Caravan owners clash with Mgarr residents
War of words: Caravan owners are at loggerheads with Mgarr residents and the local council. Photo: Jason Borg
A privately-owned part of Gnejna Bay which is used as a caravan site is causing friction between the owners of the mobile homes and residents of nearby Mgarr.
The issue revolves around a piece of land in the tranquil bay, which is transformed into a caravan site every summer, much to the disgruntlement of the council, which cannot shift the caravans since the land is privately owned.
"You are causing a lot of frustration for Mgarr residents," mayor Paul Vella told two of the caravan owners yesterday morning.
But Pauline Deguara, one of the caravan owners, was quick to produce a letter permitting her to park her caravan in the area. She claimed it was signed by one of the owners of the land who did not ask for anything in return.
However, Nationalist MEP hopeful Alan Deidun, who yesterday held a press conference to highlight the problem in the area, was quick to point out that the letter had no value.
"You need to apply for a change in the use of the land from agricultural to a caravan site," he said.
Earlier, Dr Deidun said the entire bay was privately owned through a 200-year-old contract, but the owners had not paid much attention to the area in recent years. He was critical of the caravans' land use, which multiply during the summer, saying they had even built walls around their caravans.
Gary Cauchi, a father-of-two, said: "I do not want the government to give me any water or electricity - simply a piece of land where I can come with my wife and children, and I am willing to pay to use it."
One of the council's qualms is that the caravans are taking over an area which could be used for parking by people who go to the beach. When asked whether this would also be an infringement since the land was privately owned, the mayor argued that visitors left by the evening.
He also claimed that caravan owners had at times driven people away, something that was vehemently denied by Ms Deguara and Mr Cauchi. They also denied littering the area.
"We try to keep it as clean as possible because at the end of the day we want to enjoy it," Mr Cauchi said.
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B Sant
May 10th 2009, 21:18
who has got the guts to drive them out will get my vote
M.SPITERI
May 10th 2009, 21:04
Dr Deidun, what is your position on the Armier illegal shanty town? Let me remind you that that public land is stolen from us all. Do you also put the votes before your principles?
LGalea
May 10th 2009, 17:40
Get them all out.
The sea from any place in Malta is not more than a couple of minutes away so there is no excuse to allow these tents and caravans with all the sewage and dirt that they cause.
Marlene Vella
May 10th 2009, 14:19
Precisely. I'm an Mġarr resident and spent many happy days throughout my childhood at Ġnejna Bay, but nowadays when I visit Malta I never go to Ġnejna Bay anymore, I go to Il-Mixquqa instead, thanking god for that flight of stairs that keeps these eye sores away. Parking and illegal change of use is just one of the issues. Access to the bay itself is already a nightmare. Its not just caravans, mushrooming tents and shanty structures everywhere shamelessly enroaching on the beach and sand itself. It's just an accident waiting to happen, sleeping with a gas tank a metre away from their heads! Imbasta bid-dixx tas-satellita' u l-'villeġġjatura'. And where do they dispose of their toilet waste? Same goes to those seen washing their food utensils in the sea (!) including near the boathouses. I am sure Alan Deidun is aware Ġnejna forms part of the Marine Protected Area from Rdum Majjiesa to Ras ir-Raħeb. Ġnejna has a respectable record in bathing water quality and should be managed to Blue Flag status and improved for leisure and touristic purposes. Best wishes to the bay users and the Mayor.
Peter Aquilina
May 10th 2009, 13:33
Not only that caravan owners/ users should not be allowed to occupy ( limited) ground at such an area, but authorities concerned should have taken action and do away with those ( illegally built!? ) shabby and ghastly "boathouses" along the bay's waterline.
The same should be applied to those "gabubi" and "snack bars" whose owners were somewhat allowed to encroach over such land !!!