Brian Decelis

Infrastructure Minister Chris Bonett recently said that the south of Malta has great potential to offer a quality tourism.

Bonett was speaking while he inaugurated a so-called refurbishment at St Thomas Bay in Marsaskala.

What the minister failed to note, however, was that just a few metres away lies a shanty town that has been allowed to mushroom illegally over the years.

It stands in stark contrast to what any quality tourist would expect to find. But what about the rest of the locality?

For years, Marsaskala residents have been suffering the brunt of overdevelopment. Vast stretches of once-green areas, the lungs of our community, have been entirely replaced by apartment buildings, while older structures have given way to multi-storey developments.

Residential areas have been plagued by never-ending works continuously generating dust and noise.

This construction has also inevitably resulted in an increased demand on the infrastructure with roads being dug up for months on end, adding to the hardship residents must endure.

Has this improved the locality for residents and visitors alike? Why do we need to attract more visitors when our restaurants seem to be overflowing to the extent that they are increasingly taking over public spaces with their tables and chairs?

The minister said this is just the beginning of a push for the wider regeneration of Marsascala.

But residents are mainly concerned about what this would mean because whatever plans were touted in the past were essentially targeted at more development, whether on land or at sea.

The Marsaskala Residents Network NGO has been at the forefront of efforts opposing the marina plans. This would have disrupted the delicate balance of pleasure craft and fishing vessels that has been maintained so far while large parts of the bay remain freely accessible for swimmers and hobby fishermen.

Once again, the bay faces threats from plans for a ferry service that could cause significant environmental damage and may not be the most practical option. A shuttle bus to the ferry in Cospicua would likely provide a more reliable, year-round solution.

The open sea out of Marsaskala will definitely limit any ferry operations, while crossing the harbour from Cospicua is a walk-in-the-park by comparison.

Have the necessary studies been conducted to ascertain what the impact of extending the current breakwater to cater for a ferry landing will have on the circulation of sea water in the inner part of the bay, which would also be detrimental to il-Magħluq, a Natura 2000 site?

We have heard more than enough about the impact of overtourism on various localities; it seems that the powers-that-be seem adamant on making the same happen to Marsaskala.

Where are the residents’ interests being protected? Who is willing to stand up and be counted, respecting those interests while ensuring the environment remains liveable for everyone?

Residents must be consulted from the very beginning of any proposed regeneration plans. Full transparency is essential: residents are to be clearly informed about what the proposals will involve and how they may be affected. Public consultation should take place at the initial planning stage – not after key decisions have already been made.

Residents must be given an opportunity to participate in shaping the plans and sending in submissions.

Regeneration should be designed with the needs and priorities of the local community at its core, with a strong emphasis on sustainability and environmental responsibility.

Before seeking to attract quality tourism, it would not be a bad idea to first ensure that politicians entrusted with safeguarding the best interests of our country have the necessary mettle to understand what respecting the environment we live in truly means.

Brian Decelis is a Marsaskala resident and an ADPD electoral candidate.

First published https://timesofmalta.com/article/marsascala-what-residents.1112904