Three NGOs have decried the hijacking of public spaces, including parts of the coastline, saying that these land grabs amount to social injustice.
“Residents are suffering from abusive authorities all over Malta. Marsascala lost part of its public garden for the building of Local Council offices there, while Gzira is facing the loss of much of its public garden to accommodate a petrol station and a Capitanerie with offices and restaurants serving the Transport Malta marina there,” eNGOs Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Moviment Graffitti and Ramblers’ Association said.
“The rape of St Paul’s Bay continues unrelentingly. The sea view at Sirens is blocked by concrete structures that now fill the beach, while public land by the Gillieru has been encroached by gas cylinders, illegal buildings and mushrooming restaurants. Much of the swimming zone beneath Buġibba Square has been taken over by jet skis, while the nearby lido illegally occupies the sandy pocket beach with deckchairs. Along the coast, a beach bar has built an illegal jetty on a prime bathing spot, with no enforcement action being taken to remove it immediately – another case of build first, sanction later. Kiosks blocking the promenade with illegal tables and chairs emit fumes and blaring music, with no action taken against them. Half of the ‘perched beach’ has been given to a hotel and the Dolmen has outrageously turned the public garden into its private car park, with no explanation forthcoming from Lands Authority.”
“Known for summer ‘villegjatura’ bathing, St Paul’s Bay has become a commercial port, its sea and air polluted by fuel fumes, and iconic Saint Paul’s Islands ruined by fish farm cages. Now Xemxija is threatened by another mega-marina taking over a popular swimming zone.”
“While Marsascala Local Council has recently spoken in favour of its residents, St Paul’s Bay Local Council has supported glaringly illegal commercial encroachments, by its silence. The Gzira Local Council is against the petrol station but in favour of the Capitanerie.”
“Taking over public spaces has reached epidemic proportions from Gzira to St Julian’s, where pavements are impassable to wheelchair users, while parking bays are seized for restaurant extensions. The cafés at Għar id-Dud and the Strand kiosk have extended their footprints illegally with no action being taken, while beach concessions keep residents awake all night with blasting music. A large part of the Gzira promenade has been privatised by a lido while another chunk will be grabbed by Midi to create a new bridge to Manoel Island.”
The eNGOs said residents are “disgusted by this situation of anarchy where every commercial establishment can grab a piece of coast with the authorities’ blessing. Malta’s bays offer a free and healthy environment that makes a huge contribution to residents’ well-being. This should be a priority to Transport Malta and Infrastructure Malta, but instead they promote the interests of their business cronies.”
The eNGOs asked what’s the point of having a law protecting the coast if Governments continue encouraging concessions to private interests. “Taking the sea, bays, coasts and waterfronts from the common people to give them to business interests is an outrageous social injustice.”
Minister Ian Borg’s declaration that “every piece of land and sea needs to be put to good use” rang ominously, as Infrastructure Malta’s concept of ‘good use’ never refers to use in the public interest, but to the privatisation of public land for commercial profit. The common man invariably loses out, they said.