Civil society group il-Kollettiv has insisted that “the leasing of public land to private interests is state aid that encourages speculation, punishing residents and citizens.”

The group called for an end to the system whereby massive plots of public land, including fortifications and historical buildings, “are handed out to developers on emphyteusis.”

It said that in the wake of recent statements made by the Prime Minister and the MIDI Group on the ongoing Manoel Island situation, Il-Kollettiv President Jeanette Borg criticised the model whereby land is “leased” to developers employed by successive administrations.

“Manoel Island, just like Comino, the ITS building and Fort Chambray, was pawned off to MIDI for a fraction of its actual value,” said Borg. “Through this practice, successive governments have given enormous power to developers by drastically reducing their costs and guaranteeing their profits, with absolutely no benefit to the public. These decisions are taken without respect for residents, their space, history, and sense of home.”

She went on to say that “in the case of Manoel Island, MIDI’s potential breach of contract obligations may see the island returned to the public. This is a happy conclusion for the thousands who signed the parliamentary petition for its return, however, the principle behind such deals is fundamentally wrong and must be abolished. Public land should remain so, independent of whether a developer has the money to build it up or not.”Borg cited Comino and Fort Chambray as two recent contentious land concessions. “The Prime Minister moved swiftly to sort out the ‘mess’ created by the Fenech Adami administration, but in the meantime, he’s publicly promoting equally disastrous projects and fast-tracking them through the authorities.”

Il-Kollettiv also called for the government to truly respect the 30,000 signatories of the petition. “If the PM’s dream is to return Manoel Island to the public, then its representatives should be included in the discussions on its future. The government has no obligation to bail MIDI out of a deal it couldn’t honour, and the investments made by small shareholders are also MIDI’s responsibility. Let us not forget that the concession includes Tigne Point, which MIDI is also contractually bound to maintain.”

The group praised the numerous people involved in the awareness campaign, and stated its wish to see Manoel Island as a safe space for the thousands who visit it. “Both political leaders have spoken about a public park. Set the space free of speculators, leave it free from commercial pressures, and let us all enjoy Manoel Island in peace.”

Photos: Top supplied by Il-Kollettiv – Manoel Island; Below – Comino file photo; and Fort Chambray from sea October 6th, 2023, by Daniel Cilia.

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