Marsaskala business: ‘Disappointed’ at American University split

Supporters of American University 90,000 square-metre sprawl over natural park disappointed that project will be split between Bormla and Marsaskala

The Wied il-Ghajn shops association has expressed disappointment that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat buckled under pressure of one of the largest environmental movements ever, to split the controversial private American University of Malta between Marsaskala’s Zonqor Point, and Bormla.

“Marsaskala has been hosting various harmful projects and business never recovered following the closure of the Jerma Palace,” spokesperson Reuben Buttigieg said, ostensibly referring to the national recycling plant at Sant’ Antnin.

“The hosting of the university was a major development and expectations were high, surrounded and based on the economic and social development that this project would bring to Marsaskala. With this development a substantial concentration of business will go to Cottonera,” he said.

Buttigieg added that the compromise on AUM had been the sacrifice of the local business community in Marsaskala.

“The community in general should now be compensated for the opportunity cost of moving a substantial part of such a project to another region. We call on government to push and incentivise the opening of more clean projects in the region aimed at the continuous economic and social development of Marsaskala.

“Business in Marsaskala will still see improvement with the remaining part of the project but not to the extent that such a holistic project would have brought. The association still believes that the original concept would have been more beneficial to all the stakeholders including the investors themselves.”