Six NGOs have urged Msida residents and other concerned citizens to endorse their calls for a controversial flyover project in the town to be sent back to the drawing board.
The NGOs have written to Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg, Planning Minister Aaron Farrugia and Msida local council and asked them to reconsider Msida Creek plans, which they say will not solve the area’s long-term problems and instead destroy a community.
First announced in 2019, the Msida Creek roadworks project proposes to eliminate Msida Circus junctions and replace them with flyovers, allowing traffic to flow uninterrupted but also adding massive concrete infrastructure in the heart of the town.
According to a spokesperson for the environment ministry, the government “has no intention to relinquish this right”.
This suggests the government will be responsible to ensure access to the bay is not blocked again and that the public can freely walk to the foreshore.
Architect s report notes dangers
Chetcuti has said he is willing to allow public access to the bay through his land and insisted through his lawyer that access was closed off because the area is not safe to walk through.
If anyone were to get hurt while walking through his land, it will make him liable to damages, he has said.
The government has perpetual right and access to the foreshore and the sea of Fomm ir-Riħ according to a public deed between the land owners and the government, published by Ramblers Malta.
Ramblers published the excerpt on Wednesday after access to a secluded bay at Fomm ir-Riħ was blocked by a metal barrier some days ago.
The access was temporarily restored following widespread anger.
But the environment ministry said the land has been private for decades . A barrier blocking off access could return if the landowner obtains a permit for it, the ministry has said.
MaltaToday later reported that the land is owned by developers lobby president Sandro Chetcuti.