The owner of a Ta’ Xbiex coffee shop facing “a drastic and substantial drop in sales” on account of ongoing roadworks has taken his grievance to court. 

Marlon Curti, who runs Ftira Cafe’, filed a judicial protest claiming that his trade, which had picked up very well after the COVID-19 lockdown, was dealt a drastic blow over the past 11 weeks, ever since roadworks kicked off in the area.

The ongoing roadworks.

‘No Parking' and 'Towaway Zone’ signs cropped up in July, with effect until February 2021, followed by road markings and concrete barriers that effectively closed off the road to traffic. 

As the works kicked off and the road was dug up to upgrade the drainage system along Abate Rigord Street, only four or five workmen manning a single piece of machinery were observed at any point in time, sometimes waiting idly for a fresh consignment of construction material, according to the judicial protest.

Meanwhile, trade at the coffee shop dwindled, with no end to the roadworks in sight. Worse still, it appears that less than one-fourth of the projected work has so far been undertaken along the busy road, a major traffic and business artery, the protest adds.

Moreover, the work that has been completed so far does not appear to be up to standard, argued the protesting party.

Although the shop owner acknowledged his duty to put up with the works in the ‘public interest’, the authorities had to ensure that those works caused “the least possible harm and inconvenience" to those affected.

The protesting party called upon Infrastructure Malta, Projects Malta and Excel Sis Enerji Uretim Ltd to ensure that these works were completed in the shortest time possible, with least inconvenience. 

The owner of the commercial establishment also claimed damages and asked the authorities to supply details of the awarded project as well as the projected completion date. 

The Office of the Prime Minister, the transport and tourism ministers, and the State Advocate were also notified of the protest.

Lawyers Antoine Naudi and Tyrone Grech signed the judicial protest.