The Salini, including the marshland and saltpans, will be rehabilitated in three phases transforming them into a tourist, cultural and historical attraction, Rural Affairs and Environment Minister George Pullicino said yesterday.

The first phase, which will be inaugurated later this week, deals with afforestation. So far, 11,000 trees have been planted over a 45,000 square metre area.

The second phase will involve the restoration of Kennedy Grove and the memorial to John F. Kennedy. The play area for children will be upgraded.

An application by a number of private partners and NGOs has been made with LIFE+ of the EU for €700,000 (Lm300,510) to help restore the marshland. Apart from conserving the marshland and the plants that grow in the salty water, the project envisages the setting up of a bird observatory.

The third phase will deal with the restoration of the saltpans in order to resume the production of salt on a commercial basis. This phase is expected to cost about €10 million (Lm4.3 million) with the government intending to obtain financing from the Rural Development Fund of the EU and the Interreg Programme.

The project will take in the restoration of the timber sheds where salt was stored. A visitors' centre will be housed in one of the sheds.

Another idea being contemplated is a road linking the junction at Triq t'Alla w'Ommu and the Buġibba junction.