Residents fume as Senglea trees are damaged
Residents and activists who successfully opposed plans to remove the trees at Senglea Waterfront have expressed disappointment over damage caused by trenching works.
The works were so close to the trees that their roots were exposed to sea water, sliced through and covered in cement.
The NGO Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar wondered if the trees would be able to withstand next winter’s gales.
The Grand Harbour Regeneration Corporation said the damage could not be avoided because the trenching works had to be carried out according to strict road and pavement levels.
A GHRC horticultural expert acknowledged the stress to the trees but said ficus nitida and the tamarix were “very tough species”. He said the trees were planted on reclaimed land and had their roots in saline water for 60 years.
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Shaun Anthony Camilleri
Feb 25th, 20:37
They wanted to eliminate them and they have done it. What people want does not matter.
joe micallef
Feb 25th, 18:47
No No do not call for the architect sacking as it will signal thoughts the authorities are ignorant of what has taken place!
The issue is the usual who is to blame?
No one is as the end result, if any investigation is taken in hand, sums up with difficulties cropped upon on site that had to be corrected there and then not to hinder the progress-L-aqwa qtugh iz-zigarella!
Vincent Mercieca
Feb 25th, 17:23
If I were the government I would sack the architect and planner who had this bright idea.
Victor Pulis
Feb 25th, 16:25
Road planners have this obsession to narrow roads, obliterate parking spaces and destroy trees. This is happeneing all over the island. What insensate reasoning drives them to such madness is beyond me. They must have a reason crazy as it may to be causing this disaster.
Victor Pulis
Feb 25th, 15:54
The pavements have been widened enough to accomodate a helipad! Some car owners of garages now have to drive on the pavements to reach the road. The road has been narrowed in places to almost a single lane. This is madness of the first degree and doesn't make any sense.
Victor Pulis
Feb 25th, 15:46
That was the plan all along. damage the roots, let the trees die and then 'reluctantly' remove them. Another problem connected with this hair brained project is the elimination of much needed parking bays in Senglea. Many car owners in this part of the city live in stepped streets and have nowhere else to park their cars. But the bulldozer keeps on rolling over everyone. Arrogance rules
John Zammit Ph.D.
Feb 25th, 15:45
Don't remove these trees as they are the best shade against the Summer hot Sun which make it the best place to stay in Summer to get a bit fresh when it is very hot.
Alfred Clottin
Feb 25th, 15:27
shame they should have built temp encloser to protect them as for the sea water roots have already worked themself into the salty water they been there for ages. Progress nicer sidewalk
Sabrina Borda
Feb 25th, 14:22
This is not progress, it is the exact opposit.
Alfred Fenech
Feb 25th, 14:39
So what do you expect.. Smoke is in our eyes.
Sabrina Borda
Feb 25th, 18:36
I just expected progress not regress.
The way things have been going in regard to trees (amongst other things)on this island is simply unacceptable.
Ivan Scicluna
Feb 25th, 13:00
Is-soltu mentalita' tal-kuntratturi hawn Malta - Ejja nghagglu kemm jista' jkun, l-aqwa li niehdu c-cheque u ha nfittxu mmorru l'hemm!!
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Feb 25th, 12:26
As they say, when there is a will, there is a way. This case is so typical of GonziPN reasoning - pretend you are doing something when in actual fact you will either the opposite or do nothing.
Grezzju Mejlaq
Feb 25th, 15:31
Mela Gonzi qed jaqta it trinek issa wkoll! Kif bilfors tridu iddahlu il politika f'kollox! Issa la jkun hemm il Labour fil gvern tghid li it tort tal kuntratturi u il haddiema hux veru Sur Camilleri! Imma anka bhalissa tapplika l istess haga. Il pajjiz ma huwiex cappa blue kif qed tpinguh intom, bil PN responsabli ta kull bas*a li jaghmlu dipartimenti u haddiema tal gvern. Ikbru ftit!
david debattista
Feb 25th, 11:33
Take them to court and give them a nice fine .
Marc Storace
Feb 25th, 11:10
I guess some idiots would prefer to cut them all down and sell the island as an over-built dusty rock rather than cultivate it to a jewel of history embedded in green splendour surrounded by majestic blue skies and a radiant blue sea.
Jahassra kemm ghad hawn injoranza fid-dinja ! :-(
Joseph Borg
Feb 25th, 11:03
Come on, stop this nonsense. I don't think Senglea residents prefer trees rather than proper pavements and roads. It's nice to have both but some roots have to be sacrified in order to work. This has nothing to do with politics. It's just common sense. NGOs should be aware of all this.
