Environment and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino yesterday said that Labour MP Joseph Abela had fallen prey to a misinformation campaign after listening to his address in parliament over the proposed Qui-si-Sana underground parking area.

Speaking in parliament, Mr Pullicino said that there was a small number of people who embarked on a misinformation campaign. He said that this campaign resulted in the collection of some 680 signatures opposing the project, of which only 300 were Sliema residents.

Mr Pullicino pointed out that there were some 11,500 voters registered in Sliema. He said that the Malta Labour Party jumped on the bandwagon in the hope of securing more votes in the upcoming local council elections. “What is worse is that the MLP has simply opposed the project without putting forward alternative proposals. It’s the usual situation where the opposition opposes to projects without giving an alternative view,” said Mr Pullicino.

He also said that a few years back, the MLP had launched its local council election campaign by pressing for the government and the private sector to build an underground car park in Sliema.

“So I must ask… What has changed since then? Why is the MLP opposing this particular underground car park? I must also ask what the MLP is proposing as an alternative,” said Mr Pullicino.

He asked whether the MLP agreed with the concept of off-street parking. “And if they do, where do they propose to do it? How would the MLP address this huge problem that blights Sliema residents? This is typical Labour; opposing a project in the hope of winning a few votes,” said Mr Pullicino.

Mr Pullicino described the process that led up to the proposal for the underground parking area. “The Malta Environment and Planning Authority prepared a development brief and after public consultation, this was approved by the government. The government then issued a tender for the project and stipulated that the developer must stick to the conditions agreed on in the development brief,” said Mr Pullicino.

Mr Pullicino enquired whether Mr Abela had bothered to read the development brief before speaking in parliament. If he had, he would have realised that whoever was giving him information was not telling him things as they were, said Mr Pullicino.

He said that it was not true that some houses would lose their views and that some public spaces would be taken over. “The developer is bound to build a public garden on top and is also bound to landscape the whole project. The area where cars are parked on the surface now will form part of the garden, so in effect it will gain some 40 per cent area space (an additional 2,350 square metres),” said Mr Pullicino.

He said that the developer was proposing to set up a day care centre, a restaurant, a newsagent, a bowling alley and gym, a tourism exhibition area and a technology workshop.

Mr Pullicino stressed that parking for residents will be free of charge and whoever was saying that this was not so was completely incorrect. Mr Pullicino said that in a recent presentation by the Malta Transport Authority, it was highlighted that supply does not meet demand for parking in Sliema during peak hours. He also pointed out that various developers in Sliema did not provide parking in accordance with policy and instead chose to pay a Lm900 fine. This cash goes into the Commuted Payment Scheme in order to provide alternative parking to make up for the shrinkage of parking spaces caused by development.

Mr Pullicino said that up to now, Lm425,000 had been collected from Tignè in this manner. “That figure means that a total of 472 parking spaces should have been provided by developers. This is further confirmation that more parking spaces are needed. And here is where I have to ask again: What is the Malta Labour Party proposing as an alternative?” enquired Mr Pullicino.

He said that any misinformation campaign attempts would not stop the government from pressing ahead with the project in order to safeguard the interests of Sliema visitors and residents alike.