place; now it seems to be a place where young people are given the chance to drink, take drugs and fight and I certainly do not call that relaxation, especially when one has to watch where they are going in case they end up in the wrong place at the wrong time and end up beaten up, or worse, stabbed, as we have seen more frequently in these past few months.

I therefore feel that the law prohibiting under-age drinking should be better enforced and stiff fines given if this generation and the ones to come are to regain moral values and respect for themselves and others.