Marsaxlokk council laments ‘discrimination’ over flea market cleanup

The Marsaxlokk council has terminated a tender for the cleanup of the open market's area after it learnt that it is the central government that pays for the cleanup in other areas.

Taken unanimously by the local council, the decision means that it will no longer be responsible for the cleaning the area after Sunday 7 October.

In a press statement, mayor Edric Micallef said that the local council had spent thousands of euros in cleaning the site where the Sunday market takes place.

"The local council forks out €14,000 every year to make sure that the area is maintained clean. And yet, this cost in other localities is not shouldered by the local councils but by the central government," Micallef said.

Micallef added that this was unfair as the funds could easily be used to provide a better service to the Marsaxlokk community.

He said, that the decision was taken because the council felt it was being discriminated against.

"Moreover, it is very unfair that while we have to take care of it, we have no say at what time the market closes off," he said.

As per current hours, the market closes off at 6pm. However, the local council would like the time to be pushed back to 3pm.