Se jsiru Regolamenti godda ghat-tnehhija ta' vetturi ta' ingombru

Il-Gvern ghandu l-hsieb li jintroduci regolamenti godda li jaghtu poter lill-Pulizija li jikklampjaw vetturi meta dawn ikunu ta' ngombru, ta' sikkatura jew ta' inkonvenjenza f'post pubbliku.

Ghalhekk, regolamenti godda gew imhejjija biex jemmendaw ir-Regolamenti tat-Traffiku u biex jipprovdu mekkanizmu gdid dwar l-ikklampjar ta' oggetti ta' ngombru f'post pubbliku:-

(a) Tnehhija ta' oggetti ta' ngombru

Il-Kummissarju tal-Pulizija, jew xi persuna hekk awtorizzata minnu, tista' tikklampja, tnehhi, tahzen jew tiddisponi minn kwalunkwe oggett li jkun ipparkjat, irmiggat jew qieghed f'xi post pubbliku li ma huwiex permess skond il-ligi li jintuza ghal dak l-iskop.

(b) Ikklampjar ta' Vetturi

Il-Pulizija, jew xi persuna hekk awtorizzata minnha jistghu iqieghdu klampi tar-rota ma' xi vettura li tkun qed tikkawza tfixkil, sikkatura jew inkonvenjenza f'xi triq, moll, xatt, jew xi post pubbliku iehor.

(c) Tnehhija ta' Klampi

Il-klampi tar-rota ma jitnehhewx mill-Pulizija u l-vettura ma tigix ritornata lil sidha qabel ma jkun thallas id-dritt impost mill-Kummissarju tal-Pulizija

(d) Ezenzjoni mid-danni

Il-Kummissarju tal-Pulizija, jew xi persuna hekk awtorizzata minnu, jigu ezentati minn kull responsabilita ghal danni li jinholqu in konnessjoni mat-tqieghed tal-klampi u/jew it-tnehhija taghhom, u l-hazna u disponiment ta' oggetti li jkunu qed jingumbraw skond dawn ir-regolamenti.

(e) Hlasijiet imposti mill-Kummissarju

Ghandhom jsiru lill-Kummisssarju tal-Pulizija dawn il-hlasijiet:-

- ghat-tnehhija tal-klampi - Lm30.00

- ghal tnehhija ta' oggetti ta' ngombru - Lm45.00

- ghall-hazna ta' oggetti ta' ngombru, kull gimgha jew parti minnha - Lm20.00

- ghall-bejgh bl-irkant jew kull ghamla ohra ta' disponiment ta'l-oggetti ta' ngombru Lm20.00

Izda meta jkun il-kaz li jkunu saru spejjez addizzjonali 'l fuq minn kull hlas partikolari, il-Kummissarju ghandu wkoll id-dritt li jigbor dawk l-ispejjez wara li jnaqqashom mid-dhul ta' xi bejgh jew disponiment tal-oggett u li jesigi il-hlas taghhom qabel ma jcedi xi oggett jew lis-sid legali tieghu jew lil min jixtri l-oggett f'kaz ta' bejgh b'irkant.

(f) Penali

(1) F'kaz ta' xi persuna mhux awtorizzata li tittanta li tnehhi jew tnehhi klampi tar-roti li jkunu mwahhla ma' xi vettura jew tittanta li tnehhi jew tnehhi tali vettura din tkun suggetta ghall-hlas ta' multa ta' mhux inqas minn Lm100 izda mhux iktar minn Lm200.

(2) Fil-kaz li xi persuna li tkun ostakolat jew b'xi mod ikkawzat sikkatura jew inkonvenjent permezz ta' oggett li jkun qed jingombra xi triq, moll, xatt jew post iehor pubbliku, il-Qorti tista' wara talba tal-prosekuzzjoni, barra li taghti l-kastig applikabbli ghal offiza tali, taghti wkoll penali addizzjonali li jkun ekwivalenti ghall-hlasijiet dovuti lill-Kummissarju tal-Pulizija taht dawn ir-regolamenti.

