Courses in Lifelong Learning - Applications open

As announced earlier, Sliema Local Council in collaboration with the Lifelong Learning Directorate and the Department for Local Government, will be organising a series of courses in various areas between October 2012 and May 2013, including the following:

Litterizmu fil-Malti
English Literacy
Maths/Numeracy

Maltese as a foreign language
English as a foreign language
French
German
Spanish
Italian
Russian
Arabic
Lace-making
Energy-saving initiatives at home

Those interested can apply online or at the Sliema Local Council between 13 and 31 August - Online applications: http://www.eveningcourses.gov.mt

Those interested in further details are to email me at mbrig@hotmail.com.

Cigarettes on the beach

Last Saturday, 'That's Rubbish', an NGO, carried out a beach clean-up from Fortizza to the area past Surfside lido, in collaboration with Sliema Local Council.

A total of 65 Kg of cigarette butts and other waste were collected. A similar clean up at the end of June collected 40kg of cigarette butts and other waste.

More effort by everyone has to be made to reduce, rather than increase rubbish. This includes the Cleansing Department, whose workers have to catch up with the increased volumes of waste, and, more importantly, some swimmers and bathers who do not bother to use the various bins which are available. Not to mention those who allow their dogs to pooh on the beach.

Sliema Local Council is consistently monitoring the matter together with the Cleansing Department. We recently toured the Exiles beach to look into waste-related matters. We are also currently looking into the possibility of distributing portable ash-trays.

Feedback from all is more than welcome.

Bicycle Racks

Four new bicycle racks have been installed along the Sliema promenade, from Exiles to Ghar id-Dud, and near the pedestrianized Bisazza Street.

This will make life easier for cyclists, and will hopefully help contribute to the greening of Sliema.

A big thanks to workers at Sliema Local Council for installing the racks.

In the meantime, in the coming weeks Sliema Local Council will be meeting George Debono, author of the mobility plan for Sliema on behalf of the Today Public Policy Institute.

Green Wardens

Sliema Local Council is extending green wardens' operations, focusing on inconveniences such as dumping of waste, littering of dog dirt especially at beaches, and others. Traffic wardens are also enforcing against those who park their cars at beaches such as under the Tower area.

BBQs

Sliema Local Council is discussing the possibility of an introduction of a bye-law to regulate BBQs in the locality, so as to ensure that areas are cleaned up and as little inconvenience as possible is created. Anyone who would like to send me concrete proposals on this is invited to email me at mbrig@hotmail.com

Courses in Lifelong learning

Once again, Sliema Local Council in collaboration with the Lifelong Learning Directorate and the Department for Local Government, will be organising a series of courses in various areas between October 2012 and May 2013, including the following:

Litterizmu fil-Malti
English Literacy
Maths/Numeracy

Maltese as a foreign language
English as a foreign language
French
German
Spanish
Italian
Russian
Arabic
Lace-making
Energy-saving initiatives at home

Those interested in further details are to email me at mbrig@hotmail.com.

MEPA sides with developers in Sliema, again

Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party said that MEPA once again decided to take the side of big developers by granting permission for a massive 100-apartment block at the Sliema ferries (ex-Forestals site).

Michael Briguglio, AD chairperson and Sliema Local Councillor, who was present for the MEPA meetings said that Mepa totally disregarded the appeal by AD, Sliema local council and NGOs for an environment impact assessment.

“MEPA once again took a selective and apologetic approach and ignored the cumulative impact of the development in terms of traffic, pollution, congestion and other factors”.

“AD once again reiterates that the environment is a political issue. We have the MEPA we deserve, but we can change things through our vote”.

“AD notes that the PN and PL representatives on the MEPA board voted in favour of the development”