“Tourism operators must ensure that they do not negatively impact the residential communities amongst which they operate. In a small community as ours this is a basic and integral requirement in order that tourism is sustainable.”  This was stated by Carmel Cacopardo Chairperson of ADPD – The Green Party when addressing a press conference in Valletta.

We are continuously receiving complaints from residents in various localities that a number of entertainment establishments have no respect whatsoever for their neighbours. They pump out music at very loud volumes late into the night. This is taking place in various localities not just here in Valletta emphasised ADPD Spokesperson Marcus Lauri.  

The Minister of Tourism does not care less about residents and instead of seeking solutions chose to extend hours in which amplified music is played in Valletta. The problem in Malta, added Marcus Lauri, is the lack of adequate regulations, and the lack of an enforcement culture. The Police do not have the legal tools to be able to effectively enforce regulations. What we have is the Malta Tourism Authority, which is an incompetent regulator.

Tourism Minister Bartolo instead of getting out his enforcement team on the beat to ensure that the operations of catering establishments in Valletta respect its residents succumbed to pressures from the operators and extended the permissible times for loud music from 11pm to 1am.

Some are saying that nowhere is outdoor amplified sound in residential areas controlled and actually disallowed after 11pm. This is complete nonsense. On the contrary, specific regulations in cities include limits which set the sound levels which are allowed, and even oblige establishments to be properly sound proofed for amplified music to be played. This is what Minister Clayton Bartolo should be working towards concluded Marcus Lauri.

Carmel Cacopardo explained that sound becomes annoying at over 75 dB and painful at around 120 dB. 10 to 30 dB is like a quiet conversation in a library. 30 to 50 dB is the range of normal conversation or household appliances. 

If one considers as an example Barcelona or Ibiza, competing Mediterranean touristic destinations, sound levels there are strictly regulated in order to ensure that entertainment establishments meet soundproofing criteria and guarantee local residents’ right to rest.

It is absolutely not true that other tourist hotspots are a free for all. The idea that a free for all should be allowed to serve the interests of the few at the expense of everyone else is an idea ingrained in the servile minds of the toothless and industry-controlled Malta Tourism Authority.

This is all about being reasonable with residents emphasised Carmel Cacopardo.  It brings to the forefront the debate about the social and environmental impacts of tourism. What is the number of tourists with which our resources can reasonably cope? 

The conflicting interests involved in tourism must be addressed through the democratisation of tourism development. As a result, the short-term gains of tourism entrepreneurs would be compelled to face the reality of social responsibility, as well as cultural and environmental costs. So far, the tourism operators pocket the profits and we, the rest, face the impacts.

The decision-making process of tourism development should be subjected to more public scrutiny by the community suffering from the impacts which it generates. It is imperative that the views of the community are not only heard but acted upon concluded Carmel Cacopardo. 

***

Turiżmu li jagħti kas lin-nies

“Operaturi fil-qasam tat-turiżmu għandhom jaraw li l-attivitajiet tagħhom ma jħallux impatt negattiv fuq il-komunitajiet residenzjali li fiha jkunu qegħdin jaħdmu. Dan hu meħtieġ speċjalment fi gżira żgħira bħalma hija tagħna biex jassigura li t-turiżmu jkun wieħed sostenibbli.” Dan sostnieh iċ-Chairperson tal-ADPD – The Green Party, Carmel Cacopardo, meta indirizza konferenza stampa is-Sibt filgħodu fil-Belt Valletta.

Qegħdin kontinwament nirċievu ilmenti minn residenti f’diversi lokalitajiet li xi uħud mill-istabbilimenti tad-divertiment m’għandhom l-ebda rispett lejn il-ġirien tagħhom. Idoqqu mużika b’volum għoli sa tard bil-lejl. Il-kelliem tal-ADPD Marcus Lauri saħaq li dan qiegħed iseħħ f’numru ta’ postijiet mhux biss il-Belt.

