Momentum demands full transparency on the Marsaskala project through an FOI request

In light of the serious concern and lack of clear information regarding the proposed Marsaskala regeneration project, Momentum has presented a formal Freedom of Information request to the Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works.

This action was taken due to the government’s continued secrecy regarding plans that will have a drastic impact on the lives of Marsaskala residents and the bay’s environment. The project, being presented as a “beautification” of the promenade, in fact includes the introduction of a fast ferry terminal, with all that it entails.

Through this FOI request, Momentum is demanding access to several documents, studies, and plans related to this project. Residents deserve to know exactly what is planned for their locality before irreversible decisions are taken.

The request includes specific questions about:

• Finances and funds: The total amount dedicated to the project, how it will be divided between the promenade work and the ferry infrastructure, and the source of these funds (Maltese or European).
• Detailed plans: ‘To scale’ plans of the proposed terminal, the breakwater, the renewed promenade, and any changes to existing jetties or slipways.
• Justification: The studies conducted to choose Marsaskala as the site for the fast ferry in the South of Malta, and specifically the area beneath the arches.
• Environmental impacts: Any study on the impact on the bay, marine species, air quality, noise, and the sensitive area of Il-Magħluq.
• Social and traffic impacts: Studies on the impact of the increased influx of people and traffic in the center of Marsaskala.
• Alternatives: Analysis showing why the fast ferry is practically and economically better than other alternatives such as an increase in public transport service, a shuttle bus to the Bormla ferry, or safe bike lanes.

“The secrecy the government is maintaining over this project is unacceptable,” said Mark Camilleri Gambin, on behalf of Momentum. “Pushing forward a major infrastructure project like this, in the heart of a residential bay, without publishing studies on the environmental, social, and traffic impact is irresponsible. Marsaskala residents deserve the facts, not PR and ‘public consultations’ that are merely a formality. If the studies exist, they should be published immediately. If they do not exist, then the project should stop now.”

The FOI also requests information about the structural integrity of the existing promenade, particularly following past reports of subsidence, and asks for the full results, questions, and methodology of the survey conducted by Prof. Vincent Marmara.

Momentum expects the Ministry to comply with its legal obligations under the Freedom of Information Act and provide the requested answers within the time stipulated by law. Transparency is a right of citizens.

Momentum jitlob trasparenza sħiħa fuq il-proġett ta’ Marsaskala permezz ta’ FOI

Fid-dawl tat-tħassib serju u n-nuqqas ta’ informazzjoni ċara dwar il-proġett propost għar-riġenerazzjoni ta’ Marsaskala, Momentum ippreżenta talba formali għal-Libertà tal-Informazzjoni (FOI) lill-Ministeru tat-Trasport, Infrastruttura u Xogħolijiet Pubbliċi.

Din l-azzjoni ttieħdet minħabba s-segretezza kontinwa tal-gvern dwar pjanijiet li se jkollhom impatt drastiku fuq il-ħajja tar-residenti Skalin u l-ambjent tal-bajja. Il-proġett, li qed jiġi ppreżentat bħala “tisbiħ” tal-promenade, fil-fatt jinkludi l-introduzzjoni ta’ terminal tal-fast ferry, b’dak kollu li jġib miegħu.

Permezz ta’ din it-talba FOI, Momentum qed jitlob aċċess sħiħ għad-dokumenti, studji, u pjanijiet kollha relatati ma’ dan il-proġett. Ir-residenti jixirqilhom ikunu jafu eżatt x’inhu ppjanat għall-lokalità tagħhom qabel ma jittieħdu deċiżjonijiet irriversibbli.

It-talba tinkludi domandi speċifiċi dwar:

• Finanzi u fondi: L-ammont totali ddedikat għall-proġett, kif se jinqasam bejn ix-xogħol tal-promenade u l-infrastruttura tal-ferry, u s-sors ta’ dawn il-fondi (Maltin jew Ewropej).
• Pjanijiet dettaljati: Pjanti ‘to scale’ tat-terminal propost, il-breakwater, il-promenade mġedda, u kwalunkwe tibdil fil-mollijiet jew slipways eżistenti.
• Ġustifikazzjoni: L-istudji li saru biex jintgħażlu Marsaskala bħala s-sit għall-fast ferry fin-Nofsinhar ta’ Malta, u speċifikament iż-żona taħt l-arkati.
• Impatti ambjentali: Kwalunkwe studju dwar l-impatt fuq il-bajja, l-ispeċi tal-baħar, il-kwalità tal-arja, il-ħsejjes, u ż-żona sensittiva tal-Magħluq.
• Impatti soċjali u tat-traffiku: Studji dwar l-impatt taż-żieda fl-influss ta’ nies u traffiku fiċ-ċentru ta’ Marsaskala.
• Alternattivi: Analiżi li turi għaliex il-fast ferry huwa prattikament u ekonomikament aħjar minn alternattivi oħra bħal żieda fis-servizz tat-trasport pubbliku, shuttle bus lejn il-ferry ta’ Bormla, jew bike lanes siguri.

“Is-segretezza li l-gvern qed iħaddan fuq dan il-proġett hija inaċċettabbli,” qal Mark Camilleri Gambin, f’isem Momentum. “Li timbotta proġett ta’ infrastruttura maġġuri bħal dan, f’qalba ta’ bajja residenzjali, mingħajr ma tippubblika studji dwar l-impatt ambjentali, soċjali, u tat-traffiku huwa irresponsabbli. Ir-residenti ta’ Marsaskala jixirqilhom il-fatti, mhux PR u ‘public consultations’ li huma biss formalità. Jekk l-istudji jeżistu, għandhom jiġu ppubblikati immedjatament. Jekk ma jeżistux, allura l-proġett kollu għandu jieqaf issa.”

L-FOI titlob ukoll informazzjoni dwar l-integrità strutturali tal-promenade eżistenti, partikolarment wara rapporti ta’ sfrundar fil-passat, u titlob ir-riżultati sħaħ, il-mistoqsijet, u l-metodoloġija tas-sondaġġ li sar minn Prof. Vincent Marmara.

Momentum jistenna li l-Ministeru jikkonforma mal-obbligi legali tiegħu taħt l-Att dwar il-Libertà tal-Informazzjoni u jipprovdi t-tweġibiet mitluba fiż-żmien stipulat mil-liġi. It-trasparenza hija dritt taċ-ċittadini.

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