Judicial protest against ADT 'unfounded' - GRTU

The Malta Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprise (GRTU) said that the judicial protest filed by St Julian's council against the Malta Transport Authority (ADT) was "unfounded".

Philip Fenech, president of the GRTU's Entertainment and Leisure section, yesterday lambasted the local council for its "obstinate" approach, and for "not being considerate" with the business community in Paceville and St Julian's.

The local council forged ahead with its controversial parking scheme last week, despite being instructed by the ADT to suspend the scheme pending consultation with the business community. The GRTU is against the 90-minute parking for non-residents because, it argues, the scheme would harm business in the entertainment mecca.

The GRTU asked for the intervention of the ADT and on Thursday the roadsigns started being removed or covered up.

On Friday, St Julian's council filed a judicial protest against the ADT after the latter removed traffic signs which the council had erected.

The council said, despite the fact that it had advertised the pilot project, the ADT had never lodged any objections, and that it had investigated every complaint it received. Meetings had been held with various associations to ensure the scheme would be acceptable to all, the council said.

But Mr Fenech said yesterday the local council had not consulted the business community.

"We got to know about the scheme after the mayor gave a press conference about it," Mr Fenech said.

The GRTU then met mayor Peter Bonello, but were unhappy with the result: "The mayor simply told us how the scheme would work. That's not consultation, that's imposition," Mr Fenech said.

A meeting for the business community will be held at the Vivaldi Hotel tomorrow at 1 p.m. The GRTU is expected to meet the local council over the issue on Tuesday.

Besides the business community, residents have also expressed concern that the scheme would stop them from inviting family and friends to their homes because, according to the scheme, they would only be allowed to park for 90 minutes, or risk a penalty.

"Residents and the business community should be treated equally," Mr Fenech said.