Qui-Si-Sana residents feel abandoned by PN

Qui-Si-Sana residents spelt out their anger yesterday at what they called an attempt by the government and Sliema Nationalist councillors to push ahead with the development of a car park complex against their will.

On Thursday, the six PN councillors at the Sliema local council voted for a motion supporting the project, a move deemed by the remaining three councillors - two Labour and one Alternattiva Demokratika - as well as residents present for the meeting, as a reversal of a previous motion passed some time ago against the project.

The residents' association - set up specifically to deal with this sticky issue - held a meeting for the residents at the Preluna Hotel yesterday to discuss this development.

A press release expressing "disgust" at the way the Nationalist councillors had acted was deemed too tame by the residents who approved an amendment which extended the condemnation to cover the Prime Minister, the ministers and all MPs from the district for abandoning them.

The original motion said that the committee, in the name of the residents, was "disgusted" at the resolution passed by the Nationalist councillors in favour of the car park complex at Qui-Si-Sana.

"Don't come knocking on our doors for votes PN or we will kick you out," a resident shouted to loud applause from the rest of the audience.

The development brief which originally contemplated a car park was eventually turned into a complex with several commercial outlets. The residents are seeing the development as a part of a "secret" plan to shift the town and commercial centres to the peaceful Qui-Si-Sana area, which is next door to the Tigné point development.

The residents yesterday called for legal action, something which the committee will be consulting with their legal advisor. Moreover, a demonstration in Qui-Si-Sana and possibly in front of the PM's office at the Auberge de Castille may be in the pipeline for the coming weeks.