At least 29,000 Maltese residents have deemed the preservation of Manoel Island as an open space crucial to their wellbeing and future, Manoel Island campaigners said.
The campaigners called on Prime Minister Robert Abela to negotiate for the public, "and not for MIDI" (the company behind the project for the island).
The campaigners said they have noted the comments made by Prime Minister Robert Abela over the weekend with regard to Manoel Island, "where he defended and praised MIDI's plans to build hundreds of luxury apartments and commercial outlets on the site, describing it as a 'template' for Malta's future development," the Manoel Island Post Ghalina campaign said.
Abela on Sunday said that he received two requests regarding Manoel Island. "On one side you have the 29,000 people who signed a petition requesting that Manoel Island to be turned into a national heritage park, on the other 5,000 Maltese and Gozitans who are shareholders and bondholders in the project," he said. He had said that there is this reality, that 5,000 Maltese and Gozitans invested in the project, and 29,000 people who signed the petition. "I will meet with everyone and listen to everyone. My job is to listen and see how we can get the best for everyone from this project, and the best for everyone includes the 29,000 people." He said that to promise to throw away a contract the government signed through Parliament would not be being honest with the people. "I would be promising something that realistically I know I cannot implement." Abela said he thinks there is room for discussion to balance and find reasonable compromises for everyone. He had said that 60% of the site being open to the public and 20% being restoration of historic sites is already a strong position, and it could be that there is not enough information about this, which he said emerge from the concession. "Our job has to be to continue explaining, discussing and not stomping our feet with anyone," Abela said
Campaigners on Monday said: "We question how MIDI's project can serve as a template for sustainable development attracting high quality tourists, in an area which is already saturated with touristic and commercial development but is sorely lacking a large, green park." The Prime Minister seems to be suggesting that investment properties for the rich and for tourists should be prioritised over the needs of full-time residents, campaigners said.
"At least 29,000 Maltese residents have deemed this open space's preservation crucial to their wellbeing and future. The intensification of Malta's population, commercial activity and traffic congestion will continue to diminish our quality of life without a strong investment in a national park in this area," they added.
"We agree with Dr Abela that Manoel Island should be a template for sustainable development, and that sustainability can be achieved through a national park. The balance which Dr Abela speaks of, however, cannot be brought about by MIDI's development. The template for future, sustainable developments, that would also make economic sense in the long run, should be to stop choking the Northern Harbour Area and give residents a place to breathe," they said.
"MIDI has fallen short of its 2023 completion deadline and will undoubtedly fail on its 2026 deadline. The first masterplan for Manoel Island was submitted by MIDI in 2017, making their requested 10-year extension impossible to justify. Equally hard to justify are delays due to archaeological findings on Tigne - the garden battery having been unearthed in 2005. Delays due to appeals also were not beyond MIDI's control, considering that the appeal found MIDI guilty of conflict of interest. The government needs to seriously consider the credibility of MIDI's stated reasons for the delays."
"We agree with Dr Abela that it is possible to find a solution to everyone's benefit if all parties move forward with an open mind and goodwill to negotiate. Where we don't agree with the Prime Minister's thinking is that such a solution needs to include hundreds of luxury apartments and the completion of MIDI's plans. We firmly believe that an alternative is possible," campaigners said.
"This has become increasingly clear to us in our conversations with MIDI's small investors, who have seen very little for their investment. The Prime Minister's attempt to pit the needs of 29,000 signatories against 5,000 share and bondholders is an attempt at misdirection."
The campaigners said that many share- and bond-holders have expressed their lack of confidence in MIDI's ability to execute this project, "and have also warmed up to the vision for a national park."
"We therefore call on Prime Minister Robert Abela to come through on his promise to discuss and negotiate - but those discussions should be with MIDI on behalf of the public - not vice-versa," campaigners said.