Former minister Evarist Bartolo has voiced his opposition to new rules allowing late-night open-air music in various streets of Valletta - a day after parliament debated a PN motion to repeal them. Labour speakers in the debate all opposed the motion, with a vote due on Wednesday.

Writing on Facebook, the former education and foreign minister spoke about how he had met a woman from a traditionally Labour family who expressed her disgust, saying there was 'zero respect' for the residents of those streets.

Such people, Bartolo wrote, felt abandoned by those who were supposed to be defending them.

He observed that even in party islands such as Ibiza, there were towns and villages that were silent and sought by tourists for that reason.

He also knew of foreigners who sought hotels in Valletta for its ambiance, architecture and the arts. They did not want the city to be a cemetery, or a noisy disco.

Those who wanted noisy entertainment could seek other localities, he said 

Valletta had been rejuvenated, with many restaurants and open-air catering, but was there need for this exaggeration? Was it wise to make of Malta a Paceville from one end to the other? 

Clearly, Bartolo said, this did not make sense for the residents and visitors.

He said the many affected Valletta residents were rightly not impressed by promises of enforcement to ensure that the level of music was 'moderate'.

"We are not exactly a model island where enforcement is concerned," he wrote.  

On Monday, Culture Minister Owen Bonnici said in parliament that  fears of Valletta turning into the next Paceville would die out. Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo said the new rules would continue to improve business in the capital, but said the government would not allow Valletta to become another Paceville. 

No Labour MPs from the first district spoke during the debate.