Today, St. George’s Basilica, cultural societies like Soċjetà Filarmonika La Stella and il-Ħaġar museum (Belt Victoria Foundation), joined forces with activists from Moviment Graffitti, Għawdix, Din l-Art Ħelwa – Għawdex and Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar for a Press Conference in St. George’s Square in Rabat, Gozo to speak up against the tables and chairs land grab in the square. Present at this Press Conference were also a number of newly elected councillors of the Rabat Local Council, members of St. George’s parish and residents — all of whom are fed up with the rampant abuse by commercial establishments that have completely taken over the square.

The Archpriest of St. George’s Basilica, Can. Joseph Curmi, a prominent face at the Press Conference, has long been vocal about how the square has been turned into a maze of tables, chairs, tents and other structures put outside by the establishments. The various attempts at dialogue with the responsible authorities, including the Lands Authority, the Malta Tourism Authority, and the Planning Authority, have led to nowhere because the authorities keep shrugging off responsibility. Enforcement is virtually non-existent.

The situation in St. George’s Square has deteriorated to the point that all four entrances to it are blocked, and access to the square is becoming increasingly difficult. The sight of the square — which was pedestrianized to be enjoyed by the people — completely occupied by tables, chairs and tents, is provoking anger in people because it has come to symbolise the triumph of commercial interests over people and the community.

Beyond the issue of the lack of safe public access to the square, the abuse that is being allowed to go unchecked in St. George’s Square is also disrupting weddings, funerals and celebration of the local feast. The Archbishop stressed that it is unacceptable that public land is being abused in this way while citizens who want to organise weddings and funerals are being forced to obtain a permit for the removal of the tables and chairs — and often still ending up having to navigate the numerous obstacles in the square on the day of the wedding or funeral. The Soċjetà Filarmonika La Stella had also appealed to the authorities to maintain order and rein in on the abuse in the square so that the local feast celebration is not disrupted, but the authorities continue to shirk their duty.

Moviment Graffitti highlighted how the situation in St. George’s Square is symptomatic of the lack of balance between business interests and the rights of the people. The sight of our pavements, squares and streets taken over by tables and chairs has become all too common across Malta and Gozo. In a context where public land continues to be handed over to private interests at the expense of the common good, it is increasingly worrying how public spaces such as squares, pavements and streets are also becoming inaccessible to people to cater for business interests.

Factors such as the theft of public spaces, business interests being allowed to trample over the rights of residents, and the lack of action by the authorities led to groups of residents from Sliema, Valletta, Marsaxlokk, Cottonera, St. Paul’s Bay, Mellieħa, Marsaskala and now also Rabat, Gozo, to join forces in the “Il-Bankini taċ-Ċittadini” campaign to defend what is rightfully theirs and take back public spaces.

The residents, together with Moviment Graffitti and FAA, drafted a document with a number of demands and proposals aimed at addressing the take-up of public spaces from commercial establishments. The demands were sent to the Prime Minister and the Ministers responsible, but despite the Prime Minister’s recent declaration that the tables and chairs issue needs to be addressed, the residents are still waiting for an answer.

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Il-parroċċa ta’ San Ġorġ, għaqdiet kulturali, attivisti u residenti jingħaqdu flimkien f’għajta waħda kontra t-teħid tal-ispazju pubbliku

Illum, il-Bażilika ta’ San Ġorġ, għaqdiet kulturali fosthom is-Soċjetà Filarmonika La Stella u l-mużew Il-Ħaġar (Fondazzjoni Belt Victoria), flimkien mal-attivisti tal-Moviment Graffitti, Għawdix, Din l-Art Ħelwa – Għawdex u Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar iltaqgħu fi Pjazza San Ġorġ fir-Rabat, Għawdex għal Konferenza Stampa dwar is-serq tal-ispazju pubbliku fi Pjazza San Ġorġ. Preżenti għal din il-Konferenza Stampa kien hemm ukoll għadd ta’ kunsilliera li għadhom kemm ġew eletti fil-Kunsill Lokali tar-Rabat, membri tal-parroċċa ta’ San Ġorġ u residenti, li lkoll jinsabu mxebbgħin mill-mod kif l-istabbilimenti kummerċjali kkapparraw għalkollox il-pjazza.

