Manoel Island Park: an idea whose time has come

Have you ever felt the stars align? It can be felt as an invitation to take action, to throw caution to the wind and, for want of a better phrase, just do it. It’s a rare occurrence. Life simply does not typically work that way. Sometimes, though, an idea is just waiting in the sidelines, waiting for the right moment when what was thought impossible suddenly comes within reach.

The idea of turning Manoel Island into a public park is not new. It has been raised time and again for over a decade. However, never have the conditions been as favourable for this dream to grab hold of Malta’s collective imagination.

There is no need to invite the company holding a concession to develop Manoel Island into a new residential and commercial hub to open talks with the government. These talks are happening and the future of the project is suddenly very much dependent on the government’s political will.

This gives us a small window of opportunity to act – an opportunity that we have not seen for a quarter of a century and will certainly never see again.

As the government and MIDI sit around the table to determine the future of Manoel Island, it is worth remembering just how much has changed since 2000, when the concession was signed, let alone since the early 1990s when the project was conceived.

The Maltese economy has grown by leaps and bounds over the last three decades. Landmark luxury real estate developments are no longer as rare as they once were and the rationale that once considered these projects as a panacea for growth is in question.

People’s priorities have also changed. The drive to increase Malta’s material wealth has been a runaway success, and, while its distribution leaves much to be desired, there is no doubt that Malta of 2025 is far richer than it was in 2000. The economic arguments touting the benefits the country stands to gain by adding a few hundred luxury apartments to its housing stock have worn thin, as the public increasingly calls for quality of life to be made a priority.

Malta is different today to what it was in 2000. So are the economy and the government- Kenneth Busuttil Griffin

In other words, while expensive real estate could once feed Malta’s hunger for bold new projects that could raise its profile and draw international attention, the country today calls for something very different. Yes, we still want bold new projects to be proud of but we are far more aware that these need to work for the many, not the few. We can now better understand the costs of an economy so dependent on construction, from noise and pollution to traffic and frustration.

Meanwhile, as the economy has strengthened, so has the public purse. Whereas the government could once scarcely have imagined providing the considerable funding necessary to turn Manoel Island into a park celebrating its unique heritage, we live in a different reality today.

That is why we are standing at a unique crossroads. Malta is different today to what it was in 2000. So are the economy and the government. And, perhaps most importantly, so is people’s understanding of a good life. Where people once left Malta to seek economic opportunities abroad, too many now say that another reason factors into their decision: the visible results of an economic logic that puts profits over people and heritage.

Turning Manoel Island into a public park is just what the country needs – a bold statement of where we want Malta to go. An initiative that sets the tone for the country’s future development, where the luxury of clean air and open space is one enjoyed by all.

We must dream that a different, better way is possible and we must believe that this vision can be achieved.

If you share the vision, consider signing the parliamentary petition. Go to manoelislandcampaign.com to help turn it into reality.

Kenneth Busuttil Griffin is a team member of the Manoel Island: Post Għalina campaign.