Taxpayer money must not reward illegalities
Momentum stands with residents in Sliema, Valletta, Marsaskala and other localities who are rightly demanding clarity, fairness and legality in the implementation of the Storm Harry damage assistance scheme.
While Momentum fully supports assistance to households and law-abiding businesses genuinely affected by the storm, Maltese taxpayer money must never be used to reward illegalities. Public funds should not be squandered on compensating illegal bars, restaurants, or establishments that had unlawfully placed tables, chairs and other structures on public land, including coastal and public spaces such as Sliema, Marsaskala, Valletta, Marsalforn and Għar Lapsi.
The Storm Harry scheme explicitly states that it is a mitigation and recovery measure, not an open ended compensation exercise. Yet the inclusion of “outdoor furniture belonging to establishments” without any reference to permit compliance raises serious concerns. It would be unacceptable if establishments that encroached on public space without authorisation were now compensated using public funds.
Momentum agrees with residents’ groups that the post storm clean up presents a crucial opportunity for enforcement. As damaged outdoor furniture is removed and repairs are carried out, authorities must ensure that only approved, legally permitted outdoor areas are reinstated. Illegal encroachment into pavements, squares and coastal zones must not be allowed to return by default.
Public land within coastal zones belongs to everyone. It cannot continue to be treated as private commercial space through abuse, weak enforcement and selective tolerance. Compensating illegal structures would amount to legitimising years of wrongdoing at the expense of residents and compliant businesses.
Momentum calls on Transport Malta and the responsible authorities to explicitly exclude illegal outdoor furniture from eligibility under the scheme and to ensure strict verification against valid permits before any payments are approved.
Additionally, the consequences of Storm Harry should make us reflect on the great environmental and economic risks of building structures in vulnerable coastal areas.
Il-flus tal-kontribwenti ma għandhomx jippremjaw l-illegalitajiet
Momentum tappoġġja mar-residenti ta’ Tas-Sliema, il-Belt Valletta, Marsaskala u ta’ lokalitajiet oħra li bir-raġun qed jitolbu ċarezza, ġustizzja u legalità fl-implimentazzjoni tal-iskema ta’ assistenza għal danni mill-Maltempata Harry.
Filwaqt li Momentum jappoġġja bis-sħiħ l-assistenza lill-familji u lin-negozji li josservaw il-liġi li ġew ġenwinament affettwati mill-maltempata. Il-flus tal-kontribwenti Maltin qatt ma għandhom jintużaw biex jippremjaw l-illegalitajiet. Il-fondi pubbliċi ma għandhomx jinħlew fuq il-kumpens ta’ bars, ristoranti, jew stabbilimenti illegali li poġġew imwejjed, siġġijiet u strutturi oħra illegalment fuq art pubblika, inklużi spazji mal-kosta u spazji pubbliċi oħra bħal ma seħħ f’Tas-Sliema, Marsaskala, il-Belt Valletta, Marsalforn u Għar Lapsi.
L-iskema dwar il-Maltempata Harry tiddikjara b’mod espliċitu li hija miżura ta’ mitigazzjoni u rkupru, mhux eżerċizzju ta’ kumpens indefinit. Madankollu, l-inklużjoni ta’ “għamara ta’ barra li tappartjeni għall-istabbilimenti” mingħajr l-ebda referenza dwar jekk il-permessi humiex f’konformità tqajjem tħassib serju. Ikun inaċċettabbli jekk l-istabbilimenti li daħlu fl-ispazju pubbliku mingħajr awtorizzazzjoni issa jiġu kkumpensati bl-użu ta’ fondi pubbliċi.
Momentum jaqbel mal-gruppi tar-residenti li t-tindif ta’ wara l-maltempata jippreżenta opportunità kruċjali għall-infurzar. Peress li l-għamara ta’ barra bil-ħsara titneħħa u jsiru t-tiswijiet, l-awtoritajiet iridu jiżguraw li jerġgħu jiddaħħlu biss l-ispazji ta’ barra approvati u legalment permessi. L-użu illegali u invażiv fuq il-bankini, fil-pjazez u fiż-żoni kostali ma għandux jitħalla jirritorna b’mod awtomatiku.
L-art pubblika fiż-żoni kostali tappartjeni lil kulħadd. Ma tistax tibqa’ tiġi trattata bħala spazju kummerċjali privat permezz ta’ abbuż, infurzar dgħajjef u tolleranza selettiva. Il-kumpens ta’ strutturi illegali jammonta għal-leġittimizzazzjoni ta’ snin ta’ għemil ħażin għad-detriment tar-residenti u tan-negozji konformi.
Momentum jitlob lil Transport Malta u lill-awtoritajiet responsabbli jeskludu b’mod espliċitu l-għamara illegali ta’ barra mill-eliġibbiltà skont l-iskema u jiżguraw verifika stretta kontra permessi validi qabel ma jiġi approvat kwalunkwe pagament.
Barra minn hekk, il-konsegwenzi tal-Maltempata Harry għandhom iġegħluna nirriflettu fuq riskji kbar ambjentali u ekonomiċi ta’ bini ta’ strutturi f’żoni kostali vulnerabbli.
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