Sliema’s MPs and Townsquare

Lino Briguglio, Professor of Economics, Director, Islands and Small States Institute, 

University of Malta

Times of Malta - Sunday 28 August 2016 

The following MPs received the highest number of votes on the 10th electoral district (which includes Sliema) at the 2013 general elections: George Pullicino, Robert Arrigo and Francis Zammit Dimech for the Nationalist Party, and Manwel Mallia, Michael Falzon and Evarist Bartolo for the Labour Party.

Given the support they received from the Sliema people, one expects that these MPs stand up for the interests of their constituents. I am sure they are aware that the Sliema people are extremely worried about the proposed Townsquare high-rise building.

There are a number of reasons for this concern, including the extreme inconvenience that will be caused to residents, over many years, during the excavation and construction phase; the uglification of the Sliema skyline; the increase in traffic that will be generated in a highly congested area; and the heavy shadows the tower will cast on the Qui-si-Sana coastal area.

I wish to ask these honourable gentlemen whether they are in favour of such a development, and if not, may I take the liberty to suggest that they should express their views on this matter, primarily in Parliament, and also in the newspapers and the social media.