'We can't scrap Manoel Island deal, but let's make it a national project' - PM

The government cannot rescind the Manoel Island concession, despite a petition calling for the site to become a national park, but a solution may be achieved if everybody came together, the prime minister said on Sunday.

Manoel Island was granted to the Midi consortium some 25 years ago, but activists over the past weeks gathered over 29,000 signatures in a petition that urged the government and Midi to scrap plans for commercial and residential units and return the island to the public. The original development deadline elapsed in March 2023, leading some campaigners to question whether the land could now be reclaimed. Midi says preserving the island and making it accessible, is at the heart of its development.

"We can’t just throw away the concession - it will create more problems than offer solutions," Abela said in a One Radio interview.

He explained that on the one hand there were 29,000 people who had signed the petition to reclaim the entire island, but on the other he was facing some 5,000 worried investors and bond-holders who had invested their savings in the project and who were worried they would lose it.

Instead of pitting both sides against each other, the government would seek to bring everyone around a table and find a way to allow part of the island to be developed sustainably for high-quality tourism while ensuring that the private sector restored the historic buildings as per the concession agreement and the rest remains publicly accessible as a green, open space for all, he said.

"This won’t be a quick buck development, but a template of how we should attract quality tourism. The solution is not to scrap the project, but it’s not to prioritise development over everything else, either. Why don’t we make this project a national one?  he asked.

He reiterated that 60% of the Manoel Island project was already designated for green and open spaces, accessible to the public, and an additional 20% comprised historic sites slated for restoration by the developers.

The private sector's investment in restoration and infrastructure alone was approximately €150 million, he noted.

He said he believed in continued dialogue and he would consider all perspectives, acknowledging that many of the 29,000 petitioners genuinely "want the best for the country".

Screen time and IVF

Abela addressed a range of other topics during the interview that marked the 30th anniversary since the opening of the Labour Party's headquarters in Ħamrun.

He said the government's push to regulate social media use among children was important to him primarily as the parent of a 13-year-old daughter.

The proposed measure, he said, could see legal restrictions on social media access for children under the age of 13. He said he had received numerous messages of gratitude from parents about the government's intentions to address this issue and stressed that the government "can't sit there and do nothing."

He also touched upon the government's plans to loosen "unjust" IVF regulations to better reflect scientific progress that offers greater opportunities for couples to become parents, asserting that "every couple has a sacrosanct right to become parents." 

'MCAST delays had positive side'

He also said there was a positive side to the much-delayed MCAST collective agreement which was finally signed last week. 

Drawing on his experience as a lawyer, he noted that before 2013, negotiations were quicker as workers prioritised job security. Now, with the country's stronger financial situation, workers are dreaming bigger, and they were right to do so.

He viewed this as a positive development, interpreting lecturers' higher demands as confidence in the government's capacity to deliver and the economy's ability to provide better conditions.

He also expressed a desire to further improve conditions by 2027, provided his party remained in government.

Abela also reiterated his call for a "permanent ceasefire" in Gaza. He expressed sympathy for Israel following the October 7th Hamas attack and for the families of those kidnapped.

However, he stressed, "it's time the international community says: stop, permanent ceasefire. Humanitarian aid must be allowed through immediately. I can't accept to see these atrocities and shut up" he said.