Watch: Mark Laurence Zammit Forced To Jostle Dining Tourists To Attend Grandmother’s Rabat Funeral
When Times of Malta journalist Mark Laurence Zammit attended his grandmother’s recent funeral in Rabat, Gozo he found himself in a surreal situation.
The funeral took place at St George’s Basilica, Victoria, her former parish. As the square in front of the church is pedestrianised, with cars only allowed in for weddings and funerals, Zammit and other mourners opted to get chauffeured to the church so as not to park far away and risk missing the coffin’s entrance.
However, restaurants had erected so many tables and chairs outside that cars were blocked from driving close to the church.
“To get out of the car, I had to strike the door against a group of tourists who were eating fish,” Zammit told Lovin Malta.
“I had to wave through them, with my bottom hitting the table and the fish. These poor tourists were surprised and didn’t know what to do. There I was in a suit, with everyone staring at me. In my opinion, it was shameful but this is what is happening unfortunately.”
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After the chaos at the funeral, St George parish Archpriest Joseph Curmi warned the situation has become “intolerable”.
“We have tried goodwill, dialogue and compromise. We have tried to meet the business owners personally. We tried talks lasting several months with the authorities including the police, Transport Malta, the Malta Tourism Authority, local councils and the Lands Authority. They all insist in one way or another that they hold no authority or involvement over St George Square,” he said.
“How can we continue to tolerate a situation where people have taken over government land and do what they like? How can we tolerate a situation where anyone who needs to hold a funeral or a wedding needs a permit to remove those who have occupied public land? How can we tolerate a situation where a funeral cortege enters the square to the sound of horns, with the mourners themselves needing to move sun shades and tables?”
Peppi Azzopardi, who attended the funeral and witnessed the chaos firsthand, recently spoke out against “exaggerated” encroachment of al fresco and said he often takes a stand by sitting down at an outdoor table without ordering anything and refusing to budge when ordered to do so.
Valletta residents are set to protest tomorrow morning against the “excessive” encroachment of tables, chairs and other structures in the capital city. The protest is being organised by the Residenti Beltin political group and is being supported by Moviment Graffitti.
Will you attend the protest tomorrow?
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