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Feb 25th, 12:28
Seems like you want to ignore the residents' wishes. They have made very clear that they want the trees - and you can have both proper pavements and the trees, but some odd reason someone wants to cut down those trees.
Mary Ann Borg
Feb 25th, 14:22
Andrew Camilleri..... have you asked to learn the wishes of the people living opposite two huge gas tanks the size of the Mosta dome? I guess not.
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Feb 25th, 14:40
Mary Ann - your question does not make sense - where exatly are these gas tanks? I haven't seen them. And did you not say that this project is pie in the sky - seems like you are worried about pie in the sky, just like chicken licken.
Victor Pulis
Feb 25th, 16:29
Joseph Borg. The residents had proper pavements and a road which just needed resurfacing. Now the road has been narrowed to almost a single lane in places and the pavements have been ridiculously widened. There was no sane reason to destroy the trees in the process. It's anything but common sense.
Mario Bonnici
Feb 25th, 10:31
Xorta taghhom ghaddiet ghax raw kif ghamlu u qerduhom! Tista' mux tipprotesta. Dal pajjiz donna sirna allergici ghas-sigar. Kull fejn sar progett inqerdu kollha. Insemmi bhala ezempju t-triq ta' Hal Luqa li taghti ghall-ajruport.
Mr Victor G Mercieca
Feb 25th, 10:18
The tree destruction continues unabated & unsupervised mess !!! Where are MEPA Inspectors??
L. Thomas
Feb 25th, 10:56
Who cares about trees on these islands - hardly any!
Gillian Snook
Feb 25th, 11:50
re L Thomas. It's not usually the general public that is "anti trees" It's the people who are "looking after" the trees that don't seem to care.
M Vella
Feb 25th, 09:12
Shame and disgrace on whoever is responsible.
L. Thomas
Feb 25th, 10:58
Hardly anyone cares about the good old trees on the Maltese Islands.
Gordon Farrugia
Feb 25th, 08:56
its not just Senglea - am I missing something or the trees at the Birzebbugia promenade have been pruned to their very trunks??? - I saw this yesterday. I mean, is that a way to prune - they look disgraceful!!!!!!
Victor Laiviera
Feb 25th, 08:22
Another example of Government arrogance - what the people say and feel is not important. Hopefully, it will soon be over.
Stevo C
Feb 25th, 08:53
Imma kif kollox tort tal-gvern? Possibli mhux tort tal-kuntrattur? Qas li l-gvern / ministru joqghod baby sitter tal-kuntratturi!
iftah mohhok laiviera!
twanny borg
Feb 25th, 09:38
X'ghandu x'jaqsam il-gvern? Ghax ma nghidux li sirna poplu tost u hafna ma jaghmlux xogholhom sewwa minkejja imhalsa sewwa.
Victor Laiviera
Feb 25th, 12:47
Read and you will have your answer:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120929/local/senglea-trees-have-to-be-removed-for-road-alignment-ministry.438786
Peter Spiteri
Feb 25th, 13:06
Tahseb li l-arroganza ha tintemm jekk jitla il-P.L. Fil-gvern?!?! Mela qatt ma ghext tahtom?
Mary Ann Borg
Feb 25th, 14:23
Tajba Laiviera: ' What the people say and feel is not important' Does the 1981 general election result ring any bell to you?
Victor Laiviera
Feb 25th, 15:08
@ Mary Ann Borg
If you can go back 32 years to '81 you can easliy go back another 10 to '71 - when the PN tried to do EXACTLY the same thing.
Look it up.
Anthony Neil Pace
Feb 25th, 07:42
Just like they narrowed the road so much that the Pavements are as vast as municipal parks?
Stop Fooling around, you don't know what on Earth you are doing.
D Borg
Feb 25th, 09:24
Mr. Pace
Could not have expressed it any better myself - fully agree!
A Farrugia
Feb 25th, 10:25
Ezatt bil kemm hallew kemm jaghdi coach, il- bankini gew kbar izzejjed, jidher li hemm xi djar li ghandhom il bankina fiha tul iktar milli ghandhom tul gewwa. Bla sens dik il bankina enormi u triq imbaghad bil kemm kemm jaghdi coach ( ghandi dubji kbar ehh kemm ikun jista jaghmila specjalment lejn l-ahhar ta trieq )
Rod Enderby
Feb 25th, 11:23
What is kept quiet mr Pace is that inn return for any European road money. the roads have to be narrower !
R. Cilia
Feb 25th, 13:55
Iwessaw il-bankini u jdejjqu n-nies!
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