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With reference to the news item entitled ‘Sliema council oppose new Qui-si-Sana project changes (2 October 2005), you may wish to note that Mayor Albert Bonello Du Puis is technically incorrect in stating that the majority of councillors are in favour of developing a car park.
This is because during the local council meeting held on 19 January 2005, a special resolution was voted upon, through which the council’s previous position in favour of the proposed development at Qui-si-sana was done away with, to be replaced by a new local council decision stating that residents have to be consulted on the proposed development.
Following this, MEPA informed the Sliema local council that no further public consultation was needed. To add insult to injury, the authority also stated that no environmental impact assessment (EIA) was required on this major project, which is proposed to include a car park for hundreds of cars under the present Qui-si-sana garden, tourist-related/leisure facilities of 6,000 to 7,000 square metres and a kiosk offering catering facilities which can take up a maximum of 40 square metres and an additional 400 square metres for tables and chairs.
All this in the middle of a quiet residential area and on public land!
On 18 May 2005, the Sliema local council took three other important decisions regarding the proposed development, namely, that a meeting should be held with the Prime Minister; that the garden should not be commercialised; and that a kiosk and tables and chairs should not be permitted on the garden.
To date, the Prime Minister has not given an appointment to the local council, even though the proposed development is causing stress and concern to many residents.
I believe that the only way to assure residents that the public garden will not be transformed to a commercial centre and a polluted car park is to withdraw the development brief. Otherwise, Sliema residents cannot be blamed for being suspicious and for fearing the loss one of Sliema’s last lungs.
Michael Briguglio
AD Councillor
Sliema
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