The good old days of Naxxar trade fairs

S. Fenech

Mar 24th 2010, 21:03

!!!!
what does this have to do with us residents?

S. Fenech

Mar 18th 2010, 16:07

If that was the case, take note of the following:
the same people who manged the fairs in 2007 when the fairs were relocated to Ta' Qali are the same persons who now hold the shares of TFEA Ltd. and want to get back to Naxxar.

So if someone pulled those strings it must have been the same people who are trying to pull some other strings to get back were they were up till three years ago.

Andrew Grech

Mar 18th 2010, 16:17

Could be but I would hate to think that Mepa could swope so low! However I doubt it because amongst other reasons, if I recall a traffic impact study had been conducted and it showed that the Naxxar venue was no longer siutable.

TFEA Ltd, who are trying to operate from Naxxar were part of the old Trade Fair Association and so it would be mud in their face!!

Extracts from Ta' Qali Action Plan;
13.21 Trade Fairs and other activities have been held over a period of time at Ta’ Qali because of the suitable open space for the erection of tents and stands on the former runway area. Adequate parking is also available nearby.
13.27 Over recent years the increased activities related to the Malta International Trade Fair have rendered the Naxxar Fair Grounds unsuitable for the purpose. These grounds are today fully utilised with no space left for growth and expansion. The inability of the existing halls and open areas in Naxxar to adapt to modern fair needs, as they were not originally designed for multi-purpose use, further exacerbates the problem.

Coming back to Naxxar will definitely not solve anything.

S. Fenech

Mar 18th 2010, 14:05

We residents from Naxxar are asking for confirmation. It was MEPA that objected in the first place back in 2006, and the ministry approved. The Trading Office did not issue the permits because it cannot as it is bound law.

Mr. Dalli, weren't you the one with headaches, complaining about the buildings being built close to your home in earlier posts? The same person who said that you have to bare the burden of traffic going to Ta' Qali? Is yours an issue where, since you have your problems with other venues you just want to see others in the same situation?

We all go to restaurants, and enjoy a meal out. But if a restaurant were to be open under your house what would you say? And that is just a restaurant.

It is very strange for someone who doesn't even live at Naxxar and stated that doesn't have any personal interest in the Trade Fair issue, to always try to reduce our comments to a mere NIMBY attitude. While we still have the possibility to stop this on legal grounds, yes we are duty bound to state our concerns.

Andrew Grech - Naxxar resident lliving in very close proximity t

Mar 18th 2010, 14:49

The last two lines reveal your identity once again. Apart from the fact that your reference to “qniezah” shows how disrespectful you are, you once again refer to scare-mongering tactics such as a “concrete jungle” and then dive into “speculate on property”. If you have a direct interest, play by the books please!

The building restrictions are available on the Mepa website. NA02, extracts 1.3, 3.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, etc...(These should help you and also other Naxxar residents understand what would be allowed, i.e. if ever anyone decides to build considering the over-saturated property market). This could give us many more years of breathing space. Do you really think that if Scicluna Estates gets the desired price it will not sell? Undoubtfully, sometime in the future this site will be built up but until then, its fresh air and no to illegal Fairs to fill the void.

We are not indicating “where to open a fair” but standing by what Mepa promised us. It is a matter of sticking up for our rights. Now if you have not succeeded in doing so along your seaside promenade, please don’t go throwing dirt in other people’s yards.

D.Dalli

Mar 18th 2010, 14:51

S.Fenech

RE> weren't you the one with headaches, complaining about the buildings being built close to your home in earlier posts? The same person who said that you have to bare the burden of traffic going to Ta' Qali?

Simply, No to the above 2 inventions of yours.

Are you on the other hand, one of those intent on creating a fortune (not you of course, your family members...) with property speculation is Naxxar fair area? Creating countless trucks,
digging, families, cars, polution, flats etc...

S. Fenech

Mar 18th 2010, 15:17

@ D. Dalli: Simply, No to the above 2 inventions of yours.

The following is a comment you posted on the 9th of February:

"Before you think I am doing any sort of town killing here. I have my equal share of burdon where I live..."

As for my family speculating in Naxxar fair area, I just have to say that we live there. So stop insitgating anything. We have been following your comments on this issue for quite some time.

You were the one to comment on the highrise, but failed to mention that the application for the highrise in 2004 was the cathalist for the original amendments in the policy plans. You were the one who mentioned the only remaining lung in the Naxxar village, but failed to mention that the policy plan also has a 15 page appendix indicating that the footprint of the trade fair grounds has to be retained, and the constraint on the heights are limited to 5 stories including the penthouses only on a small section of the area.

