Fr Patrick Magro celebrated his 46th birthday yesterday but the biggest gift the Jesuit provincial received did not come wrapped in colourful paper.
On the contrary, it came in the form of a news report that the government had dropped plans for a shooting range next to a retreat house run by the Jesuits in Mosta.
“It was the best ever present,” Fr Magro said, elated after fronting opposition to the shooting range at Il-Busbesija for the past two months.
The area situated next to the Mount St Joseph retreat house had been included in a call for expressions of interest issued by the government in 2013 for redevelopment of historical buildings.
The shooting range proposal was one of 28 put forward by private operators for the site at Il-Busbesija, which houses World War II military barracks. It was the government’s preferred choice.
However, The Sunday Times of Malta yesterday revealed the government shot down the plans since U Group, the Russian company behind the shooting range proposal, failed the due diligence test.
In a statement yesterday the company said it had not been informed of any decision taken by the government. The company pointed out that no government representative had ever asked for clarifications on its submission.
It has made many people, including me, very happy
“U Group would be very surprised if any decisions or issues were communicated to the media by the government but not to the investors,” a spokesman said.
The Sunday Times of Malta said the government was expected to move on to the second proposal, a retreat home with agritourism activities.
The Jesuits had argued the shooting range would have undermined the serenity offered by Mount St Joseph, which last year hosted more than 9,000 visitors. Mosta residents supported the cause and last week set up a front to oppose the shooting range. The controversy had taken a sinister twist when Fr Magro had received an envelope with a bullet inside it and a note warning the Jesuits to drop their opposition or face the consequences.
Describing the shooting range as “the worst possible choice”, Fr Magro said the noise would have shattered the tranquillity of the area.
But there was no hint of the recriminations yesterday as Fr Magro recounted how his mobile phone had not stopped ringing after supporters of the cause read the newspaper.
“After two months of fighting the project, it is very good to learn the government has dropped its plans. It has made many people, including me, very happy.”
Fr Magro said he had no information on the second project proposed for the area, which is an outside development zone.
“Our objections for the shooting range were primarily linked to the noise it would have generated but we are not against development of the site as long as it respects the surroundings and is not detrimental to the environment,” Fr Magro said.
kurt.sansone@timesofmalta.com