Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1133773
8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 23 JUNE 2019 NEWS Malta infosession at Dar l-Ewropa New European Commission call for tenders for translation services: A new call for tenders for translation services has been launched by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Translation (DG Translation) (please see our Prior Information Notice for more details). When? On the 28th June, from 10:30 – 13:00 Where? Main Hall, Dar l-Ewropa, Valletta Registration can be done by sending an email to: dgt-valletta@ec.europa.eu Registration, together with a brief networking reception, starts at 10:30, followed by the infosession between 11:00 and 13:00. Companies, as well as interested individuals or potential consortia are invited. Registrations will be accepted on a first come-first served basis. In order to give everyone interested a chance to participate, companies and organisations are asked to limit their presence to 2 persons. #Translate4EU The Valletta - MALTA information session will take place at the European Commission Representation in Malta, Dar l-Ewropa, 254 Triq San Pawl, Valletta, in order to provide further information and to allow potential tenderers to ask questions. DG Translation is organising information seminars in most EU capitals. MATTHEW VELLA CLEANSING services of- fered by local councils are not always enough to handle Malta's burgeoning waste problem inside its more pop- ulated villages and towns. The head of Malta's cleans- ing department, Ramon De- guara, told MaltaToday that places like St Paul's Bay, a touristic village with a large residential population, tends to be one of the more prob- lematic towns for waste col- lection, cleanliness and up- keep. "But I disagree that St Ju- lian's and Sliema are on the same levels of St Paul's Bay," Deguara told MaltaToday over complaints from these towns on their waste and cleanliness issues. "There is a mix of logistical problems with both residen- tial and commercial waste issues. Services provided by the local council are not enough for the locality's needs and certainly need to be improved. The solution to this problem would be the increase in the frequency of service, in parallel with en- forcement procedures – in all localities." Deguara, however, said that several options are in the pipeline, apart from the normal yearly additional ser- vices offered by the Cleans- ing and Maintenance Divi- sion, "without hindering the function of the local coun- cil." "I reiterate that the collab- oration of the local council and the present contractors is a crucial point in the suc- cess of the provision of such services." Deguara would not expand on the number of reports re- ceived by the mobile cleans- ing app operated by his department, to receive com- plaints and photos of areas that need attention from the cleansing department. "All reports received by the mobile app and email facili- ties are all acknowledged au- tomatically and all cases are followed with complainants kept constantly informed about their concerns," he said. Deguara said reports from localities, however, get for- warded to local councils, which remain responsible for the respective localities' cleanliness. "One has to bear in mind that some reports need more time and administrative work in order to be conclud- ed, as some cases involve private property and need approval by third parties. Collaboration and coopera- tion from the general public is of the utmost importance to avoid shabbiness and eye- Local council cleansing not keeping up with JAMES DEBONO PLANS to relocate a tiny ur- ban fuel pump in Gozo's Vic- toria to Hal Far in Malta, out- side the development zones, is no 'like with like', the Envi- ronment and Resources Au- thority has warned. The ERA has called the re- location of the 5sq.m pump a "major expansion of com- mercial use onto ODZ land" in a screening report after ap- plicant Michael Zammit sub- mitted a project development statement (PDS). Zammit insists the applica- tion conforms with the con- troversial 2015 Fuel Stations Policy, now set for a major re- vision, without any reference to the ongoing review. But the ERA has argued that the application was "prema- ture pending the coming into force of the updated Fuel Ser- vice Station Policy". The first policy draft issued for public consultation in May would automatically rule out this application, which is lo- cated on agriculture land. But the ERA has no power to stop an application from being considered by the Plan- ning Authority as its power is limited to just deeming which projects require an Environ- mental Impact Assessment. In this case ERA has decided that the project needs an EIA. The ERA's declaration con- forms with a similar objection by the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage expressing "surprise" that applications for the development of fuel stations are still being consid- ered during the consultation period for the fuel stations policy. The proposed fuel pump on Hal Far road in Birzebbuga is for two islands with six fuel pump stations, but also four car-wash facilities and an ad- ditional three spaces fitted with vacuums; two separate garages for valeting and tyre service; a mechanical shop; snack bar and cafeteria; kitch- en; ATM; one office; lavatory facilities and two reservoirs. A total of thirteen car park- ing spaces, two of which will be reserved for persons with disabilities, will be provided to allow patrons of the eatery and shop to conveniently park their vehicles. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Not like with like: tiny Gozo fuel pump's bid to turn mega in Malta 'Premature' to consider 3,000sq.m fuel pump outside building zones pending fuel policy revision, ERA tells Planning Authority Fuel station policy