Shall I continue and try to indicate who has the right reasons for this to stop.

D.Dalli

Mar 18th 2010, 15:29

S.Fenech

Which exactly proves no point of yours. Who does not live in a town which has its own problems? Did you think I lived on the moon like some Naxxar residents seem to think. But I have no headaches or want to push any of my problems onto others as you (amusingly) seem to imply.

As for the others...nobody answers a simple basic fact I have been saying...no one is saying where to put this and that, as long as not in our backyard, right? Well....No powerstation etc....then.

As for having been following me, Ms. Fenech, you have been following nothing, as you have learn't nothing and continue to insist on trivial matters rather than the real issues of those few who really have problems with a fair at naxxar. And that is illegal parking, and traffic arrangements.

NIMBY will get you no where, as much as it got the Marsaxlokk, Marsascala, Sliema, Bugibba, Marsa, B'Bugia, Gudja residents anywhere. What will get you somewhere is dialogue to reduce any inconvenience....like, I repeat (Ms. Fenech) other people have other problems in their localities.

Concrete jungles are not acceptable anymore in this tiny island.

S. Fenech

Mar 18th 2010, 15:48

@ D. Dalli:

you did not even get my sex right. I am a Mr not a Ms ;-p

As for being NIMBY, forget it. We have had the fairs for more than 50 years. We had to accept it as it was. As for illegal parking I had that on my property, on my drive, blocking me from getting in my home with my wife pregnant with my youngest son.

As I said, Sliema residents were shut up by the authorities. The same holds for the Marsaxlokk, Marsascala, Sliema, Bugibba, Marsa, B'Bugia, Gudja residents. For us residents at Naxxar, no one shut our mouths as yet. Until then, we are going to insist that unless the permits are issued (and according to the policy plans MEPA stated that it is not going to allow any fairs to be organised there) we are not going to shut our mouths.

If you do not mind such activity at your locality, why not ask TFEA Ltd to open shop right beside your property. Then we'll see who shall be in the hot seat.

Andrew Grech

Mar 18th 2010, 15:49

Whatever!!!!

Just to answer your question since you seem not to have understood anything about this case -
We accept that the site could one day be built up (whether we like it or not).
We do NOT accept TFEA Ltd breaking the law so as to hold Fairs when Mepa does not allow it and the place has no permits.

it is not a matter of NIMBY. I am against concrete jungles, wherever they are built but if I have a valid reason to complain I go directly to Mepa and do not make a case against an individual or two who are speaking up against a potential illegal activity.

The subject matter here is the 'return of the Trade Fair to Naxxar in an illegal and abusive manner' and not 'a concrete jungle' speculation.

Good day

D.Dalli

Mar 18th 2010, 16:33

S.Fenech

As stated by you, then, The real problem for those few people living around the fair, is nothing more than illegal parking. And you want to let a whole area, a hamlet, be built up, destroying one of the few lungs around Malta, just because some people decide to abusively park as they like? No Sir, that is not a good enough reason as there are remedies for that.

Don't verge on the hysterical now, nobody is shuting you up as much as anybody is going to shut me up, though, this does not mean that this thing is going away. Dialogue is the only answer - outright NO's are not acceptable in modern societies.

PS. If as you state other localities were shut up, and assuming they were not, i'd like to see how you would live today - in caverns around a fire, cooking rats for food and swimming in excrement and bones. At least be faithful to proper arguments.

S. Fenech

Mar 18th 2010, 18:19

I do not want to shut you up, but it seems that you have shut your eyes to whatever we had been saying. We are not against development, as long as it is legal even fairs had the permits been issued. But no, these have not yet been issued.

We are presuming that up to three years ago, it was legal to hold fairs at Naxxar, although with the latest statements from TFEA Ltd itself, the fact that no Trading License was ever found for these ground, such premise is also losing ground. A year before the relocation of the fairs, MEPA stated outright that Naxxar is not adequate to hold fairs. It is not us residents who stated this, but MEPA's experts. We were just glad that they did. We were promised that MEPA was not going to permit any more fairs to be held at Naxxar.

As residents, we cannot see how this could have changed in the past three years, when one considers that since then, more residences were built in the surrounding areas increasing the parking problem which was already present back then even more.

D.Dalli

Mar 18th 2010, 18:41

S.Fenech

Could be my eyes are closed. That's because I am tired and lost in this argument. I promise I am not understanding what your problem is then (based on your arguments). If it is parking or traffic arrangements - it is one thing, if it is an outright NO we do not want the fair here, plain and simple, it is another.

