Monti hawkers in Valletta are ready to bow their heads to what the authorities decide, as long as the relocation issue gets resolved as soon as possible.

Speaking to The Malta Independent, lawyer Claire Bonello, who is representing monti hawkers in Valletta, explained that all they want is closure.

"The situation is still in limbo. Monti hawkers are willing to abide by all government regulations and upgrade their stalls to be aesthetically pleasing but it is only reasonable for this investment to take place when they are assured of a long-term venue."

She also voiced the hawkers concern over the works which will be carried out on the new Arkadia market. To date, monti stall owners are completely in the dark as to where they will be allowed to set up shop when works on the Arkadia site start.

Bonello claims that monti hawkers are facing unfair competition from shop owners, as a large number of shops in Merchant Street and Republic Street display and sell the same merchandise as the monti.

"This is anti-competitive and unfair. Monti hawkers are not asking for anything other than a balanced playing field. These are small individual traders earning a living, whose earnings are retained in the local economy and are not funnelled abroad," she argued.

Before the 2013 general election, the Labour Party had promised to relocate the flea market from its original place, in Merchant Street, to Ordinance Street.

The electoral promise hit a stone wall after harsh public criticism regarding the new site proposed. Part of the relocation would sit between the new Parliament building and the Royal Opera House. Many felt that monti stalls were not aesthetically adapted for a site which had just been renovated.

"Some people like to put monti hawkers in bad light, but let us not forget that there are 75 families that depend on it," Claire Bonello added.

Review panel presented an alternative stalls design in February last year

The actual monti stalls design was subject to a fierce public debate and controversy, many believing that the design clashed with the elegance of the Parliament building and the city's entrance. Like the relocation issue, the monti stalls design discussions are still in flux.

After the design was lambasted by the public and various commercial entities, a Design Review Panel was set up with the hope of reaching a final decision.

The review panel received some 23 designs. Eventually, the Design Review Panel, chaired by Architect Christopher Mintoff, presented a final design to the ministry. A representative of the Valletta Monti Hawkers was present in the review panel.

Back in July of 2015, this newsroom had reported that the design for the new Monti stalls has been chosen and will soon be unveiled. However, as monti hawkers told this newspaper, no one has any idea of what this new design looks like. As some hawkers said, "we usually learn of things from the media. No one tells us anything."

As Dr Bonello explained, the monti hawkers were never consulted on the final design of the stalls.

Referring to the original design proposed, Claire Bonello said that the design was in the hands of a ministerial architect who designed the stalls and presented the idea to the Minister, but the monti owners did not have any say.

The Merchant Street Business Community had requested the court to prevent the monti from moving further up. Testifying in court, the Merchant Street Business Community President, Anthony Camilleri said that some franchises said they would leave Malta if monti moves further up.

However, shop owners who spoke to the Malta Independent admitted that their businesses are not affected by the monti. On the contrary, one shop owner said that the flea market helps attract buyers.