Activists from Moviment Graffitti, FAA and a coalition of resident networks today took to the streets of Valletta for a protest march to demand immediate action against the encroachment of public spaces by commercial establishments. Five months after the launch of the “Il-Bankini taċ-Ċittadini” campaign, activists and residents declared that despite the many promises by the Government that the situation will be addressed, things are still the same, and that is why they felt compelled to take to the streets in protest.

The march started in Merchants Street — a prime example of the takeover of our public spaces by endless rows of tables, chairs and other catering furniture — and continued along some of the most cluttered streets, including St. Lucy Street, Old Theatre Street, and Strait Street. With placards showing messages like “Enforcement not mockery”, “Where’s the balance?” and “Corrupt authorities”, the activists and residents made their point that the time for useless talk and empty promises is over, and that the people are now fed up. Their demands for the current law on outdoor catering areas to be revised and made more robust, for more transparency in the way the Lands Authority issues encroachment permits, and for the right of residents to take action against the theft of public land, have so far been ignored. They explained how despite their requests to meet the authorities and the Prime Minister to discuss the demands and proposals presented by the coalition of residents, the situation was never addressed, and it kept going from bad to worse.

Residents coming from Sliema, Valletta, Marsaskala, Marsaxlokk, Cottonera, St Paul’s Bay and Mellieħa are fed up with seeing their pavements, squares, streets, and even their beaches, taken over by tables, chairs, deckchairs and furniture placed by commercial establishments.

They insisted that they are not against outdoor catering areas, as long as these do not completely take over the space and show respect to residents. The activists stated that it is evident that the balance between business interests and the right of people for unhindered public access is non-existent. They highlighted that the situation has now completely gotten out of hand, and abuse of public land has now become the norm. The responsible authorities, namely the Planning Authority, the Lands Authority, and the Malta Tourism Authority, keep serving the interests of business, and no real effort is being made to enforce against contravener’s and safeguard public access.

The march ended in front of the Lands Authority, where the activists insisted that the total lack of transparency and secrecy by which the Lands operates when it issues encroachment permits are of significant concern. They declared that it is high time that the deals overseen by the Lands Authority start being scrutinised, and that the abuse of public land for private profits must stop. At a time when our country is being developed at a very alarming rate, open and public spaces are essential for the community.

The residents and activists declared that after the demands they presented in the policy document and their requests for a meeting kept falling on deaf ears, they were being left with no choice but to escalate their actions. The demands can be viewed on www.ilbankinitaccittadini.org.

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Il-Bankini taċ-Ċittadini: Residenti u attivisti jingħaqdu f’marċ ta’ protesta fit-toroq tal-Belt kontra l-okkupazzjoni tal-ispazji pubbliċi mill-kummerċ

Attivisti mill-Moviment Graffitti, l-FAA u koalizzjoni ta’ għaqdiet tar-residenti llum ingħaqdu f’marċ ta’ protesta tul it-toroq tal-Belt Valletta biex jitolbu azzjoni immedjata kontra s-serq tal-ispazji pubbliċi mill-kummerċ. Ħames xhur wara t-tnedija tal-kampanja “Il-Bankini taċ-Ċittadini”, l-attivisti u r-residenti stqarrew li minkejja l-wegħdiet mill-Gvern li se tiġi indirizzata din il-problema, s’issa s-sitwazzjoni għadha ma nbidlitx, u kien għalhekk li ħassew il-bżonn li jipprotestaw.

Il-marċ beda fi Triq il-Merkanti — wieħed mill-aktar eżempji ċari tal-mod kif l-imwejjed, is-siġġijiet, u l-istrutturi tal-istabbilimenti kummerċjali ħonqu l-ispazji pubbliċi tagħna — u kompla tul uħud mill-aktar toroq okkupati, fosthom Triq Santa Luċija, Triq it-Teatru l-Antik, u Triq id-Dejqa. B’messaġġi bħal “Infurzar mhux żuffjettar”, “Fejn hu l-bilanċ?” u “Awtoritajiet mixtrija”, l-attivisti u r-residenti wasslu l-messaġġ tagħhom li ż-żmien għal wegħdiet fiergħa spiċċa, u li l-poplu issa jinsab mxebba’. It-talbiet tagħhom għal tisħiħ u reviżjoni tal-liġi attwali li tirregola l-okkupazzjoni ta’ art pubblika mill-istabbilimenti, għal aktar trasparenza fil-mod kif l-Awtorità tal-Artijiet toħroġ il-permessi għal okkupazzjoni ta’ art pubblika, u għad-dritt tar-residenti li jieħdu azzjoni kontra s-serq ta’ art pubblika, s’issa ġew totalment injorati. Huma spjegaw kif minkejja d-diversi talbiet tagħhom għal djalogu mal-awtoritajiet konċernati u għal-laqgħa mal-Prim Ministru biex flimkien jiddiskutu t-talbiet u l-proposti li huma fasslu flimkien bħala koalizzjoni, is-sitwazzjoni mhux biss ma ġietx indirizzata, imma baqgħet sejra għall-agħar.

Il-gruppi tar-residenti minn Tas-Sliema, il-Belt Valletta, Marsaskala, Marsaxlokk, il-Kottonera, San Pawl il-Baħar, u l-Mellieħa xebgħu jaraw il-bankini, il-pjazez, it-toroq u saħansitra anki l-bajjiet tagħhom maħnuqa bl-imwejjed, siġġijiet, deckchairs u strutturi oħra maħruġa mill-istabbilimenti.

Huma saħqu li mhumiex kontra t-tqegħid ta’ dawn l-istrutturi fuq barra, sakemm dawn ma jiħdux għalkollox l-ispazju pubbliku u juru rispett lejn ir-residenti. L-attivisti insistew li huwa evidenti kif bħalissa ma jeżisti l-ebda bilanċ bejn l-interessi tal-kummerċ u bejn id-dritt tan-nies li jgawdu l-ispazji pubbliċi. Komplew jgħidu li s-sitwazzjoni bħalissa qabżet kull limitu aċċettabbli, b’konsegwenza li qed jirrenja l-abbuż. L-awtoritajiet responsabbli, fosthom l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar, tal-Artijiet, u tat-Turiżmu qed ikomplu jaġevolaw l-interessi tal-kummerċ u mhu jsir l-ebda sforz ta’ infurzar serju biex l-aċċess għall-pubbliku jiġi ssalvagwardjat.

Il-marċ spiċċa quddiem l-Awtorità tal-Artijiet, fejn l-attivisti enfasizzaw il-mod kif l-Awtorità tal-Artijiet topera f’segretezza u nuqqas ta’ trasparenza assoluta meta toħroġ il-permessi għal okkupazzjoni ta’ art pubblika mill-privat. Huma saħqu li jeħtieġ li din l-awtorità tibda tiġi skrutinizzata bis-serjetà, u li wasal iż-żmien li l-abbuż tal-art pubblika għall-profitti tal-privat jiġi kkontrollat. F’kuntest fejn pajjiżna qed jiġi żviluppat b’rata allarmanti, l-ispazji pubbliċi u miftuħa huma essenzjali għall-komunità.

Ir-residenti u l-attivisti saħqu kif wara li d-dokument bil-proposti li fasslu u t-talbiet tagħhom għal djalogu baqgħu jiġu injorati, issa m’għandhom l-ebda għażla ħlief li jeskalaw l-azzjonijiet tagħhom. It-talbiet jinsabu fuq www.ilbankinitaccittadini.org.