Horse-drawn cab operators and Transport Malta failed to reach an agreement on the financing of animal shelters but agreed to alterations on karozzini pre-determined routes.

Draft regulations on horse-drawn carriages issued for consultation on Monday oblige operators to maintain and clean any shelters installed to provide shade for the horses.

The regulations also specify a number of pre-determined routes covering main tourist areas.

In a meeting yesterday between cab operators and Transport Malta over the proposed regulations, both sides agreed that cab operators would maintain the shelters. However, no agreement was reached on how much money each cab operator will fork out to put up the shelters.

Kevin Debono, representing L-Għaqda tal-Kuċċiera tal-Karozzini, said 23 shelters had been proposed in Sliema, St Julians, Buġibba, Mdina and Valletta and three shelter permits were already issued by the planning authority. These include a 10-horse shelter at Valletta Waterfront, a three-horse one at St Elmo and another one near the gun post which holds up to six horses, close to Auberge de Baviere. It is estimated the shelters will cost €20,000 each.

Operators will not be tied to specific shelters but may seek cover under any shelter.

“If an agreement were to be reached in the near future, work can start next month. However, one can’t be expected to fork out money if one doesn’t earn any,” Mr Debono said, noting fines added to operators’ burden. He said fines were at times issued insensitively by TM, adding he was once fined when he moved his horse out of the scorching sun and in the shade, right across from where the cab stand was situated. In a separate incident, he said he was fined when disembarking a tourist in a wheelchair at City Gate.

The association, having committed itself to forking out maintenance and repair fees, expected the government to take on the burden of the shelter costs.

In all, there are 115 karozzini permits but, according to Mr Debono, only 35 operated around the island.

“If the government is ready to reach an agreement, we are willing to cooperate. However, instead of helping us, the authorities are letting us drown and some of us have seriously considered dismantling the service,” Mr Debono said.

When the draft regulations were issued, Mr Debono said the association welcomed other proposed regulations that aimed to improve the service offered by karozzini. These included the introduction of a mandatory operator’s licence after passing a test in customer service, traffic regulations and animal care and grooming.

Operators will also have to be covered by an insurance policy and can have their operators’ licence suspended, or even withdrawn, if they breach any of the new regulations – measures that the association agrees with.

Myriam Kirmond, from the Animal Rights Coalition, welcomed most of the measures but noted they did not delve into animal welfare issues, such as water supply and drains.

She said the coalition had long been maintaining that the Transport Ministry should keep its word and pay for the shelters. Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt should live up to a promise made in 2009 and build the shelters to protect the horses from the sweltering summer sun, she said.

However, last year, Dr Gatt made it clear the government would not pay for the shelters.The first move to protect horses from the summer sun came in 2005 when the government set up provisional shelters in St George’s Square, Valletta. However, the shelters were dismantled in August 2009 when horse-drawn cab drivers were stopped from entering the centre of Valletta so the area could be turned into a pedestrian zone. Cab stands were relocated to various areas on the outskirts of the capital.