Reserved parking for tourists 'unfair to Maltese'

Exempting tourists staying in Sliema from the controversial residents' parking scheme discriminated against other visitors but especially the Maltese, according to the man who is challenging the scheme in court.

Joseph Borg said Tourism Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco's proposal to allow tourists staying in Sliema and using a hired car to benefit from the precious residents' parking bays was unfair.

Mr Borg said the authorities had delayed tackling the parking problem, despite the knowledge that Malta was one of the most densely populated countries. On Monday, Mr Borg and his wife filed a judicial protest against Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, Transport Minister Austin Gatt and the Malta Transport Authority (ADT), saying the schemes for which 19 localities have been given the green light were discriminatory.

In Sliema the scheme has turned out to be the most controversial. When introduced it will translate into 50 per cent of parking spaces being reserved for residents throughout the town's 117 streets. The initiative was met with a chorus of disapproval, the first to complain being business owners and hoteliers.

Dr de Marco's suggestion has not gone down too well with the Sliema Residents Association either. Member Adrian Gatt described the proposal as "slightly unfair" because it would give tourists residing in Sliema an advantage over the Maltese.

However, he insisted the lack of parking in Sliema was a symptom of other problems of overdevelopment, among other things. Tackling the symptom was not going to solve the problem, Mr Gatt said.

When contacted, Sliema mayor Nikki Dimech said the council had not yet been officially approached by Dr de Marco's secretariat over the scheme and would be discussing it in the coming weeks.