Open spaces and farmers’ market are AD’s priorities for St Paul’s Bay

The Green Party candidate for St Paul’s Bay has pledged a better resource utilisation for the locality.

“If elected I will focus on a holistic approach towards the better use of resources including open spaces plus natural resources such as rain water and solar energy,” Simon Galea said.

“In addition to national government budgetary allocations the St Paul’s Bay Local Council should, after carrying out the appropriate studies, tap private financial resources to develop underground parking facilities below existing surface car parks, whilst creating open landscaped area at street level, thereby utilising open spaces to the maximum. The existing surface car parks rob people of open spaces. Investment in facilities for bicycles is also very important.”

During a press conference held at Pjazza Ghawdex in Qawra, Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson Prof Arnold Cassola said St.Paul’s Bay was a big diverse locality whose areas had contrasting needs and exigencies, such as the intense building activity in Xemxija, the huge tourist inflow impacting on Qawra and Bugibba, the quieter life of the inner core of the original fishing town centre of St Paul’s Bay and the rural characteristics typical of Burmarrad and Wardija.

“For such diversity, the council needs councillors with innovative ideas, and Simon Galea, our candidate, would definitely be an asset in this respect,” Cassola said.

Galea said he wanted the wooded area earmarked for land in the middle of Qawra’s urban sprawl to be implemented. “Elected to the local council I will follow up on this issue so that in the near future Qawra will have it’s own green lung in the middle of the surrounding intensively built up area.”

Galea said open areas were vital in any built environment and can serve not only for purely recreational purposes but also for other specific purposes, such as farmers’ markets, which could operate weekly or twice weekly in our locality.

“Local farmers from Burmarrad, Wardija and other parts of the locality can fetch better prices for their produce. On the other hand residents will also benefit from fresher produce which are supplied directly from the farmers at a better price.

“Rain water is a precious resource but unfortunately most of it ends up in the sea. Rain water catchment is a priority and my proposals include the construction of cisterns particularly next to landscaped areas where irrigation water is supplied from same cisterns instead of relying on bowsers. Moreover, I will work towards more investment in solar energy through the installation of more photovoltaic panels.”