Minister requests discharge of funds earmarked for San Anton works

Environment minister Aaron Farrugia has suggested the division of responsibilities among various environmental agencies, precludes him from taking direct action on the derelict state of San Anton Gardens.

Farrugia’s portfolio includes both the urban greening agency Greenserv as well as Ambjent Malta, an agency created by his predecessor but whose responsibilities were apparently split between the environment minister, and the energy ministry’s Parks Malta.

“My ministry is only responsible for soft landscaping and ponds inside San Anton Garden; but beyond the matter of responsibilities, which are indeed secondary, these works should no longer be delayed. I have taken it up myself to ask for the discharge of finances from the authorities required to start these works immediately,” Farrugia announced on Facebook.

President George Vella personally intervened with Farrugia over a barrage of public criticism on the shabby state of San Anton Gardens, provoked by photos posted to Facebook by Jason Micallef, the Labour-appointed CEO of the Valletta Cultural Agency as well as head of Labour television One.

Although the gardens are essentially attached to the presidential palace, it is within the government’s remit to maintain the historic gardens. The president even had his staff erect signs in the gardens this week informing the public that the Environment Ministry is responsible for their upkeep.

The division of responsibilities has been rendered more complex since the Abela administration took over in 2020.

The environment ministry is formally responsible for nature parks, urban embellishment, urban landscaping, as well as botanical gardens. It also has under its responsibility Ambjent Malta and GreenServ.

Ambjent Malta was set up as a government agency to manage Natura 2000 sites. Originally the agency was within the Works Division and primarily responsible for embellishment works, before being transformed into P.A.R.K.S. in 2013 as part of the environment ministry, and then as Ambjent Malta in 2016.

But in 2020, with the advent of a new energy ministry under Miriam Dalli, a new agency, Parks Malta, was accorded part of the responsibilities of Ambjent Malta, namely the upkeep and maintenance of national parks and embellishment of other public spaces. In fact, the energy ministry is now responsible for national parks, countryside and valley management, and family parks.