Parking spaces in Qawra (3)

Allow me to thank Kevin J. Drake, director communications and PR of the Malta Tourism Authority (May 23) for attempting to clarify the number of parking spaces, temporary or otherwise, lost to make way for the aquarium project at Ta’ Fra Ben in Qawra.

Mr Drake, or whoever instructed him to challenge my figures of 340 lost spaces plus, demonstrates that they are very unfamiliar with the facilities offered over many years in this area.

In 1999, the then mayor of St Paul’s Bay realised that the 90 or so parking spaces available at Ta’ Fra Ben were insufficient to handle the influx of visitors created by the building of the promenade, especially when there are events taking place in the area. Therefore, the parking facilities were extended to include the adjoining area. Road signs stating “Public free car park (250 spaces)” were installed on the promenade pavement all the way from the Gillieru area to the actual car park itself to advertise this facility.

One might now claim that these spaces were created without the necessary permits. However, for the past 13 years they have served the area well and were always packed, especially over the weekends and when any events took place in the area.

Mr Drake might want to be so kind as to investigate and explain whether any “traffic impact assessments” were concluded to see to the parking needs of the Qawra/Buġibba locality and also that of the St Paul’s Bay area where there was a loss of a substantial number of spaces as a result of the building of the new promenade and which, again, led to a shortage of spaces and caused uproar among residents and visitors alike, which will only escalate in summer.

Also, why did the authority fail to provide a temporary car park during the work on the aquarium so as to alleviate the hardship being caused to the local residents, tourists and the business fraternity in the area?

Furthermore, this “competent authority” should also explain whether any of its enforcement field officers were deployedin order to make sure that the licensed maximum number of persons allowed at the Amazonia (1,100 pax according to the MTA and to the hotel website) function was not exceeded. This especially in view of the fact that the organiser stated publicly on TVAM (DVD of this programme in hand) that the police issued him with a permit for 3,500 pax.

I wonder whether any of these authorities allowed the conditions of the MTA licence to be ignored or broke the law?