Vendor insists he sells ice-cream at St George's Bay

An ice-cream vendor is struggling to maintain his little space at St George's Bay, in St Julians, as it turns out he may not be able to sell the product once the bay embellishment is completed.

Carmelo Tanti, who has been selling ice-cream at St George's Bay for years and has a hawker's licence, yesterday morning parked his four-by-two-metre mobile kiosk on the street side opposite the beach and would not allow workers remove it to build a new pavement.

However, common sense prevailed and, after speaking to the workers, he conceded to move his kiosk, allowing them to build the pavement and then moving his kiosk back to the original spot once that part of the pavement was completed.

Mr Tanti claimed the spot where he parked his kiosk was the only area where he could operate and be 50 metres away from nearby competitors. When the new kiosk being built on the centre of St George's Bay - which will be operated by Intercontinental Hotel - is completed, Mr Tanti claims he might only be allowed to sell ice-creams from the spot he stood on yesterday, if at all.

Intercontinental Hotel has won the tender to develop a 600 square metre lido and restaurant on the right hand side of the bay and a kiosk in the middle, at a yearly lease of Lm33,300, paid partly to the Lands Department and partly to the Malta Tourism Authority.

Mr Tanti took over his father's ice-cream business 16 years ago. He said his father had been selling ice-cream there since the 1960s. He preferred not to comment at this stage when asked what he would do if he is not given permission to operate from St George's Bay anymore. Mr Tanti would only say he still had some hope because of an important upcoming meeting he had with the authorities about the matter.

Contacted yesterday, Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said Mr Tanti had asked to speak to him and that he would receive him as he always did whenever somebody asked to see him.

Asked whether Mr Tanti would effectively lose his place at St George's Bay, Dr Zammit Dimech said one had to consider various aspects of a hawker's licence and whether this would allow Mr Tanti to operate in the area.

One of the conditions is that a hawker may not operate within a 50-metre radius from direct competitors. One also had to see whether the vendor would present a traffic hazard, the minister said.

"One would have to evaluate other considerations, without prejudice to the right he may have to operate in some other venue," Dr Zammit Dimech said.

"I made it clear to the leaseholders operating the kiosk and the restaurant at St George's Bay that any existing rights in the area have to be respected," the minister added.

When questioned about Mr Tanti's case, Eden Leisure Group managing director Ian De Cesare, who also manages Intercontinental, said only those who had a legal permit to operate in the area could do so. He said the Eden Leisure Group was spending some Lm320,000 to develop the lido and "a trendy restaurant overlooking the sea".

Asked about persistent claims doing the rounds that St George's Bay was being given out to Eden Leisure Group after it was done up through public funds, Mr De Cesare said only a part of the beach would be used by guests of the hotel and the public against payment.

"The vast part of the beach will still be completely accessible to the pubic at no charge. Intercontinental Malta will offer sun beds and umbrellas to the public at a charge from the kiosk at the centre of the beach. The hotel will also build and maintain toilet facilities for the public and lifeguard facilities which will be managed by the MTA," he said.

Moreover, the MTA would be maintaining the beach with money paid by Intercontinental, Mr De Cesare said.

"The government should continue to encourage the private sector to invest in the running of beaches as long as this would ensure a quality service to the Maltese and tourists using them," Mr De Cesare added.

He said the lido and restaurant would be open by July 1.

Nature Trust Malta has protested at the government's decision to lease part of the beach and said public beaches should be both accessible freely and accessible without expenses to the public. In the case of St George's Bay, the NGO said a project with money coming from public coffers "will be accessible to the general public only against payment".