The Monti Hawkers Committee is fuming at the announcement that the number of licences would be reduced as a result of stalls not being placed between Parliament and the Theatre.
Government has decided that no Monti hawkers will be allowed near the new Parliament building in Valletta, ending months of speculation that the placing of the stalls near Renzo Piano’s masterpiece will be an insult to the institution.
The hawkers will be located in the southern side of Ordnance Street, and this will mean that not all licensees will have a place. The government will be offering them compensation to surrender their licence.
Up to 15 hawkers of the 72 who currently hold a licence to operate in the Valletta monti will be asked to give up their licence, Economy Minister Chris Cardona told the press.
Monti hawkers committee member Julian Buhagiar told the Malta Independent that the Labour Party had made a commitment, stating that if it was elected, it would place the hawkers in Ordinance street from one side to the other.
Asked what he thinks about the stalls no longer being placed between Parliament and the theatre, he said “we don’t fit, it has to be both sides”.
Mr Buhagiar also stressed that “this would result in less choice for shoppers”.
Mr Buhagiar explained that the previous administration had already done something similar and reduced the number of hawkers, “and this government, when in Opposition, did not agree with it”.
Asked if they would consider moving to another street altogether and whether they have any suggestions on this, he said - “We have an agreement with government for stalls to be placed from one end of Ordinance street to the other”.
Back in 2007, when hawkers were moved to Merchant Street, they were offered Lm 10,000 to give up their license. Mr Buhagiar stressed that the hawkers were not consulted and he has no idea of the price government will offer to the hawkers.
Valletta mayor welcomes decision
Valletta Mayor Alexiei Dingli welcomed the announcement that hawkers will not be placed between Parliament and the Theatre, stating that “common sense prevailed”.
He expressed the positive nature of this information and said that the placing of stalls in that area would have posed serious questions relating to security and aesthetics.
One issue that he wishes government to discuss with the council surrounds the parking of Monti hawkers and how this would affect residents. The council is still awaiting to see the aesthetics of the stalls themselves.
On this point, hawker Julian Buhagiar said that he had seen the designs as they would have been on both sides of the street.
He said that a vote had been taken on the design of the monti stalls, where seven organisations, including the Monti Hawker Committee, government, V18 Foundation and the Chamber of Architects agreed on the design and voted in favor. Only one of the seven did not turn up for this vote, he said, adding that this was Mayor Alexiei Dingli.
“He shouldn’t even talk since he didn’t vote”.