[WATCH] Harbour ferry crossings free of charge starting Monday, Abela announces

Starting from Monday, ferry crossings in the Grand Harbour and Marsamxett will be offered free of charge to all citizens holding a Tal-Linja card, as announced by Prime Minister Robert Abela.

“We had the option to publicise this alternative transport and leave it at that. However, we have chosen a more beneficial alternative for the public,” stated Abela during an address to party supporters, MPs, and MEP candidates in Fgura.

He emphasised that this commitment was outlined in the Labour Party manifesto.

Former Minister Aaron Farrugia, in an interview with MaltaToday, had revealed that the government had plans to make these ferry crossings complimentary through the Tallinja Card.

The proposal was one of the last decisions taken by former transport minister Aaron Farrugia before being unceremoniously removed from Cabinet.

“We aim to experiment by eliminating charges for crossings from Cospicua to Valletta, from Valletta to Sliema, and other routes,” had explained Farrugia to this newspaper.

Presently, there is a regular ferry service operating every 30 minutes between the three cities and Valletta, as well as between the capital city and Sliema. The service extends until midnight in the summer and 7:30 pm in the winter.

Since October, individuals possessing a Tal-Linja card have been entitled to free bus travel across Malta.

In the interview back in December, Farrugia had acknowledged that implementing such a "powerful incentive" would incur costs but described it as a "smart investment."

He highlighted the government's investments in a new, state-of-the-art terminal in Cospicua, and a new terminal in Sliema is expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2024.

A new ferry terminal in St Paul’s Bay is set to serve the Gozo fast ferry.

Abela addresses environmental concerns in the southern region

Moving on to environement, Prime Minister Abela highlighted the Labour administration's commitment to numerous reforms, including the implementation of shore-to-ship technology. 

This innovation involves connecting berthed ships to the power grid, eliminating the need for them to run engines and generators in the harbor and subsequently reducing harmful emissions.

Abela also underscored the government's efforts in waste management, specifically mentioning Wastserv. 

He explained that the administration has introduced measures to separate waste and encourage reuse. Furthermore, he emphasized the transition from a plant running on heavy fuel oil to a gas power station, a move aimed at significantly reducing air pollution.

Viking Saturnis when moored at the Pinto ½ piers and is receiving 3.1 Mega Watts per hour (Photo: Infrastructure Malta)

Looking ahead, Abela affirmed the government's dedication to creating open spaces for families, using the expansion of San Klement Park in Żabbar as an example. 

He assured that such initiatives would continue as part of their commitment to environmental sustainability.

'Inflation falling for many items, but food appears to be an exception'

Addressing inflation, Abela said prices seems to be falling on several items but not food.

He said the Cabinet last week discussed further measures to help the people cope with the cost of living. 

On Sunday morning, the Malta Chamber expressed disappointment in the government's “unilateral approach” to inflation and called for a unified front in addressing the issue.

Urging the government to reconsider its decision, the Chamber opposed the proposed direct intervention through price fixing on food, as hinted by the government last week. 

Emphasising the potential negative impacts on competition and consumer choice, the Chamber contended that such market interference is regressive and ineffective in addressing the root causes of inflation. 

"While price inflation is decreasing for many items food prices appear to be an exception," Abela said.

Abela assured that the government will not be giving up on inflation anytime soon and ensured better stability.

He announced that efforts to address this issue will be announced, in line with the people's pleas, in the coming days and weeks.