The deputy mayor of St Julian’s has accused Malta’s 2018 Eurovision representative Christabelle of inconsistency in her mental health activism after she filed a planning application to add more floors to a hotel in Mellieħa.

“Singing about mental health and raising awareness about it is all well and good, but the environment plays a crucial part in our mental health too,” Albert Buttigieg told Lovin Malta. “I believe that people should be consistent and that if you want to raise awareness on mental health, you must sustain it too. At this rate of exaggerated development, we’re going to end up having to go on holiday abroad simply to enjoy some fresh air and open spaces.”

The Times of Malta reported today that V&C Developments have applied for an additional three floors to the Panorama Hotel in Mellieħa, a move that would see the hotel shoot up to eight storeys high.

Christabelle, who represented Malta at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest with ‘Taboo’, a song about mental health, is listed as the applicant on behalf of the development company whose director, Vincent Borg, is her father.

Buttigieg urged other towns not to follow in St Julian’s footsteps, warning that parts of his hometown have been rendered “mini-favelas” as a result of overdevelopment and overpopulation.

“If approved, the Mellieħa hotel extension will damage the skyline and people will no longer be able to see the parish church from Għadira,” he said. “Also, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, and the approval of this application risks setting a precedent for future developments.”

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Tim Diacono

Tim is interested in the rapid evolution of human society and is passionate about justice, human rights and cutting-edge political debates. You can follow him on Instagram or Twitter/X at @timdiacono or reach out to him at [email protected]