Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/695268
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 22 JUNE 2016 News PAUL COCKS SPECIALLYTRAINED tourism police officers started as of yes- terday regular patrols in St Ju- lian's and parts of Sliema under a new pilot scheme aimed at offer- ing tourists in the areas a better service tailored on their specific needs. Home affairs minister Carmelo Abela and tourism minister Ed- ward Zammit Lewis presented a certificate to 41 police offic- ers, marking the completion of a specialised training course or- ganised by the Institute for Tour- ism Studies and supplemented by additional training at the police academy in Ta' Kandja. The training focused on how the police officers were to deal with questions and concerns that could be raised by tourists, crimes that are typical of tourist areas, such as pickpocketing, first aid and CPR, consumer rights and knowledge of historic sites and places of interest. Working in groups of four per shift, the new tourism police officers will patrol on foot the area between Spinola and Ghar id-Dud, and the Sliema front be- tween Tigne Point and Manoel Island, including Bizazza Street. They would be on duty between 2pm and 2am This duty would be considered as extra duty and tourism police officers would be paid accord- ingly, with the additional income being taxed at the previously- agreed reduced rate of 15%. Minister Abela said that a call for tenders would be issued shortly for the provision of an electric vehicle to assist the tour- ism police officers in their new duties. The electric vehicle will be fi- nanced by the Foundation for the Development of Tourist Areas. Abela reminded the police of- ficers that they would be serv- ing as ambassadors for the police force and the entire country as they would inevitably become the first point of contact for many of the tourists. Minister Zammit Lewis said this scheme was being introduced at the perfect moment, with the number of tourists visiting Malta increasing every month. More than 1.8 million tourists visited Malta last year, and the number of visitors in the first four months of this year was, on average, more than 10% higher over the same period last year. "For May and June, we are ex- pecting to register an increase of more than 14,000 visitors, while more than 250,000 tourists are expected to visit Malta in August alone," Zammit Lewis said. He said Malta was considered to be one of the safest tourist destinations for tourists, and highlighted the importance of continuing to promote this posi- tive outlook when promoting Malta. 41 specialised police officers to be first point of contact for tourists; will offer visitors advice and assistance, first aid and information on places of interest Tourism police to patrol St Julian's and Sliema From left: Acting Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar, home affairs minister Carmelo Abela, tourism minister Edward Zammit Lewis and Joseph Debono, CEO, Foundation for Tourism Zones Development Illegal countryside scrapyard cleared by PA's enforcement unit THE countryside area in Birzebbuga has been returned to an uncluttered state after a week-long direct action by the Planning Authority removed 400 trucks' worth of mate- rial from two adjacent illegal scrapyards. The Planning Authority said the clearance led to the coun- tryside area of 'Ix-Xerriek ', to be relieved of the "scar" which was the illegal scrapyard, re- turning the area to its original state. The Authority had taken on the course of action after the owners of the illegal scrapy- ards had faulted on an agree- ment with the Authority, which gave the site occupiers the chance to remove the il- legally dumped material in phases. Last April, the contravener attempted to halt the direct action by having his law yer request a prohibitory injunc- tion. However, the Courts turned the request down and allowed the Authority to con- tinue clearing both scrapy- ards. With the assistance of the Works and Infrastructure De- partment and Cleansing Di- rectorate, the Authority's di- rect action team removed over 400 truckloads of scrapped cars, trucks, white goods, tyres and mixed material from the two illegal scrapyards. The total area of the scrapy- ards is 10,000m2. The Planning Authority's Enforcement Directorate was also assisted by officials from Transport Malta, Animal Welfare and members of the Administrative Law Enforce- ment Section and the Rapid Intervention Unit of the Police Force. The contraveners will have to foot the costs of the direct action operation. Before and after: the illegal Birzebbuga scrapyard