Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1537460
Noel Muscat: 'We have to kill the spider, not simply remove the cobweb' NOEL Muscat is frustrated that his constant protestations with the au- thorities to change planning poli- cies have for the past 12 years fallen on deaf ears. As Swieqi mayor he wants new policies to better regulate short-let apartments, which are the source of a lot of problems in his locality. These flats attract young tourists, who find it convenient to 'sleep' in Swieqi, a stones-throw away from Malta's entertainment Mecca— Paceville. Muscat tells me as we sit down in the boardroom of the Swieqi local council that the owners of these short-let apartments simply place garbage bags on the pavement at all times of the day. "Enforcement is important," he tells me, but in- sists what is more crucial is policy changes that make it incumbent on developers to include waste collec- tion depots within the buildings. But more significant for Muscat is the need for a carrying capacity study to be carried out in Swieqi. "I am not insisting on this be- cause the PN came out with it— this council unanimously approved such a study. I have asked for it from the authorities at least three times before and I did so because I genuinely want to know what this locality can cope with," he says. Swieqi Mayor Noel Muscat has witnessed the gradual transformation of his locality into Malta's 'short-let capital'. He tells Kurt Sansone policy makers have ignored the council's warnings as waste piles up on the streets and rowdy young tourists keep residents awake. 4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 13 JULY 2025 INTERVIEW