Elderly complain of incessant construction amid coronavirus lockdown

Residents living in a number of towns in Malta’s central region are complaining that construction close to their homes has gone on unabated despite the fact that they have been forced to stay indoors to comply with measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

In a statement on Friday, the mayors of St Julian’s, Sliema, San Ġwann, Swieqi and Gżira said that elderly and vulnerable people, who were being requested not to leave their homes amid the Covid-19 pandemic, were finding it difficult to tolerate excavation and construction noise close to their homes.

The issue was also problematic for people who were working from home, the mayors said.

“How can someone stay in their home all day when they are being subjected to this inconvenience?” the mayors asked, as they highlighted that many elderly and vulnerable people were not even afforded the luxury of opening their windows due to the dust generated by nearby construction sites.

The mayors said the situation was causing significant anxiety for the residents of their towns.

They went on to ask Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia, the Planning Authority and the Malta Developers Association to narrow the window for excavation work between 8:30am and 1pm.

“In this particular moment, where everyone is being asked to do their part, we ask developers and landlords to also do their bit and to send a signal that they have residents’ interests at heart,” the statement read.

The letter was signed by St Julian’s mayor Albert Buttigieg, Sliema mayor Anthony Chircop, San Ġwann mayor Tevor Fenech, Swieqi mayor Noel Muscat and Gżira mayor Conrad Borg Manche.

The localities may be the hardest hit by construction activity but the situation is also problematic elsewhere. MaltaToday has received reports from other localities where residents are being subjected to incessant excavation works next to their property.

"The situation is unbearable and we cannot leave the house until the digging for the day is over," an irate woman from Marsaskala told this news portal.

Construction work has continued without restrictions.