The Sliema local council has urged MPs representing the locality to vote against a land concession that would see yachts pontooned right next to a popular swimming zone. 

On Saturday, Sliema mayor John Pillow expressed the council’s opposition to a pontoon that would jolt out from the Fortina Lido, right beside Tignè Point.  

The pontoon plan was announced in February by Lands and Economy Minister Silvio Schembri, who said that the Fortina hotel lido would be extended to include temporary summer pontoons for boats to dock.

The land grant is now up for a parliamentary vote. 

“A pontoon here would remove access to another swim zone on this side of Malta,” Pillow said.

The Sliema mayor said that a marina would bring sea pollution to the area, pointing out that the Ta’ Xbiex coast was frequented by bathers before a marina was built there.

“The project will ruin the beach because of pollution including, oil, petrol, and human waste,” he said.

He added that the proposed pontoon will occupy 15,000 square metres of the sea. 

The Fortina pontoon was announced in February Photo: DOI

Pillow called on all 10th district MPs to vote in their constituents' best interest. 

“If you really love the district that you were elected from you will vote against the land concession when it comes to a vote in parliament,” he said. 

Joe Giglio, Albert Buttigieg and Graham Bencini are the PN deputies who represent the district.

Michael Falzon and Clifton Grima, both cabinet members, were elected on the PL ticket.

The land concession to Fortina will go to a parliamentary vote after the two PN MPs on the National Audit Office Accounts Committee voted against transferring government land to Fortina. 

The committee, responsible for considering land grants, needs unanimous approval to give land transfers on its own steam. 

As Opposition MPs voted against the land transfer last February, the deal will go to a vote during a parliamentary plenary.

One of the PN MPs on that parliamentary committee, Rebekah Borg, told Times of Malta that the plans prioritise commercial interests over the community's ability to enjoy open public spaces.

"Despite the government's usual statements about the need for more public spaces, the proposed plans would result in deprivation of public land for swimming and diminish the quality of the environment in the area," she said.

Works on the Fortina lido under way on Saturday. The pontoon would jut out from the lido. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Schembri's ministry has said public access to the foreshore will remain in place and swimming in the area will not be impacted, except for the immediate area where the pontoons will be placed. 

It is the second such plan that residents in the coastal locality have faced in recent years: a similar plan to create a pontoon in Balluta Bay, on the fringes between Sliema and St Julian's, was eventually dropped following staunch opposition.

That plan was fronted by Captain Morgan, which forms part of the Fortina group.