Joint Press Statement 20.11.21 

 

Fortina in another attempt at stealing the little public space left in Balluta

800 object to the company’s latest application for a catamaran pontoon in the bay

2 Local Councils and 8 organisations express their indignation at Fortina’s latest attempt to take over Balluta Bay through their application for a pontoon that would service their 33-meter tourist catamaran going in and out of the bay 22 times a day.

The application – PA 07251/21 – seeks to build a larger pontoon on the same site of another, already-approved, application (PA 7628/19) which is currently being appealed in front of the environmental tribunal (EPRT) by several organisations and the St. Julian’s Local Council. Fortina had also tried to commence irregular works on the pontoon in June this year – during a season when such works are not allowed – but was physically blocked by residents and activists for a whole week, until the company had to back down.

This latest application is further proof of the insatiable greed of certain companies and their total disregard for existing planning policies, the people’s wellbeing and environmental integrity. The pontoon is planned in the middle of a swimming zone, and a zone that is unequivocally not designated as a ferry/landing place in the Local Plan.

The ferry will pollute the small bay as well as displace the swimming, sports and recreational activities taking place there. To make matters worse, the area in question is congested by excessive commercialisation and the same company has already taken over a large part of the Sliema coast through its Captain Morgan cruises and their activities. Thus, Fortina’s attempted expansion into Balluta Bay constitutes an act of reprehensible greed that seeks to shamelessly steal from the people the little public space that is left in the area. 

Over 800 individuals have formally objected to the Planning Authority (PA) against Fortina’s newest application. However, Fortina knows that it has the Planning Authority and other Government entities do its bidding, disregarding planning policies and the people’s concerns in the process, as evidenced by the Planning Commission’s approval of Fortina’s first pontoon application.

Nevertheless, the people will clearly not accept further erosion of their quality of life and are committed to fighting against the occupation of public spaces by commercial interests, using both legal and direct actions if necessary.

Local Councils

St. Julian’s

Swieqi

Organisations

Din l-Art Ħelwa

Extinction Rebellion Malta

Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar

Friends of the Earth Malta

Moviment Graffitti

Nature Trust Malta

Ramblers Association

Rota

Stqarrija Konġunta għall-Istampa 20.11.21

Tal-Fortina jerġgħu jippruvaw jisirqu l-ftit spazju pubbliku li fadal fil-Balluta

800 oġġezzjoni kontra l-aħħar applikazzjoni għall-bini ta’ moll fil-Bajja tal-Balluta

2 Kunsill Lokali u 8 organizzazzjoni jesprimu r-rabja tagħhom għall-aħħar attentat tal-Fortina biex jisirqu l-Bajja tal-Balluta bil-bini ta’ moll għal katamaran ta’ 33 metru dieħel u ħiereġ mill-bajja 22 darba kull jum.

L-applikazzjoni – PA 07251/21 – tfittex il-bini ta’ moll ikbar fuq l-istess sit ta’ applikazzjoni oħra li diġà ġiet approvata (PA 7628/19) u li attwalment qegħda tiġi kontestata mill-Kunsill Lokali ta’ San Ġiljan u bosta organizzazzjonijiet oħra quddiem it-tribunal tal-ambjent (EPRT). F’Ġunju ta’ din is-sena, tal-Fortina għamlu ġimgħa jippruvaw jibdew xogħol irregolari fuq il-moll fi staġun fejn xogħol bħal dan mhuwiex permess. Madanakollu l-kumpanija kellha tieħu pass lura wara r-reżistenza li wrew grupp ta’ residenti u attivisti bil-preżenza tagħhom fuq il-post.

Din l-aħħar applikazzjoni hija prova tar-regħba bla qies ta’ ċertu kumpaniji u diżrispett assolut lejn il-politiki tal-ippjanar, il-benesseri tal-poplu u l-integrità ambjentali. Il-moll beħsiebhom jibnuh fil-parti tal-bajja fejn jgħumu n-nies, żona li skont il-Pjan Lokali, la għandha tkun għal katamaran u lanqas għall-imbark.

Il-katamaran ser ikompli jniġġes bajja diġà żgħira u jieħu post l-għum u l-attivitajiet sportivi u rekreattivi marbuta mal-bajja. Iż-żona maħnuqa b’kummerċ eċċessiv u l-kumpanija diġà ħadet biċċa kbira tal-kosta ta’ tas-Sliema bid-dgħajjes u l-attività ta’ Captain Morgan. Dan l-aħħar attentat tal-Fortina biex tkompli tespandi l-assi tagħha fil-Bajja tal-Balluta huwa att ta’ rebgħa kbira u serq sfaċċat tal-ftit spazju pubbliku li fadal fiż-żona.

L-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar rat 800 oġġezzjoni formali kontra din l-applikazzjoni l-ġdida. Madanakollu, tal-Fortina jafu li kemm l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar kif ukoll l-entitajiet tal-gvern ser jagħmlu minn kollox biex jaġevolawhom billi tul il-proċess jinjoraw il-politiki tal-ippjanar u l-inkwiet tan-nies f’dan ir-rigward. Dan rajnieh isir meta l-Kummissjoni tal-Ippjanar approvat l-ewwel applikazzjoni tal-Fortina għall-bini tal-moll.

In-nies mhumiex ser jaċċettaw iktar tifrik fil-kwalità tal-ħajja f’Malta u ser ikomplu jiġġieldu kontra kull serq tal-ispazji pubbliċi għall-interessi kummerċjali u dan ser jagħmluh b’azzjoni legali u fejn hemm bżonn anki diretta.

Kunsilli Lokali

San Ġiljan

Swieqi

Għaqdiet

Din l-Art Ħelwa

Extinction Rebellion Malta

Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar

Friends of the Earth Malta

Moviment Graffitti

Nature Trust Malta

Ramblers Association

Rota