ADPD Chairperson Sandra Gauci called out the lack of planning and vision from the government regarding the impacts of the entertainment sector on residential areas which is creating major challenges in many localities. ADPD – The Green Party continues to insist that the protection of the urban environment, in all its aspects, is essential to sustain the good quality of life of families residing in all localities. This was addressed at a press conference on noise pollution caused by entertainment activities in various areas of our country.

ADPD spokesperson Marcus Lauri said that the party is revisiting this issue of noise pollution, as despite the many empty promises from various authorities, no effective solution has been found. This results in several problems that families living in various localities suffer, not least in our capital city, Valletta.

The lack of law enforcement in this regard is leading to excessive noise from the early evening until the early hours of the morning, because of which residents cannot rest in their own homes. Although there are clear regulations, these are often not being respected.

Additionally, though spot-checks are being made on several entertainment establishments at closing time, the customers themselves are the source of noise pollution and the police must intervene to ensure this does not continue to happen.

If the government wants the entertainment venues in Valletta to work, it should ensure that the police have enough resources to ensure a good quality of life for the families residing in the capital, concluded Lauri.

ADPD Chairperson Sandra Gauci said that it is evident that the right of the residents to peace of mind and enjoyment of their home is being eroded at a rapid rate. This is due to noise pollution during the day that is caused by construction as well as, in the case of touristic areas, due to the noise that the operation of some of the establishments generates at any time of the day, especially in the evening.

The lack of sensitivity and enforcement by the authorities to prevent abuses is of great concern.

Among the activities that are causing a lot of inconvenience there is the ‘Bora Bora’ establishment impacting a residential area in San Pawl il-Baħar (in Triq il-Kahli and the surrounding streets) with regular events being permitted evidently without giving due importance to counter the detrimental effects of these activities.

We find this repeating itself in several localities especially in the summer along the coast and we have addressed several similar complaints over the years. There are also other aspects related to these activities including the encumbering of pavements and roads with tables and chairs of commercial establishments and the dirt left behind by some operators on our roads.

The lack of foresight with which decisions are made – especially where there is a profit to be made – is becoming more and more normalised. These decisions engender anger, leave residents prisoners in their own homes, and can impact restful sleep.  All because noise pollution is not taken seriously and continues to go unchecked by the authorities.

As trust in the authorities continues to erode, this becomes a David versus Goliath struggle. Those who have money and contacts can act with impunity, while all the rest are victims to a system which doesn’t protect them. This is why we also appeal to local councils to prioritise the needs of the residents, who at the end of the day elect them as their direct representatives.

ADPD – The Green Party will continue to insist that the protection of the urban environment is essential to sustain a good quality of life. We need to transition towards people-friendly politics that looks at economic development in a holistic manner and does not just look at what can be measured by numbers, concluded Gauci.

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Wasal iż-żmien li l-awtoritajiet jieħdu l-istorbju f’kull ħin mill-industrija tad-divertiment bis-serjetà  

Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD – The Green Party, Sandra Gauci emfasizzat in-nuqqas ta’ pjan u viżjoni min-naħa tal-gvern dwar l-impatti tas-settur tad-divertiment fuq iż-żoni residenzjali, impatti li qed jaffettwaw ħażin lir-residenti  ta’ bosta lokalitajiet. ADPD – The Green Party se jibqa’ jinsisti li l-ħarsien tal-ambjent urban, f’kull aspett tiegħu, hu essenzjali biex niddefendu il-kwalità tal-ħajja tal-familji fil-lokalitajiet kollha. Dan kien il-messaġġ ewlieni ta’ konferenza tal-aħbarijiet dwar l-istorbju kkawżat minn attivitajiet ta’ divertiment f’diversi żoni f’pajjiżna.

Il-kelliem ta’ ADPD, Marcus Lauri, qal li erġajna qegħdin nitkellmu fuq l-istorbju kkawżat minn attivitajiet kummerċjali għad-detriment tar-residenti għaliex minkejja l-ħafna kliem fieragħ minn diversi awtoritajiet, ma nstabet l-ebda soluzzjoni effettiva għall-problemi li qegħdin isofru l-familji residenti f’diversi lokalitajiet, mhux inqas fil-belt kapitali tagħna, il-Belt Valletta.

