The University of Malta has apologised for the excessive pruning of olive trees at the university race track saying this was "a serious misjudgement" and promised that care would be taken in future to ensure such actions are “never repeated”.

The Times of Malta last Saturday carried a story on the matter after receiving reports from shocked readers.

In a statement this morning, the university expressed disappointment at the outcome and said it was looking into this serious matter in detail to determine whether further action should be taken.

The contractor told the Times of Malta on Monday that the trees had never been pruned and had suffered neglect which led to fungal infection. He claimed he had taken care to prune as little as possible.

It said the olive trees had grown inordinately high and the upper branches had dried up.

The university received complaints from the Gżira council which raised residents’ concerns about safety and security issues following burglaries in the area.

The residents suspected that the dense overgrowth of the trees could provide cover for unwelcome prying. There were also complaints about falling twigs, olives and leaves on cars parked below, it said.

The university said that in an effort to address these complaints and to rejuvenate the trees, it requested four quotations for the pruning and removal of debris.

The quotations were evaluated by the Precincts Office in line with procedures and the most favourable offer was chosen.

The contractor had previously done satisfactory pruning work on campus.

The service provider, it said, was meant to prune the trees in such a way as to limit their eventual height after regrowth and to strengthen them over the next two years.

Another 30 olive trees, the university said, would be planted in the same area at the appropriate time later on in the year.

Photo: Steve Zammit Lupi

NGO CALLS FOR ACTION AGAINST CONTRACTOR

during a press conference earlier this afternoon, environment NGO Flimkien Għal-Ambjent Aħjar, FAA, called on the University to take action against the contractor, saying he did not have the necessary skills to carry out the pruning.

FAA coordinator Astrid Vella said that not doing so would only result in similar incidents occurring in the future, adding that the association was seeking an explanation from the University as to why the oleanders that lined the track had also been removed and why builders’ gravel and debris was dumped around the trees.

Student organisation Youths for the Environment spokesperson Julia Farrugia said that a number of students had approached the organisation, expressing their disappointment.

“The students want to know why this was allowed to happen. If you look around, all you see is debris now. Is this pruning? It makes no sense and the students are disappointed,” she said.