Stanley Fenech, Andrew Grech, Naxxar
Competition and the old trade fair grounds
Sandra Mizzi, in her letter Trade Fair Competition (March 11), commented about the need to have more than one venue to host fairs.
In any democratic country, a monopolistic situation tends to have many negative repercussions on the public as well as the economy as a whole. Although the current site in Ta' Qali is being used to host fairs, it cannot be classified as monopolistic. The author is perfectly right when it comes to the need to have more than one national fair venue but today, larger companies have adopted this fair concept, realising that people no longer wait for a fair to avail themselves of better deals. So open weeks and discounted prices have now become common practice. Other venues are also organising specialised fairs.
Nostalgia for the Naxxar grounds is fine, but the old Naxxar Trade Fair grounds simply happen to be the wrong alternative venue of choice. This is namely so because on July 11, 2006, Mepa issued its Approved Central Malta Local Plan, which was also endorsed by the Minister for Rural Affairs and the Environment on August 3, 2006. Here it clearly states that fairs are no longer allowed in the Old Trade Fair Grounds at Naxxar, indicating various reasons, and thus Ta' Qali was earmarked as the new venue. In addition to the Central Malta Local Plan (in the Naxxar sections), there is also the North West Local Plan - Approved Ta' Qali Action Plan, which was approved by the Mepa Board on June 20, 2006 and endorsed by the minister on August 2, 2006. These may be viewed in their entirety on the Mepa website.
There also happens to be no trading licence tied to the grounds themselves. This was made public knowledge by the newly formed company intending to set up shop in the old Naxxar trade fair grounds in a meeting with the exhibitors on February 12 (also reported in this newspaper). Therefore, according to the trading laws, one cannot even operate from there! What is even more of concern is that should this new company get its way, it stated in this very newspaper that it intends "housing all-year-round conferences and festivals during the summer and winter months, moreover attaining the approach that the grounds may be used for business, charity and political opportunities".
With regards to Naxxar residents, we wish to believe that Mepa will abide by its approved and endorsed plans and that what we were promised in 2006, holds.
We hope to have clarified any misconceptions and we wish those involved all the best in finding an alternative site, thus not depriving us of pluralistic activities and the right of choice. Let the law and common sense prevail in this decision.
The undersigned are the administrators of the Facebook group: We do not want the trade fair back at Naxxar.
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D.Dalli
Mar 16th 2010, 15:39
Do not infer this letter on all Naxxar residents. it is the ones who live very close by to the trade fair that have issues (and some of them genuine, others plainly Nimby attitude)
S. Fenech
Mar 16th 2010, 20:00
For your information, we both live close to the Trade Fair Grounds, and that was our catalyst to start this. However, a mistake you are making in your comment is that through the petition we are circulating we have signatures from various parts of the village, being close and slightly further to the Trade Fair Grounds. To put you in the picture, how far is Labour Avenue from the Trade Fair? However, ask residents from there and in most of the cases that give you the same concerns as those on St. Paul's Street a few meters away from the fair, because during most fairs they are hit almost in the same way being the same artery that leads to the fair grounds. However, your main mistake is yet another one. The new company does not have the necessary permits to organise fairs there. So those with "Nimbly attitude" to quote you does not mean that they are not affected but are most probably the ones who will start complaining when it is too late.
Andrew Grech
Mar 16th 2010, 21:17
We last spoke on the 11/02/10. Are you from Naxxar or do you want to get to Naxxar? In your last posts you said that “where I live I do have my own ‘headached’ because of 1000s of people EVERYDAY coming for a stroll”...and you had later picked on my ‘Mayor’!!
To get to the centre of the village and thus to the old Trade Fair grounds, one can pass through several routes and trust me, if all roads lead to Rome, the same can be said here and so directly or not, all our back yards are effected, some more than others.
As mentioned from day 1, there is an Approved Mepa Local Plan...and we are basing our arguments around such facts and once agin, unless you have a vested interest to pass such comments it would be best not to pass such futile remarks.
The lung of Naxxar is still going strong.
M. Attard
Mar 16th 2010, 10:34
I really wonder when people who miss their outings at the Trade Fair Grounds realise the serious issues and concerns to us residents behind our objections. We are not against Fairs and moreover TFEA Ltd. but we are against having any activities held in our back gardens especially when there are policies black on white confirming that the growth in residents and traffic is a draw back for Trade Fair to operate again. I hope we won't get to read another letter sinilar to Sandra's again in a few weeks as after three months it is becoming quite frustrating now.