Sliema’s homelessness problem has been on-going for the last months but there’s little police can do, Sliema Mayor Anthony Chircop has told Lovin Malta.

“Police have been alerted but they claim there’s very little they can do, Social Services have been asked to help and we have on a couple of occasions sorted the poor souls out.  One particular person simply refuses help though!”

“With others, one needs to be able to communicate with these persons and know their whereabouts during the daytime for this approach to be possible. And they usually are not around then,” Chircop said.

Photos sent to Lovin Malta indicate that a number of men have turned Independence Gardens into their makeshift homes, with some sleeping on benches.

Homelessness remains a hidden but growing issue on Malta’s streets. Last year there were an estimated 300 homeless people living in Malta – however, experts have warned that the situation is only getting worse.

This is not the first time homelessness has hit Sliema, despite the veneer of luxury development. In October 2019, images and a video sent to Lovin Malta gave a firsthand look into how a homeless man lives in the Qui-Si-Sana area of the locality.

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