Ombudsman to investigate Swieqi residents' complaints on overtourism: Bartolo

Former PL minister Evarist Bartolo has taken Swieqi residents’ complaints about overtourism to the ombudsman, asking him to open an investigation into authorities’ failures to protect residents’ rights.

In a Facebook post on Wedesday morning, Bartolo said the ombudsman has agreed to open an investigation.

Recalling his time in politics as an MP and minister, Bartolo said he would frequently encourage the public to file complaints to the Ombudsman. 

Now, as a citizen, he asked the Ombudsman to see if what is happening to Swieqi, once a quiet residential area turned into a noisy and dirty place, is due to "administrative failures," he said. 

Over the summer, residents have experienced excessive noise, vandalism and mounting piles of uncollected waste in the locality, he said.

Bartolo referred to the government's aborted plans to force apartment owners to seek approval from their neighbours before listing their property for a short-let rental.

The idea was initially floated by MTA CEO Carlo Micallef last year, but was shot down when Ian Borg took over the tourism portfolio.

Bartolo pointed out that since the government shelved the idea, it now has the duty to protect residents' rights and to find ways to curb noise, filth, and other disturbances in the community. 

Bartolo is not the only Swieqi resident to call out the lack of enforcement in the locality. 

Last Sunday, Swieqi residents came together to call for stronger enforcement and tighter regulation of short-term rentals. 

The Swieqi mayor previously called for a temporary suspension of permits for short-let properties, along with other measures to tackle reported antisocial behaviour in the locality, such as regular police patrols at night and on-the-spot fines.

He pointed out how Malta is being advertised as a “Party Island of the Mediterranean” and how some young tourists who visit Malta are treating all of Malta as Paceville, and disrupt the lives of neighbours with their bad behaviour and turn the residential community into a jungle of noise, dirt and vandalism.

Bartolo said he is hopeful the Ombudsman will act, as he did previously when residents living near coastal areas complained about excessive noise from commercial boat parties operating close to the shore. 

Following investigations, boat parties were slammed with new rules highlighting stricter controls on noise and loud music.

“I understand that the case of the impact of the tourist apartments in communities in Malta and Gozo is more complicated," he said.

 "But after all, the problems created by humans, must also be fiexed by humans. I hope, for the sake o the thousands who are suffering, that it will be repaired.”