PN slams €311,000 spending on Ta' Qali picnic area gravel

The Nationalist Party has called out the spending of over €311,000 in public funds to cover the Ta’ Qali picnic area with gravel, appealing for its immediate removal.

“The Nationalist Party once again appeals for common sense: this illegal gravel, which cost over €311,000, must be removed immediately, and the site should be restored to its original state so that Maltese families can once again enjoy this open space as they deserve,” the party said.

They pointed out it took a Parliamentary Question from Shadow Minister for the Environment, Rebekah Borg, to finally learn how much taxpayer money was spent to strip this picnic area in Ta’ Qali of its natural appearance.

The gravel, according to the PN on information tabled in Parliament, was imported from Greece. No environmental impact study was carried out either, apart from the fact that the required permits were not obtained.

Earlier on Thursday, Momentum revealed information from the FOI they managed to obtain, revealing that the government spent €311,141.80 on the imported gravel, which covered an estimated 30,000 square metres of public land.

The works were awarded directly to Bonnici Bros Ltd, with authorities citing procurement rule PPN 321b2, allowing a direct order because the contractor was “already carrying out works within the same area.”

“We have also learnt that these works were illegal, unpermitted and no tender was issued. Instead, a direct order was awarded to a contractor who is very close to Prime Minister Robert Abela,” they said, pointing out that grass has yet to grow, even though the former Labour Party Secretary General and Special Delegate of Robert Abela assured everyone that the first rainfall would restore a natural green surface for families to enjoy.

They said that the area remains in the same state, with the only patches of green appearing under the trees and in the pathways where gravel was not placed. The party also referred to when Jason Micallef reportedly sent water bowsers overnight to water the gravel “in the hope that the grass would somehow grow back.”