More than 5,000 people have signed a parliamentary petition calling on government to take Manoel Island back into public hands and turn it into a national park dedicated to Malta's natural and cultural heritage, the campaigners said Saturday.

The petition was launched on 26 March, and has now been pen for just over two weeks.

Campaign spokesperson Marie Claire Gatt said: "Reaching 5,000 signatures in just over two weeks is a strong sign of the public's desire to see Manoel Island remain a place for everyone to enjoy."

The petition is being promoted by the Manoel Island: Post Għalina (A Place For Us) campaign, led by Moviment Graffitti and Flimkien għal Ambent Aħjar. It has been endorsed by over 40 other organisations, including ones related to fitness and mental health. The Church's Environmental Commission is also supporting the campaign.

Robert Louis Fenech, another representative for the campaign, said: "The wide support we are seeing from both organisations and the general public is very encouraging. It shows that people have not lost hope in their ability to make a difference."

The campaign claims that ongoing negotiations between MIDI, a private consortium of companies that holds a 99-year lease on the island, and the government, meant to secure an extension to the original March 2026 deadline by when the entire project was supposed to be complete, present "a window of opportunity".

Fenech continued: "MIDI and the government are already sitting around the table to discuss the future of the project. That gives the public a small window to act - an opportunity we have not had in 25 years and will never see again."

He also reiterated the campaign's conviction that a "mutually beneficial" solution can be found.

MIDI's plans for the island include the construction of around 400 luxury apartments and several commercial offerings, including a hotel at the historic Lazzaretto building - Europe's oldest plague hospital. 

Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) Coordinator Astrid Vella also called on the government to restore Manoel Island's several heritage buildings, saying that once restored, the island has "huge potential" as a green open space where residents and visitors alike can soak in Malta's unique history.

The campaigners pledged to step up their efforts to gather public support for Manoel Island to be turned into a national heritage park, and called on "those who dare to dream" to visit the campaign website and sign the petition.

The petition asks parliament to negotiate with the concessionaire to return Manoel Island to public ownership and turn it into a public park. It also calls for the planned residences to be replaced with green open spaces and recreational facilities, creating a green lung for the entire area, and for the restoration and preservation of the island's heritage. 

MIDI replies

In reply, MIDI said that "MIDI is entitled to an automatic extension to the March 2026 completion date for a number of reasons as detailed in the Deed, including the delays associated with the issue of building permits and the delays associated with the archaeological finds. These delays are well documented and therefore the statement that the completion date is March 2026 is false and misleading."

With regards to the public open spaces MIDI reiterated that "Manoel Island will remain a place for everyone to enjoy. In fact, MIDI's masterplan for the development of Manoel Island provides the sought after vibrant green space as 80% of the MIDI concession will be dedicated to public open spaces and heritage buildings, including the 80,000sqm Glacis Park, while the new buildings will only occupy 8% with the remaining 12% earmarked for other open spaces and circulation"