NGOs urge Abela to step in over Manoel Island padel courts<\/p>\n
NGOs Moviment Graffitti and Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, who are behind the “Manoel Island: Post Għalina” campaign, have called on Prime Minister Robert Abela to intervene after the Planning Authority recommended sanctioning 20 illegally built padel courts on Manoel Island, and approved another 10 over an area containing archaeological remains.<\/p>\n
In a statement, the NGOs accused the Planning Authority of undermining the government’s stated vision for Manoel Island, after the authority recommended the sanctioning of 20 illegally built padel courts on the island and the addition of 10 more.<\/p>\n
The NGOs said that the recommendation was published “in a record timeframe,” only two days after the public objection period closed, during which 186 objections were submitted.<\/p>\n
According to the statement, the recommendation contradicts the government’s recently announced vision of turning Manoel Island into a public park.<\/p>\n
The campaign said the padel courts are being developed by businessman Sharlon Pace, president of Gżira’s football club, who it said had acknowledged having “a personal business interest” in promoting padel courts.<\/p>\n
While the campaign reiterated its support for the Gżira football community being provided with an appropriate space for sporting activities, it argued that a commercial padel complex does not align with the wider vision for Manoel Island as a national park.<\/p>\n
“A for-profit padel complex is not the football ground the Gżira community has been asking for, and nor is it compatible with this vision of Manoel Island as a national park,” the statement said.<\/p>\n
The campaign also criticised the Planning Authority’s conduct, describing it as “shameful and embarrassing for government,” particularly as the recommendation coincided with a public consultation exercise led by Project Green on the future of three public parks, including Manoel Island.<\/p>\n
The NGOs said that both Project Green’s consultation exercise and the campaign’s own consultation reflected public support for “a non-commercial space built on a holistic vision.”<\/p>\n
The campaign questioned whether Planning Minister Clint Camilleri, Lands Minister Owen Bonnici and Planning Authority CEO Johann Buttigieg would allow the vision for the island to be undermined.<\/p>\n
The statement also criticised what it described as “farcical” public consultation exercises if “friends of friends are allowed concessions at the public’s expense.”<\/p>\n
The campaign claimed the proposed sanctioning would involve a payment of around €900 despite what the damage caused to archaeological remains in the area.<\/p>\n
The NGOs said that archaeological remains dating back to the classical period are documented in the zone where the courts were built.<\/p>\n
The campaign also criticised the role of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, saying it appeared unconcerned about the illegal works and had only requested archaeological monitoring for future interventions.<\/p>\n
The NGOs referred to previous remarks by Prime Minister Abela in which he said that the government’s vision for Manoel Island aligned with that of the campaign and the almost 30,000 signatories supporting its petition.<\/p>\n
However, the NGOs argued that the authorities’ actions “seem to be humming a different tune.”<\/p>\n
The NGOs called on the Prime Minister and Planning Minister Clint Camilleri to intervene and “rectify the damage” being caused both to the site, and to the government’s credibility regarding its promise to turn Manoel Island into a park for the public.<\/p>\n