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Images of cars entering Valletta retained for nine months Images of vehicles passing through Valletta’s gates and recorded by its Controlled Vehicular Access close-circuit TV cameras are being retained by the processing company for nine months, irrespective if any pending bill has already been paid.Transport Malta said the images of cars entering and exiting Valletta are stored for nine months, whether entry fees have been paid up or not, in case of any charge-backs in case of card payments. Images of vehicles pertaining to unpaid bills, contested bills and cases of exemptions not yet finalised, are also archived until they are either paid up, or their contestation been decided upon. A TM spokesperson said images from the CVA system, which recognises registration plates automatically, are kept because “such evidence may be required for nights’ residency purposes and as backup evidence during the contestation process.” If police request any data in respect of CVA images pertaining to a particular vehicle or a CVA location site, such request must be made in writing. There are 19 CVA cameras, logging all vehicular movements coming in and out of Valletta, perhaps making it Malta’s most ‘watched’ locality. The technology is operated by CVA Technology Ltd, a private firm, whose operations are however also based at Transport Malta. Local councils also make use of CCTV cameras, which are monitored by Datatrak – the same company that processes contraventions recorded on Malta’s speed cameras. CCTV cameras installed by local councils in Paola, Zejtun, Msida, Pietà, Naxxar and Mosta generated a total of €486,853 in fines from traffic contraventions caught by the cameras in 2009. But a substantial amount of the fines were passed on to the private contractors that supply and service the cameras, and the company that processes the contraventions and issues the fines. A total of €317,381 – 65% of the fines that were paid between 2006 and 2008 – were paid to the warden agencies that supplied the cameras, and Datatrak, the sole company that issues the fines. The rest was paid to the local councils forming part of the joint committees that commission the installation of the CCTV cameras. Any comments? |
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Managing editor Saviour Balzan | Tel. ++356 21382741 | Fax: ++356 21385075 | Email
Managing editor Saviour Balzan | Tel. ++356 21382741 | Fax: ++356 21385075 | Email