Craning over Sannat

My village, Sannat, lies under the shadow of sudden overdevelopment, on a scale previously unknown. As of this morning, I counted 11 cranes towering over us, overflying neighbouring properties, with limited consideration for their safety and no compensation for the intrusion (unlike, say, the UK). That’s right: a relatively small village and 11 cranes! Just a few years ago, there were none. Why this unprecedented disaster?

I do not blame the landowners, who, when presented with a lot of money for their land, naturally give it up. I do not even blame the developers who are there to turn a profit.

No, the true culprits are the local authorities and, behind them, the largesse of the EU.

Rumour has it that the latter subsidises the cost of tower cranes by up to 80 per cent. And then we have an administration who changed the law on the previous (sensible) height restrictions on new builds. Oh, and the PA, whose chairman thinks he’s an economist saying that the law needs to be relaxed since building is the main driver of the Maltese economy (it isn’t).

The people in power do not represent the interests of the vast majority of citizens, only those few on the gravy train: the fortunate few with land to sell, the developers and the contractors (whose employees are largely foreign). The situation is becoming intolerable for those on the ground and not in ivory towers.

Solution? There needs to be a law which restricts the number of tower cranes per parish, at any one time, depending on its size and in consultation with its council. No more than one, in the smaller ones. Sannat? I would prefer none.

David Carrington – Sannat

From the online comments board

Woman 'betrayed by system' speaks up

The system let her down. And also other women let her down: the doctor who insisted she couldn’t record injuries she couldn’t see; the magistrate. They were women. Having women in positions of influence and power does not change much after all. – Douglas Camilleri Borg

Domestic abuse is always bad but when the media stops publicising domestic abuse in such a one-sided way as to always portray men as the aggressors and women as the victims I will pay attention. – M. Camilleri

This is shameful to say the least. Is it not possible to set up a commission to examine the situation and propose solutions? Obviously, the commission would have a limited time frame in which to report, as in the meantime injustice will continue.  –  Joseph Croker

Unfortunately, as a society, we need a lot of work to change our mentality and realise that women are not men’s property and they have all the rights to make decisions men perhaps won’'t like or agree with. So sad we need to read news like this. We still have lots to learn. Good luck for the lady, with all my heart. – John Adams

This is utterly scandalous! So much for justice. Hello, Victims of Crime Agency, where are you? Wake up, please. You were launched with so much fanfare. Why not investigate and ensure no repetitions of this sort? – Mark Said