L-Arċipriet tal-Bażilika ta’ San Ġorġ, il-Kan. Joseph Curmi, li kien wiċċ prominenti f’din il-Konferenza Stampa, ilu għal dawn l-aħħar snin jilmenta li Pjazza San Ġorġ spiċċat maħnuqa għalkollox mill-imwejjed, siġġijiet, tined u strutturi oħra tal-istabbilimenti. Id-diversi tentattivi ta’ djalogu mal-awtoritajiet responsabbli, fosthom l-Awtorità tal-Artijiet, l-Awtorità Maltija għat-Turiżmu, u l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar, ma wasslu mkien għax l-awtoritajiet ma jridux jerfgħu r-responsabbiltà tagħhom u l-infurzar huwa prattikament ineżistenti.

Is-sitwazzjoni fi Pjazza San Ġorġ hija tant gravi li l-erba’ daħliet għaliha huma kollha imblokkati, u l-aċċess għall-pjazza qed isir dejjem aktar diffiċli. Ix-xena tal-pjazza, li kienet ġiet pedonalizzata sabiex titgawda min-nies, maħnuqa bl-imwejjed, siġġijiet u tined qed tqanqal ir-rabja fin-nies għax hija xempju ta’ kif l-interessi kummerċjali tħallew jieħdu prijorità assoluta fuq l-interessi tan-nies u tal-komunità.

Lil hinn min-nuqqas ta’ aċċess bla xkiel u sigur għall-pjazza, l-abbuż li qed jitħalla jirrenja fi Pjazza San Ġorġ qed jagħmilha wkoll impossibbli biex tiġijiet, funerali u attivitajiet marbuta mal-festa jkunu jistgħu jsiru. L-Arċipriet saħaq li mhuwiex aċċettabbli li art pubblika qed titħalla tinħataf b’mod abbużiv u ċ-ċttadini jridu jiksbu permess biex għal tieġ jew funeral – u xorta waħda jkollhom jaffaċċjaw labirint ta’ mwejjed u siġġijiet dakinhar tat-tieġ jew funeral. Is-Soċjetà Filarmonika La Stella mhux l-ewwel darba wkoll li appellat lill-awtoritajiet biex jikkontrollaw l-abbuż u jżommu l-ordni fil-pjazza sabiex il-festa tkun tista’ tiġi ċċelebrata bla xkiel, iżda l-awtoritajiet jibqgħu ma jiħdux azzjoni.

Il-Moviment Graffitti saħqu li dak li qed jiġri fi Pjazza San Ġorġ huwa sintomatiku tan-nuqqas totali ta’ bilanċ bejn il-kummerċ u l-poplu. Il-bankini, il-pjazez u t-toroq tagħna maħnuqa bl-imwejjed u s-siġġijiet saru xena komuni madwar Malta u Għawdex. F’kuntest fejn art pubblika qed tkompli tingħata lill-privat għad-detriment tal-poplu, huwa inkwetanti kif l-ispazji pubbliċi bħal pjazez, bankini, u toroq pedonali qed jispiċċaw inaċċessibbli għan-nies ukoll sabiex ikomplu jiġu sodisfatti l-interessi kummerċjali.

Il-kummerċ bla rażan, il-ħtif tal-ispazji pubbliċi, u n-nuqqas ta’ azzjoni mill-awtoritajiet wasslu biex gruppi ta’ residenti minn Tas-Sliema, il-Belt Valletta, Marsaxlokk, il-Kottonera, San Pawl il-Baħar, il-Mellieħa, Wied il-Għajn, u issa wkoll ir-Rabat, Għawdex, ingħaqdu flimkien fil-kampanja “Il-Bankini taċ-Ċittadini” sabiex jiddefendu dak li hu tagħhom bi dritt u jieħdu lura l-ispazji pubbliċi.

Ir-residenti, flimkien mal-Moviment Graffitti u l-FAA, fasslu dokument b’għadd ta’ talbiet u proposti sabiex is-serq tal-ispazji pubbliċi mill-istabbilimenti kummerċjali jiġi indirizzat u kkontrollat bis-serjetà. It-talbiet intbagħtu lill-Prim Ministru u lill-Ministri responsabbli, iżda minkejja li l-Prim Ministru riċentament stqarr li din hija problema li jeħtieġ tiġi indirizzata, s’issa r-residenti għadhom qed jistennew risposta.