Minister, GRTU to meet over bridge works

Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett is to meet representatives of the Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises - GRTU tomorrow to discuss the ongoing work on the Manwel Dimech bridge.

The chamber would like the two carriageways of the bridge to be kept open over the Christmas period.

It would also like the road underneath the bridge - Baltic Street - to be opened, it said during a press conference yesterday.

However, if both carriageways cannot be kept open, at least Baltic Street should be opened to traffic, the GRTU said.

When contacted, a spokesman for the Roads Ministry said it was improbable that work would stop to enable both carriageways to be open over the Christmas period.

The west deck of the bridge is being closed this week, with all traffic diverted to the other deck which has been completed.

In a statement sent before yesterday's press conference, the GRTU voiced its anger that the Roads Minister had not included it in discussions. GRTU general director Vince Farrugia said business in the Bay Street area and the entertainment community had suffered in the past year because half the bridge was closed.

The chamber believes that both Mr Mugliett and the Malta Transport Authority had abused businessmen's trust, who were under the impression that the project would be finished on time. Originally the bridge had to be completed by last September, but the first half of it has only just been finished.

It is still unclear when the second deck will be completed, with the contractor saying it will be done by May while the government is insisting that its deadline is the end of March.