MaltaToday

LETTERS | Sunday, 15 July 2007

Demolition sites

Albert Camilleri, Sliema

I read with bewilderment and consternation the long article by James Debono in MaltaToday (Sunday) of 24 June 2007 what Minister George Pullicino had to say about redevelopment.
The Minister seems perplexed that dust and broken pavements are the only inconveniences neighbours to building sites suffer from. In fact, his envisaged regulations will oblige developers to procure a bank guarantee so that MEPA will pay for damaged pavements.
The Minster, apparently deliberately, refrains from even mentioning the death, injuries, damages and worries of households living next door to demolition/redevelopment sites. Has Minister Pullicino conveniently forgotten the tragic fatalities that occurred in Sliema and St Paul’s Bay due to reckless demolition?
For Minister Pullicino it seems these human beings do not exist and, therefore, he needs only to regulate dust and broken pavements. Minister G. Pullicino, in my opinion, should quadruple the amount of the mandatory bank guarantee so that MEPA can pay also for damaged adjacent homes besides Minister Pullicino’s broken pavements.
It is about time Minister Pullicino woke up and, as he promised, affords neighbours to dangerous demolition sites “the highest degree of protection” and not expect them to go to court at unaffordable expense while he basks in his compulsory bank guarantee only for damaged pavements.

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