Revamped back in the early 2000s, the historic Vittoriosa waterfront is a magnet for tourists and residents.
Upon entering the marina, one comes face to face with a row of canons along either side of the pavement, part of a display of the Malta Maritime Museum, providing the entrance a feeling of grandeur.
Seated at one of the restaurants across the marina, it is hard to not admire the sea views and spot one or two superyachts berthed in the creek.
Yet, the feeling of grandiosity is being eclipsed by the cracks in the pavement, broken tiles, missing benches, and potholes in the road.
Vittoriosa residents have raised concerns about these small yet growing problems, and are left puzzled as to who to report the damages to.
One resident who spoke to Times of Malta said it was a ‘ping-pong game’ of one entity sending him to another when he flagged his concerns about the deterioration of the waterfront.
When he reached out to the Grand Harbour Marina, he was told it is not their responsibility, a similar reply he received from the local council, which left him in the dark as to who was to take care of the deteriorating state of the area.
“It’s all well and good that we now have works at the Sally Port promenade project, but my question is who will maintain and fix the waterfront?” he asked.
“This is a beautiful marina in a historic area, where we find superyachts in the harbour and people frequenting the restaurants, and yet it is going to the dogs.”
Who is responsible for the waterfront?
The answer is not so simple, as different institutions manage different parts of the waterfront.
Vittoriosa mayor John Boxall said that the council is responsible simply for the cleansing of the road. He said the Grand Harbour Marina is responsible for the maintenance of the area.
This is a beautiful marina in a historic area, yet it is going to the dogs
“There are a number of agreements, and more than one consortium that takes care of the marina, agreements that we are not involved in.
“The council takes care of the road leading to the bridge (to Fort St Angelo) and cleansing; any cracked pavements or missing benches are not our responsibility,” said Boxall.
A spokesperson from Transport Malta shot down claims that it is responsible for the area.
“The upkeep and maintenance of Birgu Marina Waterfront does not fall under Transport Malta’s remit,” she said.
The Cottonera Waterfront Group, which takes care of property sales and leasing at the marina, said it is a public area and should fall under the direct responsibility of the central government.
The Lands Authority, on the other hand confirmed that the site falls under the responsibility of the Grand Harbour Marina/Port Cottonera Ltd.
The poor state of the Vittoriosa Waterfront.‘We are only responsible for water space’
Replying to questions, the Grand Harbour Marina said that it simply manages the water area, which covers all the pontoons, mooring and the yachts berthed in the marina.
“The waterfront is not within our responsibility, yet with the help of others, especially the local council and the restaurants, we do our best to keep the area tidy,” general manager Gordon Vassallo said.
He pointed out that the area faces problems such as littering, as many leave behind takeaway boxes, scraps of food or bottles and cans.
“While we do our bit when it comes to cleansing, items like broken tiles or pavements are beyond us and it’s not our property.”
Vassallo also pointed out that the unfinished Casino di Venezia project shares a great part of the responsibility for the declining state of the area.
“Unfortunately, more than being an eyesore right in the middle of the waterfront, this abandoned construction site conveys an image of uncleanliness to the whole area.
“As long as we keep having construction trucks, we’ll continue having pavement damage, broken tiles and tons of dust.”