I don't understand what MEPA is saying about the fair being in Naxxar where it was always ok to be there - what changed? Someone said no? Do you know how many policy changes happen at Mepa. Mepa has been in the limelight these past 10 years for all the wrong reasons and for all the wrong policies. Why do you think all the controversy about MEPA and the prime minister having mepa answering directly to him?
I am not saying it is right or wrong - but one needs to find the true reason why - its not like we dont have the Bahrija case shaming Mepa. Mepa is not infallible. However once built up there is no going back - it would be spoilt for ever. Using the place will help avoid justthat.

Andrew Grech

Mar 18th 2010, 21:20

You said it all with your comment;
“not understanding what the problem is”...the fact is we realised this all along.
“I don't understand what MEPA is saying about the fair being in Naxxar where it was always ok to be there - what changed?”...ha ha!

Just as we Naxxar residents have ‘enjoyed’ the open space for the past two and a half years; the lung of Naxxar will be stronger for many more years to come whilst in the meantime we both know that the belching of fumes created by the extra 124,000 annual cars who would otherwise be passing through our village core will not happen.

That’s what I call a win-win situation. Simple. A win for Naxxar residents and a win for the open space. A loss for the unscrupulous TFEA Ltd...the truth hurts. In life it pays to do things honestly and abide by the law.

Good night D Dalli.

D.Dalli

Mar 18th 2010, 23:23

Dear Naxxuri Andrew Grech

You might have noticed I was completely ignoring your haha, yahoos, wee hees etc.. because I remember quite well from months ago in a similar but different article that you really are not one who reasons things out beyond the yahoos, hahas and calling me taliban.

You are so contradictory in your article - you mention all Naxxurin when its not all of the, You mentioned 100K cars (once a year, the others are small fairs) but you fail to say that once that mini town is built - then there going to be (by time) thousands of cars belching fumes every day and every night of the year.

Your presumed win is short lived and temporary, but I don't expect you to understand much, if your interests are much further to what you are claiming.

S. Fenech

Mar 19th 2010, 08:56

First of all, Andrew's interests are the same as mine and for other residents like us who happen to live just meters away from the fair grounds. Secondly, you said that you were ignoring our haha, yahoos etc, but on the 8th February you were the one who tried to make fun of our comments for words such as gravity. Then you picked up, and continued to pick up on Andrew because he is not familiar with the Naxxar dialect. Does it make a Naxxuri less Naxxari because he was not familiar with our dialect? A BIG NO.

We are not contradictory in our article, because with all the people we are talking to, only few expresses lack of concern (and not approval) for the project. You mentioned the 100K cars and rightly so, but you are not indicating that the new company intends to organise not only fairs, but festivals, concerts, conferences and whatever comes at hand. Are we contradicting ourselves when we say that these numbers are projected to increase at least twifold? Or you were not aware that TFEA Ltd. intends to organise Festivals and concerts too?

S. Fenech

Mar 19th 2010, 08:57

cont...


As for the development, if you were actually following the discussion about the trade fairs since it started, we are considering the environment on a broader level than what you are trying to picture it. MEPA stated back in 2006 that Naxxar was not appropriate to hold fairs, following a traffic impact study and it was then that an exercise was done to find an alternative site to organise fairs.

We just do not want another Bahrija saga here on our doorstep. That is where this is heading, because the same people who managed the fairs when they were relocated to Ta' Qali, are the same people who are now sole shareholders of TFEA Ltd. and want to start afresh here at Naxxar for reasons that do not really concern us residents.

Andrew Grech

Mar 19th 2010, 10:09

Go tell your fairy tales to Mepa & the Trading Office whilst trying in vain to get a licence or permit.

Stop kidding yourself. Regards to the rest.

Enjoy the long weekend...it's green in Ta' Qali! It's quite over here.

ta ta

D.Dalli

Mar 19th 2010, 10:17

S.Fenech

Your facts emerage as:

The problem is not with all Naxxar but with those within immediate vecinity of the perimeter of the grounds.
The large fairs are a problem (in parking) but the smaller ones are not as much. The frequency is not an issue unless they are a large as the July one. But there still are solutions.
Some people's problem are that they outright do not want a fair but a min town for their personal gain - you cannot argue with this - some people are speculators and would love to become ultra rich at the expense of Naxxar.

The solution (not the only one) could be to build an underground+maybe 2 story overground car park at the front (or back of the fair) and give free parking with every ticket of the fair (free per modo di dire-it will be included within) that will drastically reduce pressure on you about bad parking. There are other that can be done, but with 200 word limit its really not possible. But the way forward should be dialogue and reducing GENUINE problems to residents and not to DESTROY that lung with building it.

