The owner of a bird park in Salina has been unable to get to his own park and adjacent home after Transport Malta officials blocked access due to road works in Kennedy Drive.
Mounting pressure, which has been accumulating ever since the road works cut off access to Kevin Mallia’s livelihood back in August, culminated in him being rushed to hospital on Friday evening after suffering a panic attack when he was unable to make his way back to the bird park.
“At the time I ventured out, there was no one to stop me but later on, I was literally unable to make my way back,” Mr Mallia told The Sunday Times of Malta.
I was utterly distraught. It was the last straw after mounting financial pressure
Policemen and Transport Malta officials told him they had orders to not allow anyone to pass through, Mr Mallia added.
He was unable to pass from Triq is-Salini, from the side road by Piscopo Gardens in Burmarrad as well as the t’Alla w’Ommu junction leading to Triq il-Burmarrad.
At the Coast Road, he spotted Transport Malta architects and had an intense argument.
On the advice of his lawyer, Mr Mallia headed to the Qawra police station to file a report and then passed out. An ambulance rushed him to hospital.
“I just flipped – I was utterly distraught. It was the last straw after mounting financial pressure. Since road works began in August, sales have declined by 90 per cent.”
When the Kennedy Drive road works kicked off in August, access to vehicles and pedestrians was closed off. Tourists, especially those coming from the direction of Buġibba and St Paul’s Bay, could not get to the bird park.
Visitors were told by workers to take a 5.6 kilometre detour.
It was only on October 21, after several meetings with contractors and architects involved in the project, that access was temporarily granted.
Last month, Mr Mallia filed a judicial protest against the Transport Ministry, Transport Malta and the Police Commissioner claiming damages he suffered as a result of the project. Just before Christmas, he had to sack his two full-timers.
The extensive advertising he had undertaken among Buġibba and Qawra hotels had been rendered completely futile because hotels no longer promoted the bird park due to the complaints they started receiving.
Yesterday, two signs were installed, stating that no entry was allowed accept to access the bird park.
“I don’t know what’s next. I still have to feed the birds,” he said.
“Luckily, I have some volunteers who have offered their help – I don’t know what would happen without them.
“I understand that the road works need to be carried out. But it has all been grossly mismanaged.
“Transport Malta needed a plan. Why is action only taken following arguments? It’s not the way to go about it.”