Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1514108
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 MARCH 2022 OPINION 3 LETTERS & EDITORIAL maltatoday | SUNDAY • 7 JANUARY 2024 Mikiel Galea Letters & Clarifications Lawlessness in Sliema RESIDENTS who live in Tower Park on the corner of Graham Street and Milner Street, above Lombard Bank in Sliema have been subjected to continu- ous blatant health and safety, building and parking violations, significant noise, dust and much more from the Park Hotel, opposite. It has been left to the residents to fight back and force the au- thorities to do their job. Only Christmas Day was quiet. The contractors simply ignore the complaints directly from residents, and when confronted by authority officials, most of the time revert back to their normal practice once they have left. The local council refers our complaints to the Building and Construction Author- ity (BCA) but when we contacted them, the alternative argument, depending with whom you speak, states that the works are embellishment works not construction. On the other hand, the OHSA argues it is only concerned with worker safety. Residents end up on the referral merry go round. Almost on a daily basis, the BCA is called and complaints are made. Sand, tiles and concrete almost daily are emp- tied down a chute, which finishes in an uncovered skip. Bits fly onto the road and the dust is significant. Neighbours' windows and balconies are full of dust despite cleaning almost daily. When an inspector from the BCA visits, promises are made but ignored the next day. When several residents approached, the person supervising the work, he clearly appears not to understand let alone speak any English and uses only two choice words in response… "Fuck Off". The rest of the workers are third country nationals. Most of the residents are retired and elderly and do not deserve such lan- guage. Most of the time, there are uncovered skips outside the Park Hotel, a refuse lorry on the opposite side under our flats used for crunching aluminium sections and the noise is simply both continuous and very loud. For large parts of the day the lorry either blocks the road, our garage for 14 cars and/or the space specified for bank deliveries. According to Sliema coun- cil, no permits had been issued since 22 December. So why does the council and the police not take action as they are sent images of this lawlessness on a daily basis? The lorry broke a disabled orange bollard put outside of Tower Park by the Council for our disabled residents and when asked to replace it, we re- ceived abuse. The road outside is now in a filthy state and many of the paving stones broken. Who pays for their re- placement? We are faced with this ongoing di- minishing quality of life by cowboys from the Park Hotel when those in- volved in these projects simply ignore the law and where enforcement is weak. Once it is clear that residents suffer and the law is abused, officials should stop all works and fine the culprits. What more can be done especially as no one wants to take responsibility and hold the contractors accountable? Should us residents be forced to take legal action when it is the job of the autjorities to ensure law and order are maintained? Tower Park residents, Sliema