Justice Minister Owen Bonnici is expected to discuss public access to the foreshore at Manoel Island with the Midi consortium, the Times of Malta has learnt.

The meeting is expected to be held in the coming days and will also be attended by Attorney General Peter Grech.

This information was communicated by a spokesman for Joseph Muscat when he was asked for the Prime Minister’s reaction to the Manoel Island saga. The government “is not turning a blind eye” to the situation, the spokesman said, noting it was tied to an agreement reached in 2000 with Midi.

“Justice Minister Owen Bonnici and the Attorney General will be urgently meeting Midi in the coming days to discuss the situation relating to the accessibility of Manoel Island foreshore for the public,” the spokesman said.

He insisted safeguarding the foreshore was a government priority in any new investment, such as the American University of Malta, where the foreshore would remain open for public access.

In a Facebook post this week, Jason Micallef, chairman of V18 and a former general secretary of the Labour Party, criticised the government’s “silence” on the matter. He insisted that Gżira’s Labour mayor, Conrad Borg Manché, should not be left alone to battle the consortium.

The Justice Minister and the Attorney General will meet Midi urgently in the coming days to discuss accessibility of the foreshore for the public

Mr Borg Manché has insisted the contract through which Midi was given a concession on land at Tigné Point and Manoel Island excluded the foreshore and guaranteed public access to it.

However, the consortium has fenced off Manoel Island and installed gates that prevented people from enjoying the foreshore and other designated public areas.

The Gżira council filed a judicial protest last week and, later, activists from Kamp Emerġenza Ambjent, a coalition of green groups, forced their way through the wire fence, opening access to the foreshore.

Last Sunday, scores of people could be seen swimming, fishing and strolling around Manoel Island as they enjoyed the open space denied them for 16 years.

The company hit back, describing the action as “a break in” and threatened legal action. It also blamed activists for vandalism. The accusations were flatly denied by the mayor, who said side gates to the fort were purposely left open by the company, and any vandalism had long been there.

A clean up of Manoel Island is planned for today and the mayor has warned the consortium that the event would turn into a protest if Midi did not allow public access.

kurt.sansone@timesofmalta.com