Dak li qiegħed jiġri f’Marsaskala juri b’mod ċar il-konsegwenzi ta’ meta komunitajiet mal-kosta jitqiesu anqas bħala lokalitajiet għar-residenti u aktar bħala assi finanzjarji. Id-dibattitu dwar x’għandu jsir mis-sit fejn darba kien hemm il-Jerma Palace mhuwiex biss dwar proġett individwali iżda jirifletti bidla li qiegħda sseħħ madwar Malta – fejn spekulazzjoni fuq propjetà u kirjiet qosra qegħdin ibiddlu l-lokalitajiet b’mod li jiżboq il-loġika tat-turiżmu tradizzjonali. 

Waqt konferenza stampa biswit it-Torri ta’ San Tumas f’Marsaskala, ħdejn is-sit mitluq tal-Jerma Palace Hotel, Brian Decelis, residenti f’Marsakala, PRO ta’ ADPD  u kandidat fuq it-tielet u r-raba’ Distrett irrefera għal studju akkademiku li sar dan l-aħħar bl-isem ta’: Tourism, Real Estate, and Urban Pressures: The case of Marsascala, Malta. 

Dan l-istudju jdaħħal il-kunċett ta’ “real estatisation”: neoloġiżmu li jirreferi għal żviluppi bi skop ta’ spekulazzjoni, investiment f’appartamenti u kirjiet qosra fi bliet viċin tal-kosta, a skapitu tal-ħtiġijiet tar-residenti jew turiżmu sostenibbli. Dan l-istudju juri kif Marsaskala inbidlet minn raħal tas-sajjieda u saret lokalità b’urbanizzazzjoni qawwija li tpoġġi domanda eċċessiva fuq l-infrastruttura, b’konġestjoni ta’ traffiku ma tieqaf qatt, bi pressjoni qawwija fuq spazji pubbliċi u kwalità tal-ħajja li kull ma jmur, dejjem qiegħda tonqos. L-iżvilupp mill-ġdid tal-Jerma sar l-aktar simbolu ċar ta’ dan il-kunflitt.

Ir-residenti jifhmu x’inhuma l-prijoritajiet u jħaddnu fehmiet differenti. Hemm min mill-ġdid irid lukanda ta’ kwalità li ssaħħaħ l-ekonomija lokali. Oħrajn jinsabu mħassbin li proġett ieħor enormi ta’ spekulazzjoni jwassal għal aktar żvilupp eċċessiv u jagħti biss ftit li xejn lura lill-kommunità. Ħafna qiegħdin jistaqsu domanda waħda, li hi fundamentali: għal min qiegħda tiġi żviluppata Marsaskala?

ADPD – the Green Party jemmen li din il-mistoqsija jistħoqqilha tweġiba favur ir-residenti regolari, kemm tal-lum, kif ukoll ta’ għada u mhix favur interessi ta’ spekulazzjoni. Il-komunitajiet mal-kosta ma jistgħux jibqgħu jassorbu żvilupp bla rażan waqt li l-infrastruttura, spazji miftuħa u l-qafas soċjali jibqgħu jittieklu. Qabel kollox, djar u appartamenti għandhom il-funzjoni ta’ residenzi, u mhux ta’ strumenti finanzjarji. 

Kien għalhekk li ADPD ippropona kontroll aktar demokratiku fuq kirjiet qosra. Fost l-oħrajn, ADPD ippropona li l-kunsilli lokali għandu jkollhom id-dritt ta’ veto għal kirjiet qosra għaliex huma jifhmu  r-realtà u l-isfidi tal-komunitajiet lokali aħjar minn xi awtorità mbiegħda jew mill-iżviluppaturi. ADPD jemmen ukoll li flejjes iġġenerati mit-turiżmu għandhom jgħaddu direttament għand il-kunsilli lokali, sabiex insaħħu l-infrastruttura u b’hekk nassiguraw li l-komunitajiet ma jġorrux il-piż soċjali u ambjentali waħedhom, ikkonkluda Decelis. 

Iċ-chairperson ta’ ADPD Sandra Gauci qalet li l-Manifest tal-2026 jisħaq fuq mudell ekonomiku ġdid, imsejjes fuq il-kwalità tal-ħajja, protezzjoni tal-ambjent, akkomodazzjoni affordabbli, it-tisħiħ tar-regoli tal-ippjanar, u żvilupp li jpoġġi l-komunità l-ewwel, minflok kostruzzjoni mingħajr limitu. Marsaskala għandha bżonn aktar spazji miftuħa aċċessibbli għall-pubbliku, aktar opportunitajiet ta’ trasport sikur, protezzjoni tal-kosta, u ppjanar li jirispetta il-limitazzjonijiet tal-lokalità. Żgur li m’għandhiex bżonn ta’ aktar spekulazzjoni, taparsi progress. 

