‘Accessibility is not a luxury’ - Momentum endorses ombudsman on pavements
Laws protecting public spaces exist but are not enforced, party says
Momentum has welcomed and endorsed a recent position paper by the office of ombudsman calling on the government to take immediate action to address the growing obstruction of public pavements, primarily by catering establishments.
In the paper, the ombudsman’s office criticised the “unchecked spread of tables, chairs, and related furniture in public areas,” calling it a serious and ongoing infringement on the rights of older persons, persons with disabilities, and families with young children.
In a statement, Momentum’s Katy Compagno said that while laws related to public access already existed, transparency and political will to enforce the law were lacking.
“While outdoor dining and vibrant public spaces can and should coexist with the right of every person to move freely, safely, and with dignity, economic activity should never come at the cost of excluding vulnerable members of society or breaching fundamental rights,” she said.
The party said the ombudsman’s proposals were in sync with its own proposals to open up Malta’s public spaces. These include full transparency by the Lands Authority on public land concessions, clear physical demarcation of permitted outdoor catering areas, stronger and direct enforcement powers for the Planning Authority, the ability to remove and confiscate illegally placed furniture, and properly resourced local enforcement backed by clear authority.
“Accessibility is not a luxury, and enforcement is not optional. Public space belongs to everyone, and it is the State’s responsibility to protect it,” Compagno said.
On Wednesday, Times of Malta reported that a contract to design a master plan of how chairs and tables should be laid out in Merchants Street and adjoining roads in Valletta has been awarded to an architecture firm for €24,000.
The contract was awarded to Doric Studio, a regular recipient of government contracts that, a year earlier, was facing legal action instituted by Infrastructure Malta over its failure to maintain a green wall of plants next to the Marsa-Ħamrun bypass.
Following the report, various NGOs and residents groups insisted they must be included as recognised stakeholders in shaping policy on tables and chairs outside catering establishments.