Andrew Grech

Mar 19th 2010, 10:43

Its QUIET over here.

S. Fenech

Mar 19th 2010, 11:14

Agreed, but do note that the perimeter of the fair grounds is not as small as many believe. The fair grounds reach out to the Naxxar village core where one finds St. Lucy Street down to the Guze Muscat Street.

Although your suggestions are valid, it is important to state that TFEA Ltd. wanted to start operating as of last February. Do you really believe that an underground parking (about 4 to 5 stories) can be built on the stretch of land in front of the entrance in the time frame of the 5 year contract?

Moreover, that stretch of land is not owned by the TFEA Ltd, but partly owned by the government and the TFEA (the association) which according to what was published on various articles is not actually in good terms with TFEA Ltd. with a number of court cases already filed. Do you think that until then, Naxxar residents should stay put while TFEA Ltd. gets rich on our inconveniences?

S. Fenech

Mar 19th 2010, 11:15

cont...

Also related to the above mentioned time frame, do you really believe TFEA Ltd. will invest in such a car park and give FREE access to visitors?

As for festivals, they are never small and attract large crowds and span more than weekends. Thus, from one big crowd attractor, we are now heading for multiple occasions where large crowds are directed to Naxxar. Now, you might start getting a better idea of what our real worries and concerns are.

Andrew Grech

Mar 19th 2010, 11:32

Funny how D Dalli wants the Fair back in Naxxar at any cost...even by building an underground car park. Will TFEA Ltd be forking out those few hundred thousand €’s? How many potential exhibitors have lost their trust in you?

Funny he does not attack Mepa re the future of the Naxxuri “LUNG” and its potential demise. The outline of the site has been available online for 3 odd years now!

Funny how he does not appreciate that for the time being, no Fair is better than any Fair thus saving the “LUNG” and remaining loyal to his environment theme.

Funny how he cannot understand that one day the area will unfortunately be built up but until then let’s keep the “LUNG” clean and free of any FAIRS.

You’re knocking on the wrong door.WE ARE AGAINST THE FAIRS RETURNING TO NAXXAR and this based on solid legal grounds.

Not that I expect you to agree because your agenda is different – you want the Fairs back. We are defending a Mepa Plan.

Ideally its no Fairs and no building. The first one is in the bag. We now rely on D Dalli to stop the building - we appreciate it.

D.Dalli

Mar 19th 2010, 12:11

S.Fenech

Iva, its not easy - however the Florian car park was dug on public land. It can be done in phases. And also, it would not be as such free but included in the price - but marketed as free for event goers - there is no such thing as free, even when given something "free" at supermarkets.
Such solution would have to be a long term one of course. Underground car parks are not built in 5 months. But at least there would be a solution in sight.

That was of course just an idea, there are others or more practical things that could be done. Like traffic diversions, roads (entry and Exit) where Naxxar residents could make use of only, during events. Law enforcement - Policemen/Wardens could be made to do frequent rounds (at expense for event organisers) to dish out fines and ensure towing, of badly parked cars. One can also do resident specific parking at times of events, one can also do like the blata l-bajda car park and mini vans to bring patrons to events. Many solutions with dialogue!

Andrew Grech, you should really learn some ethics from S.Fenech. S.Fenech-Good-day.

Andrew Grech

Mar 19th 2010, 23:45

How pathetic...trying to win sympathy by mentioning an underground car park, traffic diversions, police, the works, etc... Lot's of thought from someone who has nothing to do with bringing the Fairs back to Naxxar...Go figure!!

First you worry about development, then you mention a car park!!! Why??

So let's see...Mepa, architect, Mepa, engineers, Mepa, architect, Mepa, Local Council, land owners, Mepa, Scicluna Estates, Transport Malta, architect, Mepa, a few thousand €'s later....environment impact assessment, Mepa, year 2013, election...damn, Mepa, Scicluna Estates, Local Council and so on and on so forth...

2015: Mepa outright refuse the application, it gets contested but is lost on appeal (they do not budge one inch from their Local Plan of 2006)...

2015 - the "lung" still breathes strong!... (by his assertions, D Dalli would be happy because no development would have taken place) How ironic!

"Why don't you share your thoughts on your website or maybe with Mepa too (considering your trips to their offices for the permit) !!"

The Floriana car park accomodates 1,200 cars, can turn over 2,000 and will take 20yrs to make a good return whilst it took a few years to complete. Not to put you off but...