Il-politika attwali innormalizzat sistema li tqis kull roqgħa art bħala opportunità ta’ żvilupp u kull lokalità bħala suq għall-gwadann ekonomiku. Il-konsegwenzi jidhru kullimkien: kirjiet dejjem jogħlew, traffiku dejjem jiżdied, l-identità tal-komunità tkompli tintilef u l-frustrazzjoni tar-residenti dejjem tikber.

Għalhekk, vot għal ADPD huwa messaġġ ċar li l-lokalitajiet tagħna m’humiex għal-bejgħ. Huwa messaġġ li l-komunitajiet huma aqwa mill-ispekulazzjoni u l-profitti. Huwa messaġġ li r-residenti jistħoqqilhom vuċi dwar deċiżjonijiet li għandhom impatt fuq l-ibliet u l-irħula tagħhom. Fl-aħħar mill-aħħar, huwa messaġġ li s-sostenibilità għandha tieħu post il-politika ta’ żvilupp eċessiv. 

Marskala jistħoqqilha ġejjieni maħsub għan-nies, il-wirt storiku u l-kwailtà tal-ħajja, mhux it-tkabbir dejjiemi tal-makkinarju tal-propjetà, temmet tgħid Gauci.

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Malta’s localities are not for sale: communities matter more than speculative profit

Marsascala is developing into a warning sign of what happens when a coastal community is treated less as a home and more as a financial asset. The debate surrounding the future of the former Jerma Palace site is not simply about a specific development project. It reflects a wider transformation taking place across Malta, where real estate speculation and short-term rentals are reshaping localities beyond the traditional logic of tourism.

Addressing a press conference next to St Thomas Tower in Marsaskala which is overshadowed by the derelict site of the Jerma Palace Hotel, Marsaskala resident and ADPD PRO Brian Decelis (candidate for the 3rd and 4th district) referred to a a recent academic study entitled Tourism, Real Estate, and Urban Pressures: The case of Marsascala, Malta. 

It introduces the concept of “real estateisation” — a new phase in which coastal towns are increasingly driven by speculative development, investment apartments, and short-let platforms rather than by the needs of residents or sustainable tourism.

The study shows how Marsaskala has evolved from a fishing village into a densely urbanised locality suffering from infrastructure strain, traffic congestion, pressure on public spaces, and declining quality of life. The proposed redevelopment of Jerma has become the clearest symbol of this conflict.

Residents have different opinions: they understand what is at stake. Some want the return of a quality hotel that contributes to the local economy. Others fear another speculative mega-project that increases overdevelopment while offering little back to the community. Many are asking a fundamental question: who is Marsaskala being developed for?

ADPD – The Green Party believes this question deserves an answer in favour of current long-term residents and future generations, not speculative interests. Coastal communities cannot continue to absorb uncontrolled development while public infrastructure, open spaces, and social cohesion face accelerated deterioration. Residential units must first and foremost serve as homes, not as financial instruments.

This is why ADPD has proposed stronger democratic control over short-term rentals, including giving local councils veto powers over permits for short-let accommodation. Local communities understand their realities better than distant authorities or developers. ADPD also proposes that revenues generated from tourism accommodation should directly support local councils and infrastructure, ensuring that communities are not left carrying the social and environmental costs alone, concluded Decelis.

ADPD-The Green Party Chairperson Sandra Gauci said the party’s 2026 manifesto argues for a new economic model — one based on quality of life, environmental protection, affordable housing, stronger planning regulation, and community-centred development rather than endless construction. 

Marsaskala needs more public open spaces, safer mobility, protection of its coastline, and planning policies that respect carrying capacity. It does not need more speculation disguised as progress.

The current political establishment has normalised a system where every available space is viewed as a development opportunity and every locality as a market to be monetised. The consequences are visible everywhere: rising rents, worsening traffic, disappearing community identity, and growing frustration among residents.

A vote for ADPD is therefore a clear message. It is a message that Malta’s localities are not for sale. It is a message that communities matter more than speculative profit. It is a message that residents deserve a voice in decisions affecting their towns and villages. And it is a message that sustainable development must finally replace the politics of overdevelopment.

Marsaskala deserves a future built around people, heritage, and quality of life — not around the endless expansion of the real estate machine, concluded Gauci.