It was public spirited of your paper Mr Editor to highlight a recent maritime development permit ‘Mepa approves Haywharf extension’ (TMID 19 March, page 2) which for lack of space might have omitted mentioning what other authorities, apart from the Floriana local council, had to say on this development. The more so as the run-off water from the quay extension will lead directly into the sea, according to your report. I also wonder whether any consideration has been given that work carried out on this quay be it directly related to the patrol boats, the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) motor vehicles or even the washing of cars will result in untreated affluent discharged directly beneath the quay away from prying environmentalist eyes!

“Mepa seems strong on enforcement action against small powerless property owners” (TMID, 19 March, page 7) but goes along with environment damaging developments proposed by short-sighted public officials keen only on their “parameter empire aggrandisement”. For to my mind concentrating all the AFM’s maritime squadron in one place discounts the great risk of it being cut off from intervening if something was to take place which would choke off the Marsamxett harbour mouth, or if rapid intervention was required at the periphery of the Maltese islands such as in Gozo.

When private transport was very limited, as was leisure time in times past, people from Floriana and also those who came there from elsewhere, courtesy of the bus terminus, used to enjoy swimming near Haywharf in Marsamxett harbour. This and Sa Maison were the only practical bathing places in the locality of Floriana since it was always not very advisable to swim at Crucifix Wharf at the Grand Harbour side. When private transport becomes more prolific bathing could be practised elsewhere with greater ease. However, some citizens still preferred the uncrowded Haywharf both for taking a swim as well as for their small boats, or for rod fishing to take away domestic, neighbourhood or work-related stress. It seems that the recently approved extension of Phases B and C of the AFM applications will see the public accessible foreshore further reduced if not eliminated altogether at Haywharf which boasted two slips which had been accessible to the public at large since before I was born!

I would have thought the least Mepa could have done was impose on the AFM the requirement that given that their quay extension will further edge out the public, they could at least rehabilitate the disused foreshore on the other side of the Grand Hotel Excelsior for the enjoyment of all the same lines as AFM personnel have been helping out in such localities as Pembroke, saving countless thousands to that particular local council.

J. Bonett Balzan

Balluta