The government’s plan to create two floating islands to serve as beach extensions – one in Marsalforn and another in Marsascala – has not attracted much interest, Times of Malta is informed.
While not a single offer was submitted for the tender issued by the Gozo Ministry to build and manage a floating island at the area known as Banju tas-Sorijiet, in Marsalforn, a Tourism Ministry tender for a similar structure in St Thomas Bay, Marsascala, attracted just one offer.
Sources close to Projects Malta – the government entity entrusted with administering these tenders – said they were surprised by the lack of interest in this project.
The sources added that although the government believed this would be an attractive public private partnership it turned out not to be the case.
When contacted, a Gozitan businessman said that although he was initially interested, he later discovered that the Gozo Ministry was planning some works in the same area where the tender was issued for.
“The idea was a good one but it seems it was not well planned. When we were asking about the area, we found out that the ministry was planning infrastructural works in the same spot and at the same time as we were going to have the floating island. This didn’t make sense,” he said.
The tender concerning Marsascala also had its problems.
The idea was a good one but it seems it was not well planned
Although this tender specified that the investors would be allowed to organise private commercial activities for the public after closing hours, an amendment was introduced during the tendering process stipulating these events would require the local council’s blessing. According to another interested businessman, this new requirement “sounded alarm bells” as there was no guarantee that the council would give its green light for commercial activities.
The aim was to have two temporary islands – better known as modular floating systems – to increase the size and accessibility of beaches and bays across the coastline.
The winning bidders were to be given a 10-year concession by the government and were expected to invest some €100,000 in the temporary structure.
No kiosks were to be permitted on these islands and access to the public would be free during the day.
The government was planning to have these two new facilities up and running this summer. However, due to the lack of interest it now seems the project will be reconsidered.
A spokesman for Projects Malta said that the government will now evaluate the only offer made and will take it from there. It is not being excluded that a new call for other similar projects will be issued in the future.