“Sidelined” Blata l-Bajda monti hawkers expect to be involved in the planned market relocation being discussed with Merchants Street traders, because they were “long ago due a move”.
“We have been left and forgotten here. It’s dead. No one visits this market. We were put here and supposed to move back to Valletta but never did. It’s not fair,” one veteran hawker who sets up his underwear and handbag stall near the Blata l-Bajda Park and Ride told the Times of Malta.
He was one of several Sunday monti hawkers to call on the government to relocate them to the capital yesterday.
“If there is talk of moving then we should definitely be moving too. There’s no point in being here, there’s no passing trade at all,” another hawker said.
It’s dead. No one visits this market. It’s not fair
Their calls for a move back to Valletta come as Valletta’s daily hawkers plan a relocation to the top of Merchants Street. Shop owners along the popular commercial street have strongly objected to the idea, insisting this would cause “serious harm” to their businesses.
The disagreement yesterday turned into a legal one as a group of shop owners on behalf of the Merchants' Street Business Community Association filed a request in court for an injunction to block the government from moving the stalls further up Merchants Street.
The government has denied rumours of the stalls being moved today, insisting negotiations with all stakeholders were ongoing.
Lawyer Edward Gatt, who represents the businesses together with Veronique Dalli, said that it was not clear whether the move would come tomorrow or later this week, as the government had simply said there was no move planned for Monday.
“Our clients have been in talks with the government over this issue. This injunction will ensure that it does not materialise in the short term before any agreement is reached,” Dr Gatt said, adding that a hearing on the matter would be held this afternoon.
It will in all likelihood, however, remain no more than a “precaution” as the relocation will not happen until after the festive season. A government spokesman last week told the Times of Malta that consultations with the interested parties would be lengthy and there would definitely be no solution found until after the New Year.
The relocation plan is the latest twist in the Valletta monti stall saga, which had last year seen hawkers destined for a move to the area outside the new Parliament building – plans which fell through after heavy public pressure.
The Floriana hawkers, on the other hand, have been calling for a move back to Valletta ever since they were moved out of St James Ditch, close to the new bus terminus, some six years ago.
The traders were then represented by the Monti Hawkers’ Association – an organisation which most hawkers said no longer served to represent them. “We don’t have anyone speaking on our behalf on this, but that doesn’t mean we should be ignored.
“We can’t stay here,” one hawker said as he urged shoppers passing his stall to try on his woolly hats.