Residents can rejoice and give a sigh of relief that, after so many years, the tomb area at Tal Wej that is currently lying in ruins is to be scheduled by Mepa. For so many years, building permits have slowly encroached on this large tract of land located on the outskirts of Mosta.
Hurrah for the environmentalists who have lobbied – unsung and unaided – for years to protect this sacred burial ground from the ravages of demolition and building work. According to a recent announcement by Mepa, the area has been declared as rich in garigue community and is being listed as an area of ecological importance. This sacred burial ground, which contains a network of rock pools and ancient tombs, is considered by experts to date back to the Bronze Age.
When we have such a rich heritage in Mosta, it makes you wonder why permits have been issued for the building of villas bordering the site. According to Mepa, the now derelict site, which has practically become a dumping ground for discarded building material, features dolmens, cart-ruts, ancient quarries, shaft and chamber tombs, vine trenches, a 16th-century chapel and two corbelled huts.
At last, residents of Tal Wej can expect the authorities to protect the area and its rocky surrounds so that it can be enjoyed by present and future generations. Can we expect that funds from the EU will be allocated to clean the tombs and rebuild the rubble walls to cordon off this heritage that our forefathers left us to enjoy and cherish. Perhaps the ghosts of our Bronze Age ancestors buried in the Tal Wej cemetery will rise from their chamber tombs to solicit our attention to respect their abode on the outskirts of Mosta. The job of cleaning the site and preserving our heritage is another problem for a beleaguered and cash-strapped Mosta council. The road surfaces in the built-up part of Tal Wej are also in a pitiful state and one wonders how such a sorry state of pot-holed roads persists in residential areas, when the government claims that millions are being allocated to re-surface badly finished roads in deserving areas.
Last winter took its toll of Mosta’s roads, resulting in minor cracks widening to create multiple potholes. Regrettably, scant attention was given to repairing them (let alone entirely rebuilding them) and Mosta council appears to be in no hurry to resolve the problem. Surely, with a local election next March, Mosta councillors cannot ignore the seemingly war-torn roads. So far, the current practice of light patching of deep holes is a laughable and expensive solution, but then the council has its own priorities .It complains of a repair backlog that it cannot afford to clear. Instead of continually patching up third- world standard road surfaces with a bucket of tar, central government should dig deeper and ask Transport Malta to fund such repairs.
With over €60 million collected by Transport Malta in road and vehicle taxes, more accountability is requested by motorists and the public in general. In this article, I would like to make some suggestions in order to demonstrate that, with more courage and vision, some of the problems can be overcome. It is true that driving on congested roads has been exacerbated by Arriva’s over-sized buses and the traffic situation has become so unacceptable that the only way forward is to have a bold strategy to promote cleaner and safer roads. Central government is proud of starting a huge programme to resurface 800 arterial roads which, when fully executed, it hopes will return broken surfaces to their pristine condition fit for an island that was allocated over €850 millions in cohesion funds. Some arterial roads have had an excellent make-over, and are a pleasure to drive on, but others are full of dust in summer and collect nasty puddles in winter.
Can we blame such neglect on skewed priorities in budgetary allocations? With tongue in cheek, some cynics mention the €100 million Valletta make-over bearing Signor Piano‘s grand signature. Apparently this takes precedence over road infrastructure repairs, as it comes packaged with the pomp and glory of a mediaeval fortified city crowned with its own ubiquitous roofless theatre. Ostensibly, road patching in Mosta is now being rationed and only holes of a certain depth are chosen to receive attention, but after the first rains the tar washes away. It is no exaggeration to say that while most drivers do not protest (or write to their MPs) few realise how the laid back attitude is driving them into a state of resentful acquiescence.
Potholes frustrate road users more than anything and it is clear that a Mosta Labour-led council has no serious short-term plan to get Tal Wej’s roads back into shape. Does it have to be a pipe dream to be able to wake in the morning and take an early drive over decent roads that are up to European standards? This is not a luxury, because effective road design assures us of fewer fatalities on the roads. Can this be due to bad management of state finances or lacunas of over runs in capital projects that have drained our scare cash resources? It has been the policy of making do with what we have that has seen many shoddy repairs instead of opting for a permanent solution.
Even the European Commission has recognised the urgent need to upgrade our road infrastructure, thus reducing motoring accident fatalities. We will never know why – of the entire European Union – it is only Malta that complains of flooded roads and delightful bone-shaking experiences when taking a drive on our village roads. Yes, party supporters remind us of other goodies and tell us to thank heavens for small mercies, such as the massive roundabouts and central strips which blossom with colourful flowers and shrubs.
Purists dream of building an uninterrupted ring road so that motorists can enjoy a relaxing drive at the weekend, away from the madding crowd. There would be no regrets if we copied the Amalfi coast road. Ironically, the private sector has designed a track in the new Ħal Ferh project. This leisure resort facing the sea plans to offer pedestrians a leisurely walk around an elongated circuit. Certainly one hopes that Mepa will suggest to the developers that they cater for cyclists and joggers by providing two parallel tracks on either side of the road.
Back to the national ring road – which cannot be built due to a number of encumbrances along the coast (some illegal) but if a compromise route is given the green light it will reveal the equally magnificent and striking hinterland, with its contoured landscape. Surely taxpayers can look forward to enjoying a weekend drive with the family thus providing easy access to congested beaches in the north such as Armier and Għadira. Our densely populated island also desperately craves some elbow room, so why not start by extending the shoreline on reclaimed land as was done at Sliema ferries and Msida. Many studies presently gathering dust on Mepa’s shelves have been commissioned to examine the feasibility of reclaiming acres of shoreline using building waste such as the mass of debris in Magħtab. The coast road would, in effect, function as a huge peripheral bypass catering for locals and tourists who could enjoy bus rides.
This can function better if old buses are upgraded (those whose licences were bought last year for over €55 million) with a few of these vintage buses refitted with new Europe V standard engines, enhanced suspension and made fully air-conditioned. Some could be structurally altered to function as open top buses to give a joyful ride and party spirit to fee-paying passengers. Naturally, the question arises of who would finance such a ring road. The answer could be EU funds, plus a toll for using the road, apart from a charge for advertising bill boards and marketing concessions. These would be regulated in size so as not to obstruct the view.
To conclude, having a smarter transport infrastructure allows for less distraction for the mobility of goods, services and people. The Tal Wej area in particular is crying out for a proper plan that will rid it of its pot-holed road heritage.
Finally, while it is appreciated that Mepa has recognised the importance of our Bronze Age ancestors who flourished in the Tal Wej area, can we show more appreciation for the inhabitants living in this century?
The writer is a partner in PKF, an audit and business advisory firm
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