Alexander Pace Gouder, PRO Balluta Residents Association, St Julians
Common sense has prevailed on Balluta
We have, through this newspaper and various other means of communication, objected to and shown our disapproval of the proposal by the St Julians local council to build a car park under Balluta Square.
It is now the moment for all the members of the Balluta Residents' Association/Save Balluta Square Group, and on behalf of the commercial establishments on and by the square and the majority of Balluta residents, to thank the mayor, Peter Bonello, and all the council members for accepting the will of the Balluta residents and as promised withdraw this project. We appreciate that this has been a hard step to take for the council but common sense has prevailed.
Our thanks also go to all those who have worked to bring about this positive result. Our association is ready to lend full support to the council in all that will be brought up in the future for the good and benefit of all St Julians and mainly for our area Balluta.
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Peter Gatt
Dec 13th 2009, 23:21
Ms Dimech Portelli & J Farrugia,
My apologies for mixing up the surnames!!
Ms Dimech Portelli, precisely my point. An elected council/ government and what not, does not make its elected members above all of its constituency. Public consultation is a useful tool to get to know what the voters/local residents etc want and need. The man in the street is the one with the most tangible ideas. Consequently, that is why I couldn’t agree more with the existence of residents’ associations and other pressure group, as these, in many instances, have no political motivation and are able to see an issue from a different perspective.
We all have the right to complain and criticise, however in the most constructive way.
Merry Christmas
Rita Dimech Portelli
Dec 12th 2009, 17:40
Peter Gatt. First, kindly get the names right.
I do my duty and go to vote, and therefore I have a right to complain if I find I need to. I have a right to voice my opinion like you do. This is what democracy is all about. If you like, go yourself to CHINA.
Peter Gatt
Dec 11th 2009, 21:14
Ms Dimech Farrugia & J Portelli, I take it from your writing that both of you enjoy dictatorship. Dictators just carry on with what they have decided no matter what. The public have to abide to these decisions by hook or by crook
In my opinion, St Julian’s Local Council is on the contrary quite democratic. Obviously for the council/governing body to bring out a proposal for public consultation there must first be a common consensus or approval by its members. Once they see that the public fully objects to the idea and propose better alternatives, than they act accordingly.
Those who are calling for the council members to resign….well I tell them….why don’t you go and live in Cina or in another country ruled by dictators. I am sure that eventually these people will put a bit of sense in their minds.
My congratulations to the associations of the area who defended their cause. Sliema too has such an association. I advice communication and cooperation between the various associations which share a common vision. The strength is in numbers.
Apart form a website, SRA also has a facebook account which one can access from SRA’s home page.
J Farrugia
Dec 11th 2009, 16:54
The syndrome has won once more. So I expect the resignation of all local councillors including the Mayor and his deputy. since they are not worthy to hold such high office. The people have let you down.
Rita Dimech Portelli
Dec 11th 2009, 15:50
I personally say no thanks at all should be given to any members of the council. It should not have happened in the first place, without consulting the people first and foremost. I for one, would like to know who started this business with the carpoark in the first place, and how come ALL the council members approved it before anyone else had seen the plans. Funny, isn't it that at some ppoint , when asked, the Prime Minister said there were no plans for a carpark, but the council had everything arranged already. I am sure our Prime MInister was not lying. Someone else must have been.
alexandra may pace
Dec 11th 2009, 10:51
Its true common sense prevailed and bless him Mr Peter Bonello saw the the light.The only thing I wish to draw attention is a point which needs clarification, by the Mayor and the council who in the latest edition of the magazine ' LEHEN IL-KUNSILL TIEGHEK issue no 33' state and I quote in Maltese ' IL-kunsill Lokali ta'San Giljan waqqaf ghal kollox il-progett tal car-park kif propost mill-MEPA fill Bajja tal-Balluta', Now Mepa strongly denied, in a statement published in all the papers, that it never proposed Balluta Bay square as a potential car park site. Who is saying the truth? Can anyone please clarify.
ADRIAN GATT
Dec 11th 2009, 09:32
The Sliema Residents Association would like to congratulate the Balluta Residents Association for fighting for what they believe is right for the residents, with the backing of the residents themselves. This clearly shows that when residents unite, positive results can be achieved. It is beneficial for residents to join such residents associations because number gives them strength and a voice. Apart form this we suggest that residents associations contact each other to create a bigger support network. Anyone wishing to contact the SRA please do so on info@sra.org.mt and visit our website www.sra.org.mt