Marsascala residents and concerned citizens of Malta and Gozo on Saturday gathered for the third time in three weeks to express their anger at Transport Malta’s plans for a Yacht Marina in the locality.
The protest swim held this afternoon sent a clear message that the people will not accept being robbed of their ever-dwindling public spaces that are vital for their health, recreation, cultural activities, natural environment and quality of life, Moviment Graffitti, organisers of the event, said in a statement.
Since the release of Transport Malta’s plans for transforming Marsascala Bay into a huge parking lot for yachts, a public outcry against the project has elicited from the authorities only half-baked excuses. The authorities have also ploughed ahead with their plans and refused to accede to the people’s request for the withdrawal of the call for investors in the yacht marina project.
Instead, they released ambiguous statements about inexistent consultation processes. This is clearly a tactic to dampen the widespread opposition to the yacht marina whilst going ahead with the implementation of the project. The Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ), which was issued behind everyone’s back and without any prior discussions with residents and other stakeholders, can in no way be considered a consultation process since it is a call for investors in which the people have no say. Moreover, the PQQ document includes a detailed drawing and specifications for the yacht marina, contradicting claims that no hard plans exist as yet.
Transport Malta’s plans are shocking, the movement said. They envisage the total takeover of Marsascala Bay by pontoons and pleasure boats as well as large-scale land reclamation, effectively leading to the obliteration of marine life in the bay, threatening the Natura 2000 site of Il-Magħluq and displacing all recreational, cultural and social activities around the bay, which lies at the heart of Marsaskala. It is also worrying that the plans for a yacht marina form part of larger plans for the intensive development and the complete commercialisation of Marsascala.
The Planning Authority has approved a Development Brief for the Jerma site which increases the developable volume to double that of the current site and allows the developer to build around 170 apartments. A massive waterpolo pitch with commercial facilities has recently been approved in the middle of the narrow Marsascala Bay after the privatisation of the Żonqor area, which includes the existing waterpolo club, to the Sadeen Group. The Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) has also launched a so-called ‘Design Contest’ as a cover-up for already-drawn plans that aim to satisfy specific business interests around Marsascala Bay.
In view of this hidden masterplan, tailor-made for the few fat cats whilst choking the rest of us, no one should be surprised that the people are saying a big “no” to the yacht marina project. This is not about the people saying “no” to everything. It’s about the people rightfully defending their quality of life and their natural environment from the greed of the few.
Malta and Gozo already find themselves in a dire situation due to the unabashed greed in the planning and construction sector. The people have had enough. No yacht marina, in any form or shape, is acceptable in the narrow Marsascala creek. We won’t be fooled by hollow statements about “consultation” and “listening to the public’s concern”. The people demand the immediate withdrawal of Transport Malta’s document and the definitive cancellation of all plans for a Yacht Marina in Marsaskala. The fight will not stop until then.