Il-Ministru tat-Turiżmu mhuwiex qed jagħti każ il-ħtiġijiet tar-residenti imma minflok soluzzjonijiet qiegħed iżid in-numru ta’ siegħat li tindaqq il-mużika fil-Belt. Il-problema f’pajjiżna, tenna Lauri, hija in-nuqqas ta’ regolamenti xierqa, u l-kultura ta’ nuqqas t’infurzar. Il-pulizija m’għandhomx l-istrumenti legali li bihom jistgħu jinfurzaw ir-regolamenti b’mod effettiv. Għandna biss l-inkompetenza tal-Malta Tourism Authority (l-MTA) bħala regolatur.

Il-Ministru Clayton Bartolo flok talab lit-tim tal-infurzar fl-MTA biex jara li l-istabbilmenti fil-Belt qegħdin jirrispettaw lir-residenti ċeda għal pressjoni mill-operaturi u żied il-ħinijiet li dawn jistgħu idoqqu mużika b’volum għoli mill-11pm sas-1am.

Hemm min isostni li m’hawn imkien fid-dinja fejn il-mużika fit-triq f’żoni residenzjali hija regolata jew saħansitra mhux permissibli wara l-11pm. Din hija falsita’. Hemm numru ta’ bliet b’regolamenti ċari ta’ limiti ta’ ħoss li wieħed jista’ jagħmel, fejn saħansitra jintalab li jkun hemm sound proofing adegwat fejn il-mużika tkun se tindaqq. Dawn huma l-idejat li l-Ministru Bartolo għandu jikkunsidra, temm Lauri.

Il-Perit Carmel Cacopardo spjega li l-ħoss jibda’ jkun ta’ inkovenjent meta jaqbeż il-75 dB u ta’ periklu meta jilħaq madwar 120 dB. Biex wieħed jikkompara, konversazzjoni f’librerija tkun bejn 10 u 30dB filwaqt li dik normali jew ħoss ġġenerat minn appliances fid-dar tkun bejn 30 u 50 dB.

Jekk wieħed jikkonsidra destinazzjonijiet turistiċi li jikkompetulna fil-Mediterran – Barċellona u Ibiża, wieħed isib li hemmhekk il-livel ta’ ħoss huwa ikkontrollat b’mod strett biex jassigura li l-istabbiliment qegħdin jimxu ma kriterji stabilliti ta’ sound proofing u li jiggarantixxu d-dritt tar-residenti lokali għal mistrieħ.

Huwa assolutament mhux veru li f’destinazzjonijiet turistiċi oħra kulħadd jista’ jagħmel li jrid. L-idea li il-ftit jiggwadanjaw a spejjeż tal-kumplament hija biss mentalita’ li tinsab fl-imħuħ servili tal-Malta Tourism Authority li hija bla snien għax hi ikkontrollata mill-industrija stess.

Il-kejl użat għandu jkun wieħed: li jkun inkoraġġit dak li hu raġonevoli fil-konfront tar-residenti, sostna Cacopardo. Hawn wieħed jrid jikkonsidra ukoll l-impatti soċjali u ambjentali tat-turiżmu. Għalhekk, tqum il-mistoqsija: kemm nifilħu turisti?

L-interessi konfliġġenti fil-qasam tat-turiżmu għandhom jiġu indirizzati billi l-iżvilupp f’dan il-qasam ikun demokratizzat.  Riżultat ta’ hekk min sal-lum hu mdorri jħares biss lejn il-gwadann fi żmien qasir ikollu jibda jqis ħidmietu f’kuntest ta’ responsabbilta’ soċjali, kif ukoll id-dannu ambjentali u kulturali ta’ ħidmietu. Sallum, l-operaturi fil-qasam tat-turiżmu jieħdu l-profitti filwaqt li l-kumplament tas-soċjeta’ iġgorr l-impatti fuq spallejha.

Il-proċess li bih jittieħdu deċiżjonijiet dwar żvilupp fil-qasam turistiku għandhom ikunu suġġetti għal aktar skrutinju pubbliku mill-kommunitajiet li qegħdin ibagħtu mill-impatti tal-attivita’ li tiġi ġġenerata. Huwa importanti li x-xewqat tal-komunita’ mhux biss jinstemgħu imma tittieħed azzjoni dwarhom, temm Cacopardo.