In-nuqqas tal-infurzar ta’ dak li hemm stipulat fil-liġijiet relatati mal-industrija tad-divertiment ta’ billejl qiegħed iwassal għal storbju eċċessiv minn kmieni filgħaxija sal-ħinijiet bikrin ta’ filgħodu, li riżultat tiegħu r-residenti ma jistgħux jistrieħu f’darhom. Minkejja li hemm regolamenti ċari, dawn ħafna drabi mhux qegħdin jiġu rispettati.

Barra minn hekk, għalkemm qegħdin isiru spot-checks fuq diversi stabbilimenti tad-divertiment fil-ħin tal-gheluq, il-klijenti ta’ dawn l-istabbilimenti huma s-sors ta’ storbju fit-toroq tal-Belt u trid tkun il-pulizija li tintervjeni biex dan ma jkomplix iseħħ.

Jekk il-gvern irid li l-postijiet tad-divertiment fil-Belt jaħdmu, għandu jassigura li l-pulizija għandha biżżejjed rizorsi biex tassigura kwalita’ tal-ħajja għall-familji residenti Beltin, temm jgħid Lauri.

Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD Sandra Gauci qalet li huwa ċar li d-dritt tar-residenti għas-serħan il-moħħ u l-paċi f’darhom qiegħed jitnaqqar b’rata mgħaġġla bejn minħabba kostruzzjoni u anke kif fil-każ ta’ postijiet turistiċi minħabba l-istorbju li l-operat ta’ uħud mill-istabbilimenti jiġġenera f’kull ħin tal-ġurnata, speċjalment filgħaxijiet.

In-nuqqas ta’ sensitività u infurzar mill-awtoritajiet biex ma jkunx hemm abbużi huwa ta’ tħassib kbir.

Fost l-attivatijiet li kkawżaw ħafna inkonvenjent kellek dak imsejjaħ ‘Bora Bora’ ġo żona residenzjali fi Triq il-Kaħli u l-madwar f’San Pawl il-Baħar. Li jingħata l-permess li jsir mhux darba imma b’regolarità juri kemm l-affarijiet isiru mingħajr ma tingħata importanza tal-effetti li permess bħal dan joħloq.

Dan insibuh jirrepeti ruħu f’diversi lokalitajiet speċjalment fis-sajf fil-lokalitijiet ta’ madwar il-kosta. Filfatt kellna diversi ilmenti li tkellimna dwarhom matul is-snin. Hemm ukoll aspetti oħra relatati ma’ din l-attività fosthom l-ingumbrament ta’ bankini u toroq minn imwejjed u siġġijiet ta’ stabbilimenti kummerċjali u il-ħmieġ li jħallu warajhom xi operaturi fit-toroq tagħna.

In-nuqqas ta’ viżjoni  fit-tul li biha jittieħdu d-deċiżjonijiet, l-aqwa li ndawwru lira, qiegħed kulma jmur isir normalità. In-nuqqas ta’ kontroll mill-awtoritajiet qiegħed inissel rabja fir-residenti, iħallihom priġunieri f’darhom u ma jħallihomx jorqdu mistreħin. Dan kollhu minħabba li mhijiex qegħda tittieħed l-azzjoni neċessarja dwar dan it-tniġġis bl-istorbju mill-awtoritajiet.

Hekk kif il-fiduċja fl-awtoritajiet tkompli titnaqqar din saret sitwazzjoni ta’ David kontra Gulija fejn min għandu l-flus u l-kuntatti jista’ jagħmel li jrid, filwaqt li l-bqija jibqgħu jsaffru, vittmi ta’ sistema li mhux qed tipproteġihom. Għalhekk nappellaw ukoll lill-kunsilli lokali tagħna biex dawn jagħtu il-prijorità assoluta tagħhom lejn il-ħtiġijiet tar-residenti li jelleġuhom biex jirrapreżentawhom.

ADPD – The Green Party se jibqa’ jinsisti li l-ħarsien tal-ambjent urban hu essenzjali biex niddefendu l-kwalità tal-ħajja. Iridu nersqu lejn politika favur in-nies li tħares lejn l-iżvilupp ekonomiku b’mod ħolistiku u mhux biss lejn in-numri, temmet tgħid Gauci.