Letters to the editor – June 14, 2026

Air and noise pollution

Victor Farrugia of Attard writes:

Everyone talks about traffic jams and how people are stuck in traffic during their daily drive. This is only part of the problem.

The most important aspect of this problem is air pollution, which may fuel depression, anxiety and other mental health problems. Polluted air not only damages the lungs and heart but also harms the brain. Research suggests pollution may also increase the risk of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and even suicide.

Heavy traffic has become a common sight in Malta. File photo: Times of Malta

We Attard residents are also affected by another form of pollution caused by frequent aircraft traffic. Airplanes emit harmful gases and generate significant noise every few minutes. In addition, there is the ever-present concern about the potential risk of an aircraft accident occurring over residential areas.

Who is monitoring the World Health Organisation’s air-quality guidelines? Air that exceeds safe pollution limits of fine particulate pollution, called PM2.5, is also associated with a higher risk of late-life depression.

Anti-social behaviour

Michael Vella of Sliema writes:

Regarding the drive for quality tourism now being promoted by the newly elected government, I hope concrete action will be taken against the unacceptable behaviour of tourists who openly disregard the moral standards of our country. Reports of naked tourists waving from their balconies to passers-by are hardly consistent with the image of quality tourism that is being advocated.

We have already witnessed similar incidents, including the case of a German tourist who was seen riding a motorbike naked a few months ago.

The new minister responsible for the police should demonstrate that the confidence placed in his party by voters was not misplaced and show that such matters will be treated with the seriousness they deserve.

Otherwise, we risk seeing a continuation of the same approach that characterised the previous legislature, where the focus appeared to be solely on increasing tourist numbers, regardless of how poorly some visitors behaved.

The resorts we need

Albert Cilia-Vincenti of Attard writes:

The establishment of direct flights from the US is welcome news for our quest of more quality tourism. Places like Taormina have had American, German and Austrian quality tourism for a very long time.

In this context of quality tourism, I do not really understand why we’ve had these extremist views as what exceptionally beautiful ambience zones, such as Comino and Manuel Island, should be used for.

NGOs have done us a great service controlling the negative aspect posed by some building project applications. However, having Comino just for campers and day trippers and Manuel Island solely as a public national park sound to me rather more akin to extremist backward-looking ideas than forward-looking plans for more quality tourism.

Why can’t Comino be shared between a quality holiday resort and day trippers? Why can’t Manoel Island be shared between a national park and a luxury hotel? I seem to remember that the derelict isolation hospital on the island had been earmarked for conversion to a luxury hotel.

Another example are the derelict warehouses on the Senglea side of the former dockyard, next to the American University building. These could be transformed into a top end quality hotel.

These are the sort of hotels and resorts we now need.