Momentum escalates Marsascala ferry FOI to data commissioner
Transport Ministry missed legal deadline as commissioner warns enforcement action may follow if information is not released
Momentum has asked the Data Commissioner to intervene after the Transport Ministry failed to respond in time to questions about the Marsascala ferry project.
On Thursday the party said it was “forced” to escalate an urgent Freedom of Information request to the Office of the Information and Data Protection Commissioner after the Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works failed to provide a timely response on the Marsascala ferry project.
Through the FOI request, Momentum demanded access to several documents, studies, and plans related to the Marsascala regeneration project, including details on funding, fast ferry specifications, traffic, and environmental impact studies.
The FOI also requests information about the structural integrity of the existing promenade, particularly following past reports of subsidence, and asks for the full results, questions, and methodology of the survey conducted by Prof. Vincent Marmara.
“The secrecy the government is maintaining over this project is unacceptable,” Momentum said.
The deadline for responding was December 15.
Momentum general secretary Mark Camilleri Gambin said the commissioner’s office “has acknowledged the issue and assured Momentum that it has contacted the Public Authority requesting an immediate reply, with a commitment to proceed with enforcement action if necessary.”
“It is deeply frustrating that the authority has once again failed in its legal duty to be transparent,” Camilleri Gambin said.
“We appreciate the swift action taken by the Office of the Information and Data Protection Commissioner. Their prompt assurance to look into the matter is a vital safety net for citizens seeking accountability.”