Candidates from the Labour party, the Nationalist party and ADPD have endorsed Qormi local council plans to protect the agricultural land in Mrieħel, Qormi Residents said in a statement.

Qormi Residents, an association of residents in the locality, has asked all electoral candidates in the district whether they support the local council plans to save land in the area.

This area is currently under threat by Infrastructure Malta plans to widen the road by taking up agricultural land that is equivalent to the size of three football pitches. Infrastructure Malta’s plans would destroy a huge water reservoir, uproot trees which are hundreds of years old and destroy farming land that has belonged to the same families for generations.

Infrastructure Malta had initiated these plans quietly, with farmers only learning of the plans after receiving a notification to “upgrade the area”.

After meeting with Infrastructure Malta, the Qormi local council had unanimously approved a resolution urging Infrastructure Malta to drop its plans. These plans would not take up any agricultural land and would safeguard one of the last green lungs in the area. In fact, the council proposed a four-lane underpass which would omit the possibility of any land expropriation. A fifth lane would exist for accidents and emergencies.

Infrastructure Malta head Frederick Azzopardi has recently said Infrastructure Malta is still analysing the local council's plans.

Labour candidate Sean Apap Meli expressed his support to the council’s motion. Nationalist party candidates Ryan Callus, Jerome Caruana Cilia, Alessia Psaila Zammit and Frederick Aquilina all expressed their opposition to Infrastructure Malta’s plans. ADPD candidate Sandra Gauci also said she supports saving the agricultural land in the area.

Qormi residents said they were disappointed by the lack of response from several Labour party candidates, including Ministers and Members of Parliament. Labour party stalwarts such as President Emeritus Marie Louise Coleiro Preca and MEP Alfred Sant have also opposed the project, which would deprive Qormi residents and the general public of one of the last green lungs in the area and would affect many farmers' livelihoods.

Candidates who supported the Local Council proposal:

· Sean Apap Meli - PL

· Ryan Callus - PN

· Jerome Caruana Cilia - PN

· Alessia Psaila Zammit - PN

· Frederick Aquilina – PN

· Sandra Gauci – ADPD

 

No reply:

· Francine Farrugia- PN

· Ian Borg - PL

· Roderick Galdes - PL

· Rosianne Cutajar - PL

· Silvio Schembri - PL

· Malcolm Paul Agius Galea - PL

· Joseph Cutajar – PL

· Omar Farrugia – PL

· Fiona Borg – PL

· Katya De Giovanni – PL