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James Debono
As the date for the Sliema local council election approaches, the government is refusing to commit itself on a date for a promised public consultation meeting on controversial traffic plans related to the development of the Qui-Si-Sana car park.
In November 2005 Nationalist councillor Michael Pace Ross tabled a motion calling for a public consultation meeting with the Minister for Urban Development and Transport Jesmond Mugliett and the Minister for the Environment George Pullicino before 15 December.
The ministry replied it had accepted the call for public consultation saying it was needed because “a lot of misinformation needs to be corrected.”
But the council’s deadline for the meeting has been ignored by the government.
The motion was tabled after Nationalist councillors were given privileged access to new traffic plans for Sliema. In the same motion the PN councillors also expressed the council’s agreement with the Qui-Si-Sana car park, to the dismay of Qui-Si-Sana residents and the protests of councillors Martin Debono and Michael Briguglio.
A few weeks later MaltaToday had revealed that the plans earmarked for Sliema include the pedestrianisation of Bisazza Street and a small part of Tower Road and a substantial reduction of parking at the ferries and along the Tigné seafront. According to the plans, the Qui-Si-Sana underground car park will be at street level on the seafront beside the gardens nearby.
A spokesperson for Minister Mugliett told MaltaToday that although the meeting has not been held on the date set by the council, the ministry has met other stakeholders over this matter.
“The suggestions resulting from these meetings have been taken on board and implemented in the proposed plans.” The Malta Transport Authority has also granted access to the plans to other Sliema councillors.
Despite failing to meet the deadline set by the PN led council, the ministry is still committed to hold the public consultation meeting some time in the future.
According to the ministry a full-blown presentation is required and is currently being prepared “to make this meeting a proper public consultation exercise.”
But the ministry will not commit itself on a date for the meeting by saying that a “date of this meeting will be published in due course.”
Sliema councillor Martin Debono expressed his concern that the traffic plans will result in an artificial shift of customers from the town centre to the Qui-Si-Sana and Tigne areas thus defying the principles of free and fair trade.
“Moving ahead with the plan will seriously threaten the livelihood of those who work in the area.”
Debono urged Sliema residents to use their vote in the local council election to send a clear message to the authorities that the plan for Sliema as it stands is unacceptable.
jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt
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