When satire hits a nerve.
The morning Lovin Malta published its comedy skit telling residents to leave Swieqi, my phone would not stop ringing.
Message after message came in from residents who were angry, worried and genuinely hurt.
At first, I was confused. It was clearly satire. But as I kept reading the messages, I realised people weren’t reacting to the joke itself.
They were reacting to what it represented.
More than just a joke.
Besides being Deputy Mayor, I’m also a Swieqi resident.
Almost every week, another letter lands in my family’s letterbox offering to buy our apartment. Usually it’s from the same type of large short-let operators.
Are they doing anything illegal? No.
But it highlights an uncomfortable reality. Swieqi has become one of Malta’s most attractive localities for investment, and many residents feel they’re slowly being priced out of the place they’ve always called home.
Maybe that’s why the skit struck such a nerve.
Swieqi is worth fighting for
Despite the challenges, Swieqi remains a fantastic place to live.
You’re minutes away from St Julian’s and Sliema without living in the middle of the chaos. Pembroke’s coastline and the now tree-protected Madliena Woodlands are right on our doorstep. Families have parks, sports facilities and plenty of open spaces to enjoy.
A weird fun fact about Swieqi, which some people love and others definitely don’t, is that we’re one of the very few localities in Malta without a village festa and fireworks. Whether you see that as a blessing or a curse, it reflects what Swieqi was always intended to be: a peaceful residential locality.
That’s worth protecting.
Don’t leave. Fight for it.
I don’t believe Lovin Malta intended to insult residents. If anything, the skit shone a light on a reality many people have been speaking about for years.
But for residents already worried about noise, vandalism and the changing character of their locality, the joke felt a little too real.
My message to residents is simple.
Don’t feel like you have to leave your home.
Swieqi isn’t for sale.
As Deputy Mayor, I’ll continue pushing for stronger enforcement, better planning and policies that put residents first. Tourism and investment have their place, but they should never come at the expense of the people who built our communities.
Because a locality’s greatest asset isn’t its property value.
It’s the people who proudly call it home.
Jordan Galea Pace is the Deputy Mayor of Swieqi.
Lovin Malta is open to interesting, compelling guest posts from third parties. These opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of the company. Submit your piece at [email protected]
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Lovin Malta’s Content Manager, Charlene is a massive Swiftie obsessed with animals, scrolling and travelling. If she’s in the country for more than a day, you can find her reading on @onlyforthebooks
