[WATCH] Month-old uncollected garbage attracting scores of rats in St Paul's Bay

St Paul's Bay residents have continuously complained of a rat problem in the locality and this has been linked with uncollected garbage lining the streets

A butcher whose business is in St Paul's Bay explained how rats are rife since garbage remains uncollected over a period close to a month
A butcher whose business is in St Paul's Bay explained how rats are rife since garbage remains uncollected over a period close to a month

A butcher in St Paul's Bay said that there are piles of uncollected garbage across the street from his business that have been there since the day after the MEP and local council elections.

That amounts to 25 days of uncollected trash.

"The problem is that the garbage that has been accumulating has not been put in proper black or organic bags. Most of it is in cardboard boxes," the butcher said.

Rosario Camilleri owns Luciano's Meat Market on Triq L-Iskuna in St Paul's Bay and explained how this garbage is attracting scores of rats that can be seen roaming around throughout the day.

Bags have deteriorated so that garbage is spilling onto the street
Bags have deteriorated so that garbage is spilling onto the street

"That garbage has been there since the day after the MEP and local council elections. When we called the local council prior to the elections, cleaners came by and they sweeped the road clean and removed some of the weeds growing out of the pavement. But ever since the new local council was elected, nothing of the sort has happened. It's as if it doesn't matter anymore now that they're elected," Camilleri said.

When asked whether he tried contacting the local council to alert it of the situation, Camilleri told MaltaToday that the local council simply confirmed that if trash is not taken out in its proper bag, this would remain uncollected.

Trash in cardboard boxes remains uncollected since it's not taken out in proper bags
Trash in cardboard boxes remains uncollected since it's not taken out in proper bags

This caused the butcher and a few neighbours to have an altercation with the garbage collectors.

"We had an argument with the collectors, asking them to collect the garbage anyway but they refused. They should at least collect it for the benefit of tourists who occupy the nearby apartments," Camilleri said.