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James Debono
The Sliema council unanimously approved a motion, proposed by mayor Marina Arrigo, calling for a meeting with Prime Minister Lawrence to discuss the construction emergency in Sliema. But the same council rejected a Green Party motion calling for a moratorium on large scale construction in Sliema.
Surprisingly an identical proposal was made by Marina Arrigo’s husband, the Nationalist MP Robert Arrigo.
In an article penned last week Robert Arrigo went as far as proposing a morotarium on construction in Sliema.
“I do recommend that, in Sliema at least, but also in other over-developed areas, a moratorium period is introduced, blocking permits for a few years and giving residents a much needed break.”
But the PN-led Sliema council rejected a motion proposed by Green Party councillor Michael Briguglio calling for a three-year moratorium on large scale development in residential areas in Sliema. The motion was only supported by Labour councillors Martin Debono and Maryanne Aquilina.
The council also rejected another motion calling on Mepa to suspend the Sliema Local Plan and re-start the consultation process in view of the ombudsman’s report, which exposed the lack of a proper consultation process before the local plans were approved in August.
Speaking to MaltaToday the Nationalist mayor insisted that the council will raise the issue of overdevelopment in Sliema in the proposed meeting with the Prime Minister.
“Based on what residents have informed me, I proposed a motion, which was unanimously approved, that the council should act as a bridge between the resident and the government, as we did very successfully last year,” Marina Arrigo told MaltaToday.
Arrigo was referring to a meeting held last year in which the Prime Minister took a firm commitment against other commercial development in the proposed Qui-Si-Sana carpark.
Yet despite the Prime Minister’s commitment on this issue, the local plan still earmarked the Qui-Si-Sana carpark for tourist development.
AD councillor Michael Briguglio while fully supporting the mayor’s initiative to raise these issues with the Prime Minister, insists that the council should take a firm stand in favour of a moratorium on large scale construction. “The government and MEPA will only take us seriously if we take a stand,” he told MaltaToday.
In the meantime, the Sliema Council is still trying to stop the developers of the former Galaxy site from starting works in the early morning.
On Thursday the council called on wardens to monitor the Galaxy site after the council was informed that works were commencing before 7 am.
jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt
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