Watch: ‘In It To Win It’ – Abela Speaks Out On Manoel Island Park ‘Dream’
Prime Minister Robert Abela said he is determined to fulfil his “dream” of converting Manoel Island into a national park but pledged not to fork out millions of public funds in compensation to the developers.
Abela spoke on ONE following two meetings on the Manoel Island project – one with petitioners calling for the area to be turned into a national park, and another with individual bondholders who had invested their savings in the project.
“My dream is to bring Manoel Island back to the people,” he said.
“I understand how strong the public sentiment is in this regard, and it is my dream too. However, unlike others, I won’t say it’s a dream that cannot be fulfilled. When I get into something, I get into it to win it for the people of Malta.”
Abela said that while he is committed to “doing everything possible” to turn Manoel Island into a national park, he wants to treat the issue carefully, sensitively and with concrete action, and not in a “populist manner”.
“I told the petitioners that their fight is my fight, because I really believe in their cause. However, I don’t want to get into a fight for the people without winning it together.”
“I know there can never be absolute certainty but I want this to be done carefully, without the issue going down a never-ending legal labyrinth.”
He said that a review of the concession, which was handed to MIDI in 2000, is underway and hinted that there could be developments in the coming hours.
However, he reiterated that the government has no intention of compensating the developers to scrap the Manoel Island project.
“Public taxes won’t be used to compensate speculators who have already got enough from Tigne Point,” he said.
“However, I believe that if we work carefully, it can become a national park.”