Activist group Moviment Graffitti has filed an application with the Lands Authority to manage Balluta Bay, in a bid to ward off the commercialisation of this public space and keep it permanently accessible and safe to bathers and the community.
The application states the group’s intention to retain Balluta bay as a space for “public recreational activities including citizen science, social and community activities and ecological monitoring activities.”
“This application is necessary because we cannot allow further take-up of public bays from private interests,” said a spokesperson for Moviment Graffitti. “At the moment, there is a pending planning application for a private ferry pontoon to be installed right in the middle of this popular bathing zone,” a reference to Fortina Group’s recently-rejected application which is subject to a decision on the 2nd March. The Fortina Group is the same group which has virtually colonised the Sliema Strand zone and which has been awarded a monopoly over the Comino ferry transport system. Fortina now seeks to take further control of public swimming zones.
“This eating up of our public spaces is unacceptable and needs to be stopped. Ferry transport should not be allowed in bathing areas in close proximity of swimmers, and the public should not be relegated to bathing in little swimming pens. Fortina should find an alternative and move their tourist ferry to a more suitable spot and allow the public to exercise its right to enjoy the sea.
In the meantime we shall await the Planning Authority’s decision on this matter, noting that this decision has been mysteriously put off for a long period. We hope that this move is not intended to allow any lobbying behind the scenes, and we urge the public to remain vigilant regarding any developments in the area,” the group said in its statement, adding that it has no intention to manage the site for commercial or fundraising initiatives of any sort.
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Il-Moviment Graffitti Japplika mal-Awtorità tal-Artijiet għaż-Żamma tal-Bajja tal-Balluta
Il-Moviment Graffitti għamel applikazzjoni mal-Awtorità tal-Artijiet sabiex jieħu l-ġestjoni tal-Bajja tal-Balluta, f’tentattiv li tiġi evitata l-kummerċjalizzazzjoni ta’ dan l-ispazju pubbliku u sabiex tibqa’ permanentament miftuħa u sikura għall-għawwiema u għall-komunità.
L-applikazzjoni tiddikjara li l-grupp attivista għandu l-intenzjoni li jżomm il-Bajja tal-Balluta bħala żona għal attivitajiet pubbliċi rikreattivi li jinkludu x-xjenza ċittadina, attivitajiet soċjali u komunitarji u attivitajiet ta’ monitoraġġ ekoloġiċi.”
“Din l-applikazzjoni saret neċessarja għaliex ma nistgħux nippermettu aktar teħid tal-bajjiet pubbliċi minn interessi privati,” qal kelliem għall-Moviment Graffitti. “Bħalissa, hemm applikazzjoni tal-ippjanar pendenti għal moll tad-dgħajjes privati sabiex jiġi installat eżatt fin-nofs ta’ din iż-żona tal-għawm popolari.” Din hija referenza għall-applikazzjoni tal-Fortina Group, li ġiet riċentement irrifjutata iżda li hija soġġetta għal deċiżjoni nhar it-2 ta’ Marzu. Il-Fortina Group huwa l-istess grupp li għandu kontroll prattikament sħiħ tax-xatt tas-Sliema u li ngħata l-monopolju fuq is-sistema tat-trasport bil-luzzu f’Kemmuna. Il-Fortina issa qed tipprova tikseb aktar kontroll taż-żoni tal-għawm.”
“Dan it-teħid sistematiku tal-ispazji pubbliċi huwa inaċċettabbli u għandu jieqaf. It-trasport bid-dgħajjes m’għandux ikun permess f’żoni tal-għawm u fil-viċin tal-għawwiema, u l-pubbliku m’għandux jiġi relegat għall-għawm f’irkejjen żgħar. Il-Fortina għandha ssib alternattiva u tressaq il-moll għat-turisti tagħha f’post iktar xieraq u tħalli lill-pubbliku jeżerċita d-dritt tiegħu li jgawdi l-baħar.
Sadanittant, se nistennew id-deċiżjoni finali tal-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar fuq dan il-każ, u ninnutaw li din id-deċiżjoni ġiet misterjożament posposta għal perjodu twil. Nittamaw li din mhijiex mossa maħsuba biex tippermetti xi lobbying minn wara l-kwinti, u nħeġġu lill-pubbliku sabiex jibqa’ attent għal kwalunkwe żvilupp fiż-żona,” qal il-grupp fi stqarrija, filwaqt li żied li ma għandu ebda intenzjoni juża s-sit tal-Balluta għal inizjattivi kummerċjali jew ta’ ġbir ta’ fondi ta’ ebda tip.
