The Mellieħa local council is shortly expected to raise the issue of a cable car project between Mellieħa Bay and the town with the Parliamentary Secretary for Local Councils, Local Government Minister Owen Bonnici told Opposition MP Robert Cutajar in Parliament on Tuesday.

Mr Cuatjar, who is from Mellieħa, said that in view of the huge expense involved in the project, he would much rather see attention dedicated to the bay itself and its natural surroundings.

Answering other questions by Mr Cutajar, this time on the restoration of Fort Campbell near Selmun, Dr Bonnici said restoring the fort was estimated to cost in the region of €1.2 million. On the idea of a public-private partnership he said he was wary of turning over historic forts permanently to NGOs, which sometimes entered guardianship deals but sought to fall back on government resources when maintenance bills soared.