“The old power station area in Marsa is a unique opportunity that should not be squandered for the development of more tourism infrastructure. This regeneration exercise should be taken up as an opportunity to re-organise, modernise and increase the maritime sector’s contribution to the national economy while reducing its environmental impacts”. This was stated by ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson, Carmel Cacopardo while addressing a press conference along the Marsa coastline this morning.
ADPD – The Green Party candidate and communications officer Brian Decelis said the public consultation on the principles that will be guiding the regeneration of the Marsa harbour area is welcome. However, the proposed strategic vision – that of changing the zone into a prime tourism and leisure harbour destination is misguided. Tourism has already engulfed too many prime sites on our islands and we should not be increasing our dependency on this sector.
Covid-19 has amply demonstrated the fragility of the tourism sector and the excessive dependence of our economy on the sector. It is not the opportune time to increase this dependence. The country’s resources should be applied to other sectors which are less fragile. In addition, as pointed out in a recent study by the Chamber of Commerce the sector already has an excess capacity. Moreover, a significant part of the labour force shifted towards other sectors as a result of Covid-19. It is a known fact that the tourism sector offers many jobs at the lower end of the wage spectrum. Instead of a numerical increase in tourism it is much better to aim at an improvement in the quality of the tourism product. This would result in better employment conditions that serve as an attraction to the required labour force.
However, the Planning Authority seems to ignore this scenario and is putting forward a vision that it is not suitable in the circumstances.
ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson, Carmel Cacopardo said that the old power station area in Marsa is a unique opportunity that should not be squandered for more tourism infrastructure. This innermost part of the Grand Harbour has always been dedicated to the maritime sector so much so that the government had announced the development of a maritime hub at the Marsa shipyard dock site. This regeneration exercise should be taken up as an opportunity to re-organise, modernise and increase the maritime sector’s contribution to the national economy while reducing its environmental impacts. However, it does not make sense to shift these activities to outside the regeneration area as this will bring them closer to residential zones in the surrounding localities.
The maritime hub vision had indicated an area of 175,000m² for strategic use of a number of related industries including ship repair and yachting services. The public consultation also includes a number of activities and services that aim to improve the quality of life of the nearby community. This zone’s regeneration should not be tied up to tourism.
While we acknowledge that it is beneficial to restore old derelict buildings in the area, one should not forget the residential area of Marsa that has been neglected for many years. Any development in this area should take a holistic view of regeneration and lead to a better quality of life for the Marsa residents.
In this early stage of consultation there is still the opportunity to consider alternative scenarios. This consultation should serve as a unique opportunity to consider the best vision for the Marsa harbour area regeneration for everybody’s benefit – a vision that considers all of Marsa and not just one area!
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Pjan ta’ riġenerazzjoni tal-Marsa – viżjoni żbaljata
“Iż-żona ta’ madwar il-power station l-antika hija opportunità unika biex il-gvern jirriorganizza, jimmodernizza u jżid il-kontribut lejn l-ekonomija nazzjonali tas-settur marittimu filwaqt li jnaqqas l-impatti ambjentali tiegħu. M’għandhiex tinħela għal żvilupp turistiku.” Dan qalu Carmel Cacopardo Chairperson ta’ ADPD – The Green Party dalgħodu f’konferenza stampa fil-Marsa.
Il-kandidat u l-uffiċċjal għal komunikazzjoni ta’ ADPD – The Green Party, Brian Decelis qal li l-konsultazzjoni pubblika dwar il-prinċipji li fuqhom se titfassal ir-riġenerazzjoni taz-zona madwar il-port tal-Marsa hija waħda li ilha mistennija. Madankollu il-viżjoni strateġika proposta, dik li ż-żona tinbidel f’destinazzjoni ewlenija għat-turiżmu u divertiment hija waħda żbaljata. Huwa ċar li t-turiżmu diġà jokkupa ħafna siti prominenti ta’ pajjiżna u żgur li mhux il-każ li pajjiżna jkompli jżid id-dipendenza fuq dan is-settur.
