In the light of

the recent controversies catalysed by the controversial decisions to allow the extension of both the Freeport and the Delimara power station, Nationalist Fifth District MP Franco Debono revisits an article about the area he first wrote in late 2008

There was once a bay known as Pretty Bay.

Just over a year ago, Parliament approved the relocation of Malta’s gas storage and bottling facility from its previous site in Qajjenza to a new location in the Benghajsa area, through a Bill amending the Malta Freeport Act. The approval of the Bill coincided with the privatisation of Enemalta’s gas division.

The relocation of the storage and bottling facility was in itself a boon for the Qajjenza area, which had grown tremendously over the years, so much so that urban development had begun to reach the confines of the industrial plant. Moving the gas bottling facility elsewhere was therefore not a measure of convenience, but a necessity, due to matters of health and safety.

Qajjenza can now look forward to being given a new lease of life. The relocation of the gas bottling plant can now give way to a much needed upgrade and regeneration of the residential zone’s amenities and public facilities. This includes the need for an appropriate area to store and maintain boats through the building of a yacht marina in St George’s Bay, as well as the commencement and completion of the Qajjenza promenade which will link Marsaxlokk to Birzebbuga.

Turning our attention to Benghajsa, the construction of a new gas bottling plant will undoubtedly have to follow the strict European environmental and safety standards required, both for the safety of the individuals working at the plant and those making use of the nearby land. It is pertinent to note that the nearby area of Tal-Mara has been mentioned as a potential candidate for a camping site in some quarters.

Indeed, Tal-Mara is one of the pristine sites in the area known as Marsaxlokk Bay in the zone’s Local Plan, and is one of the few remaining sites that have not been gobbled up by the intense levels of industrialisation that Marsaxlokk and Birzebbuga have witnessed over the years. Marsaxlokk Bay, as it is referred to in the Local Plan, is that stretch of land and sea between Delimara, through Marsaxlokk and Birzebbuga reaching to Hal-Far.

While acknowledging the economic and social relevance of the Malta Freeport, Delimara Power Station and the new Benghajsa gas bottling and storage facility, one cannot deny the fact that the region suffers from an environmental deficit that can only be addressed through measures and projects that revive the environmental balance of the region.

In an era of technological innovation, with sustainable development at the centre of all decisions, carelessness is no longer an excuse when it comes to the output of emissions.

Areas like Wied Zembaq, Wied il-Qoton and Hal Far have long served as lungs for this region in the southernmost south, giving much needed fresh air to the area. The national park in Delimara, together with the promised rehabilitation centre for wild animals at Xrobb l-Ghagin, will provide additional solace to the surrounding area. Perhaps it would be apt to consider more rigorous afforestation projects in these areas, as well as the rehabilitation of the three forts in Delimara and the archaeological remains at Tas-Silg.

Another issue that should be taken into consideration is the relocation of the Enemalta fuel depot to an alternative site. The depot is currently situated opposite the monument that commemorates the Bush-Gorbachev Summit in Malta which, having such historical significance, deserves more dignity. If the fuel depot is indeed relocated, the new space can serve as a permanent exhibition of the summit to complement the monument and general significance of the area.

Sports and recreational facilities and spaces are also much-needed in the Marsaxlokk and Birzebbuga areas. Indeed, Parliamentary Secretary Clyde Puli’s work in the fields of football, water polo and a regatta in the region is laudable and should produce concrete results very soon. A new football pitch has recently been completed in Marsaxlokk.

Over the years, every administration has done its utmost to improve the quality of life in the Birzebbuga and Marsaxlokk areas. The hard standing facility for fishermen in Marsaxlokk and the road leading from the Freeport to the Peace Laboratory (which effectively rid Birzebbuga of the dust and belching fumes of large trucks) are two examples of this.

We must now continue to build on all that has been done so far. We will soon see the beginning of the second phase of the reconstruction of the picturesque coastline of Marsaxlokk (the damage caused by heavy winds and sea weathering in recent weeks should help increase the urgency of this upgrade). I had the honour of accompanying Minister George Pullicino when the first phase of the work on the Marsaxlokk promenade was unveiled.

The revival of the southernmost tip of Malta will undoubtedly serve to improve the economic and touristic potential of the region, as well as to protect the standard of living that residents have come to expect.

Notwithstanding the heavy industrialisation, we can still make compensation for the environmental deficit, with appropriate measures and projects.

We can still have a pretty bay.

This article first appeared in

il-Mument in October 2008