Xemxija marina decision

Victor Farrugia's letter (August 1) cum conveniently angled photo, of the deep inner part of the Xemxija bay in St Paul's (i.e. on the left of the existing pier), must surely rank as the biggest attempt at reader obfuscation this summer.

He is arguing against the correct Malta Maritime Authority decision (Socrates: "Wise indeed is he who changes his mind"!) to withdraw its decision of having a yacht marina at Xemxija at the originally designated part which effectively touched the undoubtedly existing and fully operative swimmers' zone to the right of the pier, viz. what is known as the Barracuda's area.

If what Mr Farrugia wants is the proper organisation for small boats of the, yes, shambles, that exists in the way far too many boats are berthed to the left of the pier, i.e. in the inner part of Xemxija (say something along the lines of what has been admirably done in Buġibba near the Gillieru), then yes, have it by all means, even if it would mean that some would lose out on anchorings that they have haphazardly had there for many years.

But, I repeat, do so for boats of below a certain size, not for the big, bilgeing types of yachts that one finds in the Msida, Ta' Xbiex, Vittoriosa, and Gozo marinas which, everyone knows - and even the MMA accepts - render swimmers' areas into no-go areas, and this for the distinct elitist pleasures of probably well-to-dos (both Maltese and foreign) who provide kudos to vested interests, like e.g. the yachting industry.

In this area of St Paul's Bay it is common parlance among many people that the inner part of the sea there became the boat jungle that it now is when a now deceased personality, who used to regularly gravitate near the Xemxija area, had assumed total, and totally unauthorised, control of who would throw down permanent anchor for his small boats there (even payments were at times mentioned for such malfeasance). But Mr Farrugia needs to be clear about what he wants to be done, and spell it out... and then face the music from many common citizens!

Next time Mr Farruigia writes about this subject he needs to be much, much more precise... otherwise his appeals for "capitalising on investments made", "attracting foreign capital", "other interests", etc, will only reveal themselves for what they might probably be, clear manifestations that is of "others' interests". Our only interest is, on the other hand, quite clear, that of simple family people, with not much resources of their own, who only expect to be allowed to continue enjoying their simple swims and leisure in this swimming area.