Il-Covid-19 wera l-fraġilità tat-turiżmu kif ukoll id-dipendenza żejda tal-ekonomija fuq is-settur. Mhux il-mument li nkomplu nżidu din id-dipendenza. Ir-riżorsi tal-pajjiż jeħtieġ li jinfirxu fuq oqsma oħra li huma inqas fraġli. Apparti dan diġa hemm provvistà żejda ta’ sodod fit-turiżmu kif anke wera studju riċenti tal-Kamra tal-Kummerċ. Il-Covid-19 ġabet magħha ċaqlieq fil-ħaddiema minn dan is-settur lejn setturi oħrajn. Huwa fatt magħruf li s-settur tat-turiżmu għad għandu pagi baxxi f’diversi livelli. Minflok ma nimmiraw għal żieda fil-kwantità għandna ntejbu il-kwalità tal-prodott turistiku. Dan iġib miegħu titjib fil-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol u jservi biex ikunu attirati l-ħaddiema meħtieġa.
Madankollu l-Awtorita’ tal-Ippjanar jidher li dan kollu ma tagħtihx valur u qegħda tressaq għal konsultazzjoni viżjoni li fiċ-ċirkustanzi mhix addattata.
Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD – The Green Party, Carmel Cacopardo qal li z-zona ta’ madwar il-power station l-antika hija opportunità unika li m’għandiex tinħela għal żvilupp turistiku. Dawn in-naħat tal-Port il-Kbir minn dejjem kienu jħaddnu attivita’ kbira fis-settur marittimu tant li l-gvern stess kien ħabbar l-iżvilupp ta’ hub f’dan il-qasam fuq is-sit tal-baċir tal-Marsa. Din il-proposta ta’ riġenerazzjoni hija opportunità unika biex wieħed jirriorganizza, jimmodernizza u jżid il-kontribut lejn l-ekonomija nazzjonali tas-settur marittimu filwaqt li jnaqqas l-impatti ambjentali tiegħu. Madankollu ma jagħmilx sens li wieħed inaqqas u jmexxi dawn l-attivajiet barra ż-żona indikata għar-riġenerazzjoni u allura jqarribhom lejn zoni residenzjali fil-lokalitaljiet tal-madwar.
Il-viżjoni tal-gvern għal hub marittimu fiż-żona ta’ 175,000m² kien indika użu strateġiku fil-qasam ta’ diversi industriji relatati ma’ dan is-settur bħat-tiswija tal-vapuri u servizzi għal jottijiet. Il-konsultazzjoni pubblika ukoll issemmi numru t’attivitajiet u servizzi li jtejjbu l-kwalità tal-ħajja tal-komunità tal-madwar. Ir-riġenerazzjoni ta’ din iż-żona għandha ssir mingħajr irbit ma’ żvilupp turistiku.
Filwaqt li huwa tajjeb li bini antik f’din iż-żona li jinstab fi stat ħażin jiġi restawrat, ejja ma ninsewx iż-żona residenzjali tal-Marsa nnifisha li ilha żmien twil fi stat t’abbandun. Hemm bżonn li kwalunkwe żvilupp f’din iz-zona ikun parti minn pjan ħolistiku ta’ riġenerazzjoni li jinkludu titjib fil-kwalità tal-ħajja għar-residenti infushom.
Għad hemm iċ-ċans f’dan l-istadju bikri ta’ konsultazzjoni biex id-diskussjoni tikkunsidra possibiltajiet alternattivi. Din il-konsultazzjoni għandha sservi bħala opportunità unika biex tkun identifikata l-aħjar viżjoni għar-riġenerazzjoni tal-kosta tal-Marsa għal benefiċċju ta’ kulħadd. Trid tkun viżjoni li tħares lejn il-Marsa kollha u mhux biss lejn rokna waħda!
