MLP plans to put recreational areas under management

A future Labour government would put recreational areas such as Kennedy Grove under management to ensure they were well maintained, Labour leader Alfred Sant said yesterday. This would be done in conjunction with local councils while NGOs that expressed their willingness to cooperate would be welcome.

Dr Sant said the Kennedy Grove area had for long suffered from problems that had not been addressed at all with the result that the area was in a mess.

He recalled that in 1994 Minister Francis Zammit Dimech had announced a project to make Kennedy Grove a recreational spot also offering facilities for tourists. It was meant to include a "water park".

A year later the government had announced it was installing a new drainage pumping station at Kennedy Grove to end the problem of drainage overflowing in the Salina area.

In 2005 Minister George Pullicino had announced an afforestation project for Kennedy Grove which was intended to enlarge the area to five times its present size by the year 2007.

In reality the area was neglected with the ground still covered in mud, silt and weeds and with drainage seeping close to a spot where a sign read "No entry on the grass, picnic area".

He said the pumping station was either not functioning or was not functioning properly and nothing was being done to remedy the situation.

The government recently announced plans for a Salini Park with the first phase being afforestation in an area overlooking the grove. The second is an upgrade of the Kennedy Grove and the monument to John K. Kennedy and the third the restoration of the saltpans and an upgrade of the area.

Deputy MLP leader Charles Mangion was present but the other deputy leader, Michael Falzon, was attending the funeral of Nationalist Party candidate Albert Rizzo.

Dr Sant paid tribute to the memory of Mr Rizzo who, although an opponent of the MLP, deserved respect. He expressed solidarity with his family.