Luqa’s local council has distanced itself from a pledge to pay residents €500 yearly as a form of compensation for the placement of two “massive” aviation fuel storage tanks in Ħal Farruġ.

Mayor John Schembri sent out a mailshot to residents in 2019, seeking to quell discontent about the fuel tanks being placed by Enemed so close to residential areas.

Schembri says in the mailshot that, after discussions with his son, minister Silvio Schembri, and then prime minister Joseph Muscat, an agreement had been reached to invest €3 million in a “big solar farm”. 

Proceeds from the electricity generated by the farm would be used to “compensate” all Ħal Farruġ residents with a €500 yearly cheque.

John Schembri put his name to a flyer promising affected residents €500 a year for 20 years.

Prospective MEP candidate Peter Agius last week highlighted how, five years on, residents in the area have to contend with the fuel tanks but have yet to see a penny of the promised compensation.

Asked what had become of the pledge, a council spokesperson said the mayor held meetings with the relevant ministry and Enemalta chairman regarding “the lack of consultation about the Enemalta tanks at Ħal Farruġ”.

“The local council was promised a solar panel farm would be erected in Ħal Farruġ and Enemalta will be issuing a €500 compensation to each household.

“The local council has no further information as compensation was not promised from its end,” the spokesperson said.

A spokesperson for Enemalta said: “Please be informed that Enemalta was never involved in any such discussions and did not make any pledges.”

An Enemalta source said that the pledge was likely made by Enemed, which operates the tanks and is a separate entity from Enemalta. At the time, Enemalta and Enemed shared the same chairman.

The view from the home of one affected resident. Photo: Peter Agius/Facebook

In a Facebook post, Agius said Luqa residents had basically been “tricked”.

He said the promised compensation had never arrived and “protection measures”, also promised by the mayor, had never materialised.