Il-Pulizija ser ikunu wkoll awtorizzati li jbieghu jew jeqirdu oggetti li jkunu qed jingumbraw billi ser jigu mdahhla dawn ir-regolamenti godda:

(a) Il-Kummissarju tal-Pulizija jista' jordna il-bejgh ta' oggett li jkun ingombra jekk dan jibqa' ma jigix mehud lura mis-sid tieghu legali fi zmien xahar mill-publikazzjoni ta' Avviz ta' Dizposiment fil-Gazzetta tal-Gvern u fi tliet gazzetti ohra lokali, fejn is-sid jigi avzat biex jiehu lura l-oggett wara li jkun ipproduca prova sodisfacenti li hu jkun intitolat ghall-oggett jew garanzija li l-Kummissarju jhoss li tkun sodisfacenti, u li jezenta lill-Kummissarju minn xi responsabilita ta' danni fir-ritorn tal-oggett lis-sid

tieghu legali. Izda fil-kaz li l-oggett li jkun qed jingombra jkun jikkonsisti f'vettura abbandunata u mhux tajba ghall-uzu fit-triq, il-Kummissarju jista' jordna id-distruzzjoni taghha fi zmien xahar mill-pubblikazzjoni tal-imsemmi Avviz ta' Disponiment.

(b) Il-Kummissarju tal-Pulizija ghandu juza id-dhul mill-bejgh tal-oggett l-ewwel biex jikkompensa ghal xi hlasijiet li baqaghlu jiehu fir-rigward ta' tnehhija u l-hazna

ta' l-oggett, u wara biex jirrifondi il-bilanc favur dawk il-persuni li jkollhom xi intitolament ta' flus fir-rigward tal-oggett li kien qed jingombra.

(c) Kwalunkwe bejgh li jsir taht dawn ir-regolamenti ghandu jsir jew permezz ta' irkant pubbliku jew permezz ta' sejha ghal offerti.

(d) Il-Kummissarju tal-Pulizija, fid-diskrezzjoni tieghu, jista' fil-kaz ta' oggett li kien qed jingombra u li ma jkunx jew gie ritornat lil sidu, jew mibjugh b'irkant pubbliku, jew mibjugh permezz ta' sejha ghal offerti, jordna d-disponiment tal-oggett wara li jkun ta mill-inqas avviz ta' xahar lill-Ministru tal-Finanzi.

Qed jigi propost li fl-implimentazzjoni ta' dawn ir-regolamenti il-Pulizija tibda tapplika dawn il-proceduri:-

(a) L-ikklampjar u t-tnehhija ta' klampi tar-roti tigi fdata f'idejn kuntratturi privati li jahdmu skond struzzjonijiet stretti tal-Pulizija;

(b) Malta u Ghawdex jigu maqsuma f'diversi setturi (bejn erba' u hamsa) u kull kuntrattur jigi allokat li jopera fis-settur specifiku tieghu. Din il-mizura titfa' r-responsabilita fuq il-kuntrattur, taghti servizz ahjar u jigi evidat il-monopolju;

(c) Il-kuntrattur jipprovdi facilitajiet ghall-hazna tal-vetturi jekk din il-htiega tinqala';

(d) Il-kuntrattur jkun obligat li jnehhi l-klampi minn mal-vetturi immedjatament li l-Pulizija hekk tidderigih u hekk kif jigu mhallsa il-multi jew hlasijiet neccesarji skond ir-regolamenti;

(e) Il-kuntratturi ghandhom jipprovdu stickers li jitwahhlu fuq il-windscreen fejn tinghata' l-informazzjoni kollha necessarja li twassal ghat-tnehhija tal-klampi;

(f) Il-hlasijiet ta' multi ghandhom jigu iccentralizzati fid-Depot tal-Pulizija, il-Furjana. Il-Kuntratturi kollha ghandhom jizguraw li jkun hemm kooperazzjoni tajba mal-Pulizija fil-hinijiet kollha biex jigu facilitati il-processi kollha konnessi mat-tqeghid u tnehhija ta' klampi.

Il-Gvern jixtieq issa jinvita lill-pubbliku biex jaghti l-veduti u l-opinjoni tieghu fuq is-suggett u l-proposti maghmula ghall-implimentazzjoni tar-regolamenti godda dwar l-ikklampjar ta' oggetti ta' ngombru billi jibghat il-kummenti tieghu lid-Divizjoni ta'l-Intern, Ufficcju tal-Prim Ministru, 12, Triq San Pawl, il-Belt, sa mhux aktar tard minn nhar it-Tnejn, 28 ta' April, 1997. Kummenti bil-Fax fuq numri 241977 jew 251196 jigu accettati wkoll.

CLAMPING AND REMOVAL OF ENCUMBERING OBJECTS

The Government intends to introduce new regulations which would empower the police to "clamp" motor vehicles when they are an obstruction, nuisance or inconvenience in a public place.

