Following the Infrastructure Ministry’s denial that there are plans for a Yacht Marina in it-Toqba tal-Birgu, Moviment Graffitti is calling out the Ministry’s deceptive statement and reiterating that the Yacht Marina plans should be withdrawn.

On Saturday, Birgu local council and residents expressed alarm at the installation of “no swimming” signs at it-Toqba tal-Birgu, a popular place that has been used as a swimming spot for generations.

According to the plans and renders (see pictures) submitted by the Infrastructure Ministry as part of application PA/06431/20, boats would take over the whole creek in Birgu and Kalkara, with the large boats and yachts parked exactly at it-Toqba tal-Birgu. This application is currently awaiting a decision from the Planning Authority. Last year, in its objection to the plan, Moviment Graffitti had noted that, although the application is being filed under the guise of organising moorings, it is, in reality, a fully-fledged attempt at gobbling up the creek and the shore with a Yacht Marina. The application is proposing a staggering 334 moorings, all around the creek, and with a significant number of moorings catering for large boats.

Moreover, the Infrastructure Ministry’s excuse that the “no swimming” signs were affixed because of safety concerns is insulting to the people’s intelligence. Such excuse does not in any way explain why the signs were affixed only now, towards the end of the swimming season; why the Local Council was not consulted, not even informed; and why they were affixed specifically there, and not in scores of other places around Malta and Gozo were there are similar so-called hazards.

It is clear and of utmost concern that such signs are paving the way for the transformation of the area into a Yacht Marina. However, the people will no longer accept the seizure of their vital spaces for private interests.

Il-Moviment Graffitti jsejjaħ biex il-Ministeru tal-Infrastruttura jieqaf jitmejjel bin-nies u jirtira l-pjanijiet għal Jott Marina fil-Birgu

Wara ċ-ċaħda tal-Ministeru tal-Infrastruttura li hemm pjanijiet għal Jott Marina fit-Toqba tal-Birgu, il-Moviment Graffitti qed isejjaħ din l-istqarrija tal-Ministeru bħala qarrieqa u jisħaq li l-pjanijiet għal jott marina għandhom jiġu rtirati.

Is-Sibt li għadda, il-kunsill lokali tal-Birgu u r-residenti esprimew l-inkwiet tagħhom meta raw tabelli li ma jistax isir għawm, imwaħħlin fit-Toqba tal-Birgu,  roqgħa popolari għall-għawm li ilha tintuża għal ġenerazzjonijiet sħaħ.

Skont il-pjanijiet u d-disinji (ara r-ritratti) li ġew sottometti mill-Ministeru tal-Infrastruttura bħala parti mill-applikazzjoni PA/06431/20, id-għajjes se jkunu qegħdin jikkapparraw il-qala kollha tal-Birgu u l-Kalkara, bid-dgħajjes il-kbar u l-jottijiet sorġuti eżatt fit-Toqba tal-Birgu. Din l-applikazzjoni bħalissa qed tistenna d-deċiżjoni tal-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar. Is-sena l-oħra, fl-oġġezzjoni tiegħu għal dan il-pjan, il-Moviment Graffitti kien innota li, għalkemm l-applikazzjoni qiegħda tiġi preżentata bl-iskuża li jridu jiġu organizzati l-irmiġġi, fil-verità, din mhix ħlief attentat biex il-qala u x-xatt jinbelgħu minn Jott Marina. L-applikazzjoni qed tipproponi l-ammont xokkanti ta’ 334 rmiġġ, madwar il-qala kollha, u b’numru mhux ħażin ta’ rmiġġi għal dgħajjes kbar.

Barra minn dan, l-iskuża tal-Ministeru tal-Infrastruttura li t-tabelli biex ma jsirx għawm ġew imwaħħlin għal raġunijiet ta’ sigurtà hija insult għall-intelliġenza tal-poplu. Skuża bħal din bl-ebda mod ma tispjega għalfejn dawn it-tabelli ġew imwaħħlin proprju issa, lejn it-tmiem tal-istaġun tal-għawm; għalfejn il-kunsill lokali ma ġiex konsultat, u lanqas biss infurmat; u għalfejn ġew imwaħħlin hemm b’mod speċifiku, u mhux f’hafna postijiet oħrajn madwar Malta u Għawdex fejn jeżistu dawn l-hekk imsejħa perikli.

Huwa ċar u inkwetanti li dawn it-tabelli qegħdin iwittu t-triq biex dawn l-akkwati jinbidlu f’Jott Marina. Madanakollu, in-nies mhux se jibqgħu jaċċettaw il-ħtif ta’ spazji vitali minħabba interessi privati.