Marsa Mayor Luke Farrugia has called for legal reform after sharing a photo of a man lying on the ground near a local school, warning that children are being exposed to troubling scenes on a regular basis.In a Facebook post published this earlier today, Farrugia said schoolchildren leaving class in Marsa are often confronted with situations similar to the one pictured.“I believe it can be traumatic for children,” he wrote.“Even for me, let alone for them.”The mayor questioned whether fines are an effective solution for people facing severe social problems, arguing that current measures fail to address the root causes behind the issue.“But do you think a fine is enough?” he asked.“When a person doesn’t even have a roof over their head?”Speaking to Lovin Malta, Farrugia said the man in the photo had allegedly passed out after taking synthetic substances.He said the incident highlights broader challenges facing the locality and stressed the need for authorities to move beyond punitive measures and invest in long-term solutions.Farrugia argued that simply issuing citations does little to help people struggling with addiction, homelessness or other vulnerabilities, while residents and children continue to witness the consequences in public spaces.His comments have reignited discussion around substance abuse, social support systems and public safety in Marsa, a locality that has long been at the centre of conversations about urban regeneration and community wellbeing.“The time has come for new legal reforms,” Farrugia said.“The time has come for Marsa to flourish.”•