Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia said that he joins all those who expressed disappointment over the state of San Anton Garden, and has ordered immediate works to commence.

He said that it has, for many years, needed work on structural damage on the walls, paving and benches. The minister said that his ministry is only responsible for soft landscaping and the ponds in this garden, thus indicating that the damaged parts were not actually under his ministry's responsibility.

"I believe that, beyond the issues of responsibility, that in the eyes of the people are secondary, the works need to be carried out and cannot wait any longer. That is why I am taking responsibility for the works and in the past hours I asked the authorities to find the necessary finances for the works to be carried out immediately."

This came after President George Vella and Valletta Cultural Agency Chairman Jason Micallef have called on Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia to give San Anton Gardens some much needed tender loving care.

On Tuesday, Micallef uploaded a series of photos on social media showing the state of disrepair the gardens find themselves in. The photos show broken paving, sheds that are in desperate need of repair and collapsed walls, among other issues.

The VCA chairman said the Office of the President is not responsible for the upkeep of the gardens. He said that only direct government financing can address this state of disrepair.

Micallef had called on the Environment Minister to "do his duty" and, through the entities falling under his ministry draft a rehabilitation and maintenance plan for San Anton without delay. He jibed that it "makes no sense to go round towns and villages announcing new greening projects if we do not look after our largest and most beautiful public garden."

On Thursday, Times of Malta reported that President George Vella had personally contacted Minister Farrugia and asked him to intervene, after receiving a "barrage" of complaints about the garden.

But this newsroom has established that San Anton does not fall under the remit of the Environment Ministry. In fact, public gardens and parks fall under the responsibility of Parks Malta, an entity that forms part of the Ministry for Energy, Enterprise and Sustainable Development. The ministry is led by Miriam Dalli.