Municipality ignoring filth in Casbah areas

THE article in The Independent on Saturday about the beach uplift and clean-up of inner city refers.

We constantly read of clean-ups and developments in Mahatma Gandhi Street and the beach area.

The city fathers are, as usual, ignoring the festering filth and grime in the so-called Casbah areas, for example the old Victoria Street and surrounding parts where every by-law of the city is being flouted, with not only excessive street trading, but also with businesses extending their shop fronts on to the pavements.

By mid-afternoon the area is covered with filth, debris and grime. One of the culprits is businesses who discard their waste on the pavements with impunity.

It is understandable that people are desperate to make a living in these hard times. Is it not possible for the city to allocate appropriate facilities for the street traders to earn their living with dignity? Who, after all, desires to spend their lives trying to make a living around filthy, cockroach and ratinfested streets?

In addition, there is the problem of buses passing through the old Queen Street hooting at full blast every five minutes. Is this not noise pollution in terms of the city’s by-laws? This noise is a constant attack on the residents’ peace and sanity.

A flick of the headlights should be sufficient to attract passengers who would simply raise their hand should they need to board any of the buses.

Could the city consider an alternate route or fine the miscreant bus drivers heavily?

We have been reading over the years in newspapers that the Casbah areas would be attended to, but nothing has been done.

Cleanliness is, after all, next to godliness.