In light of the numerous issues that residents in the locality of St. Paul’s Bay are facing (including Bugibba, Qawra and Xemxija) relating to the ongoing waste disposal problem, as well as problems faced because of construction sites, residents have come together and compiled a petition (see here: https://bit.ly/2YpEpnC) with a list of demands to be presented to their Local Council demanding immediate changes to improve life in the locality.

Residents say, “Daily, we suffer the inconvenience, physically and mentally, of living and working in an area where the pavements are blocked by piles of garbage, where rules on dust, noise and safety in demolition and construction are routinely ignored, and rats dance in the street.”

The waste disposal issue has received significant media coverage in the past few weeks, since the issue has escalated beyond all reason. The residents are demanding more frequent garbage collection to handle the amount of garbage being generated and weekly bulky refuse collection in designated areas. Also highlighted is the importance of enforcement of garbage collection through green street wardens, use of CCTVs in hotspots, and daily street cleaning to ensure that all garbage is removed.

The residents are demanding enforcement on businesses using the public waste system, more bins and skips around the locality and for fines generated to be utilized by the Council for betterment projects.

With regards to construction sites in the area, residents have been voicing their concerns since this is directly impacting their day-to-day life, especially when considering that 520 permits were granted in this locality alone. The residents are demanding that pavements must be left accessible to the public even during construction work and any pavements broken by construction work must be fixed by the developer within a few days.

Additionally, time limits or deadlines must be imposed for construction work and the volume of planning permits for residential and commercial projects has to be capped and limited, since this is the direct cause of unacceptable amounts of noise, dust, and traffic congestion.

The residents are calling for proper enforcement of construction regulations, dust control, health & safety regulations, while also ensuring that Planning Authority Enforcement Officers are on site to ensure proper conditions. 

They are also proposing a restriction in the hours during which construction and excavations/demolitions can take place, a limit to the number of roads closed for construction works, and a limit on the number of parking places that are taken away from residents.

The residents have launched a petition to gather support for these demands, which will then be presented to the St. Paul’s Bay Local Council. If these demands are not met within a reasonable timeframe, further actions will be planned to demand a better locality.

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Residenti ta’ San Pawl il-Baħar iniedu petizzjoni b’talbiet għal lokalità aħjar

Fid-dawl tal-ħafna kwistjonijiet li r-residenti tal-lokalità ta’ San Pawl il-Baħar qed jiffaċċjaw bħalissa (inkluż Buġibba, il-Qawra u x-Xemxija) marbutin mal-problema tar-rimi tal-iskart, kif ukoll problemi ikkaġunati mis-siti tal-kostruzzjoni, ir-residenti ingħaqdu flimkien u għamlu petizzjoni (ara hawn: https://bit.ly/2YpEpnC) b’lista ta’ talbiet biex jiġu ppreżentati lill-Kunsill Lokali fejn qed isejħu għal bidliet immedjati biex titjieb il-ħajja fil-lokalità.

Ir-residenti jgħidu, “Ta’ kuljum qed insofru l-inkonvenjent, kemm fiżiku kif ukoll mentali, li ngħixu jew naħdmu f’żona fejn il-bankini huma blokkjati b’turruni ta’ skart, fejn ir-regoli dwar it-trab, l-istorbju u s-sigurtà waqt it-twaqqigħ tal-bini huma njorati kontinwament, filwaqt li l-ġrieden jiżfnu fit-toroq tagħna”.

Il-kwistjoni tar-rimi tal-iskart ingħatat importanza sinifikanti mill-midja f’dawn l-aħħar ġimgħat, minħabba li l-problema eskalat ġmielha. Ir-residenti qed jitolbu li jsir ġbir aktar frekwenti tal-iskart biex ilaħħqu mal-ammont ta’ skart li qed ikun hemm u biex isir ġbir ta’ skart goff minn ċerti żoni magħżulin. Issemmiet ukoll l-importanza tal-infurzar tal-ġbir tal-iskart minn gwardjani ekoloġiċi fit-toroq, l-użu ta’ CCTVs f’ċerti bnadi iktar problematiċi, kif ukoll tindif tat-toroq kuljum biex ikun żgurat li l-iskart jitneħħa kollu.

Ir-residenti qed jitolbu li jsir infurzar fuq negozji li qegħdin jagħmlu użu mis-sistema pubblika tal-iskart, iktar kontenituri u skips madwar il-lokalità u li l-qligħ mill-multi jiġi użat mill-Kunsill għal proġetti ta’ titjib.

Rigward is-siti tal-kostruzzjoni li hemm fl-inħawi, ir-residenti ilhom jesprimu t-tħassib tagħhom peress li dawn qed iħallu impatt negattiv fuq il-ħajja tagħhom ta’ kuljum, speċjalment meta tikkunsidra li 520 permess ġew maħruġa f’din il-lokalità biss. Ir-residenti qed jesiġu li l-bankini jridu jibqgħu aċċessibbli għall-pubbliku anki waqt ix-xogħol tal-kostruzzjoni u kwalunkwe bankina li titkisser minħabba xogħol ta’ kostruzzjoni trid tiġi rranġata mill-iżviluppatur fi ftit jiem. Barra minn dan, jeħtieġ li jkunu mposti limiti ta’ żmien jew dati ta’ skadenza għal xogħol ta’ kostruzzjoni. Il-volum ta’ permessi għal bini ta’ proġetti residenzjali u kummerċjali irid ikun limitat, minħabba li dan qed ikun il-kawża prinċipali ta’ ammont ta’ storbju, trab u konġestjoni ta’ traffiku.

Ir-residenti qed jitolbu li jsir infurzar xieraq tar-regolamenti tal-kostruzzjoni, kontroll fuq it-trabijiet u l-ħarsien tar-regolamenti tas-saħħa u s-sigurtà, filwaqt li jiġi żgurat ukoll li Uffiċjali tal-Infurzar tal-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar ikunu fuq is-sit biex ikunu ċerti li l-kundizzjonijiet qed jiġu rispettati.

Qed jipproponu wkoll li jkunu ristretti s-sigħat li waqthom jista’ jsir bini u skavar/twaqqigħ, li jkun hemm limitu fuq in-numru ta’ toroq li jingħalqu minħabba xogħol ta’ kostruzzjoni u fuq in-numru ta’ postijiet tal-parkeġġ li jittieħdu mir-residenti.

Ir-residenti varaw petizzjoni biex jirċievu appoġġ għal dawn it-talbiet, li mbagħad se tiġi ppreżentata lill-Kunsill Lokali ta’ San Pawl il-Baħar. Jekk dawn it-talbiet ma jiġux milqugħa fi żmien raġonevoli, azzjonijiet oħra se jiġu ppjanati biex issir sejħa għal lokalità aħjar.