Regulations are, therefore, being drafted which will amend the Traffic Regulations and which will provide the following new mechanism:

a. Removal of encumbering objects

The Commissioner of Police, or any person duly authorised by him, may clamp, remove, store and dispose of any encumbering object which is parked, berthed or placed in a space which is not lawfully permitted to be used for such purpose.

b. Clamping of motor vehicles

It shall be lawful for the Police, or any person duly authorised by them, to put wheel clamps to any motor vehicle causing an obstruction, a nuisance or an inconvenience in any street, road, quay, wharf or other public place.

c. Removal of Clamps

The wheel clamps shall not be removed by the Police nor the vehicle returned to its owner before a fee levied by the Commissioner of Police has been paid.

d. Exemption of liability

The Commissioner of Police, or any person duly authorised by him, shall be held exempt from any liability for damages arising in connection with the application of clamps and/or the removal thereof, and the storage and disposal of encumbering objects in accordance with these regulations.

e. Fees to be levied by the Commissioner of Police

There shall be payable to the Commissioner of Police the following fees:

- for the removal of clamps - Lm30.00

- for the removal of the encumbering object - Lm45.00

- for the storage of the encumbering object, per week or part thereof - Lm20.00

- for the auction or other disposal of the encumbering object - Lm20.00

Provided that when additional expenses in excess of each particular fee have been incurred, the Commissioner of Police shall also have the right to collect such expenses and subsequently to detract them from the proceeds of any sale or disposal of the object and to exact payment thereof before surrendering any object either to its lawful owner or to the purchaser in the event of a sale by auction.

f. Penalties

(1) Any unauthorised person who attempts to remove or removes wheel clamps put to a motor vehicle or attempts to remove or removes such a motor vehicle shall be liable to a fine (multa) of not less than Lm100 but not exceeding Lm200.

(2) In the case of any person who obstructs or otherwise causes any nuisance or inconvenience by means of an encumbering object in any street, road, quay, wharf or other public place, the Court may at the request of the prosecution, in addition to the punishment applicable to any such offence, inflict an additional penalty equivalent to the fees due to the Commissioner of Police under these regulations.

The Police shall also be empowered to sell or destruct encumberring objects by introducing the following new regulations:

(a) The Commissioner of Police may order the sale of an encumbering object if it would still not have been retrieved by its lawful owner within one month from the publication of a Notice of Disposal by the Commissioner in the Gazette and three other local newspapers, calling on such owner to retrieve such object after producing sufficient proof of his entitlement thereto or such guarantee which the Commissioner may deem sufficient, indemnifying him against any claim in connection with the return of such object to its lawful owner. Provided that in the case of encumbering objects consisting of derelict motor vehicles and unfit to be used on the road, the Commissioner of Police may order their destruction within one month from the publication of the said Notice of Disposal.

(b) The Commissioner of Police shall utilise the proceeds from the sale first to compensate any outstanding removal or storage fees due to him, and subsequently to refund any remaining balance in favour of the persons who would have been entitled to retrieve the encumbering objects.

(c) Any sale made in terms of this regulation shall be made either by public auction or after a call for tenders.

(d) The Commissioner of Police may, in his discretion, dispose of those encumbering objects which have not been returned or sold by public auction or after a call for tenders, after having given at least one month's notice to the Minister of Finance.

The following procedures are being proposed in implementing these new provisions of law:

(a) the clamping and removal of clamps to be entrusted to private bodies/contractors who shall act strictly as directed by the Police;

(b) Malta and Gozo to be divided in a number of sectors (four or five) and each contractor to be allowed to operate in a specific sector. This measure would provide accountability, better services and avoid monopolies;

(c) contractors to provide proper storage facilities for motor vehicles should this necessity arise;

(d) contractors to remove clamps from motor vehicles immediately as the police so direct and upon the payment of fines/fees;

(e) contractors to provide stickers to be affixed to the windscreen illustrating information leading to the removal of clamps;

(f) payment of fees/fines to be centralised at Police Headquarters. All contractors to ensure that proper liaison with the Police is maintained at all times in order to facilitate both the process of applying clamps and their removal.

Before implementing these new regulations the public is being invited to submit its comments to the Office of the Prime Minister, Home Affairs Division, 12 St Paul's Str, Valletta by not later than Monday, 28th April, 1997. Comments by Fax on number 241977 or 251196 will be also accepted.