Paola open market risks closure unless hawkers conform with cleaning laws

The council raised its concern over various sanitary and safety issues 

Paola Square
Paola Square

The Paola Local Council has warned that unless hawkers start abiding by cleaning laws, the council will be closing off access to the open market.

In a letter addressed to Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne, Economy Minister Chris Cardona, Justice Minister Owen Bonnici and Parliamentary Secretary Silvio Parnis, the local council has warned that if no action is taken within 10 days, access to the market would be denied to hawkers. 

The letter said that according to law, hawkers must provide appropriate garbage disposal facilities during business hours, while also assuring that the space provided must be left clean with material and rubbish left behind properly disposed of. 

The council lamented that it was forced to hire cleaning contractors out of its own funds to clean the ‘environmental disfigurement’ left behind. 

The problem has gotten out of hand to the extent that the cleansing department had to resort to sending workers on a weekly basis, the local council said. 

It also raised doubts over the sanitary obligations being followed during the hawkers' operations. 

Besides its sanitary concerns, the council has also said that too great a number of hawkers are occupying the market space - a situation which has lasted for a long period of time - resulting in a potential hazard to hawkers, customers and surrounding residents. 

The council said it had already discussed the issues with the relevant authorities, and had been promised regulation of the Paola open market. 

The 10-day deadline ends on 11 November.