Press Release

Now that the Jerma Hotel in Marsascala is finally set to be demolished and the land put up for sale, Din l-Art Helwa urges the government to seize this opportunity and turn the area back into a public open space. Malta is over-built and the government should strive to create more open spaces for the public to enjoy, rather than developing every inch for commercial gain. Coastal areas should be left free and unencumbered. Calls for the reinstatement of the Jerma site as a public open space have already been made by some members of the Marsascala Local Council, and Din l-Art Helwa fully supports this stand.

The site also includes the historic St Thomas Tower, built in 1614 by the Knights of St John to defend St Thomas’ Bay and Marsascala from attacks. Din l-Art Helwa urges the government to intervene, to not only ensure that this coastal fort is restored, but also, as far as possible, to reinstate its original open coastal context by removing the modern structures that were built around it in the 1970s, and which are now derelict.

This is another opportunity for the government to show it cares for the environment and for the country to regain a small part of its coast so it can be enjoyed by all and not just by the few.

29th August 2016