Dry berthing in Spinola Bay

I was born in St Julian's and have enjoyed boating around Spinola Bay practically all my life. Dozens of other boat owners have also enjoyed this pretty bay for centuries, as far back as the times of the Knights, who had built the loggias in 1688 for the use of the fishermen of St Julian's.

The government had assured the Spinola boat owners that dry berthing would be available, especially for those who have registered Malta Maritime Authority moorings in the bay. Former minister Francis Zammit Dimech and the MTA's Product and Planning Department, headed by Mario Attard, had given their word that we could still dry berth our boats in Spinola for winter maintenance. Minister George Pullicino and his project division chief had also confirmed that nothing was going to change before the last general election. All went well and last winter 80 boat owners and I dry berthed our boats as usual. Last spring the government and the local council revamped Spinola seafront with new paving, benches, and lighting.

All the boat owners co-operated and moved their boats to allow the works to take place without unnecessary hindrance to the contractors. Rusty trailers were removed and the place had a well needed facelift. A month ago a sign was erected in Spinola indicating that only wooden seacraft for registered fishermen may be dry berthed. There is a hefty fine for boat owners breaching the bye-law.

This is a radical change of policy. The hobby of around 50 boat owners who are not registered fishermen is under threat. Boat owners must now incur €1,500 a year to hire a crane and dry berth their boat in a yard. The boat owners who might not be able to pay for a crane and boat yard may be forced to sell their boat.

Maybe the government could assign an area for us to dry berth our boats so that we may continue to enjoy our hobby without added financial burden.