Balluta Bay is not only a tourist landmark, with numerous photos of the bay being snapped to promote Malta as a tourist destination, but it is also a place where many people have fond childhood memories.

Sadly, Balluta Bay is closed to swimmers and has been for over two months now. This is not the first time that this has happened – last year, and the year before, the bay was contaminated for many months.

On May 24, the Environment Health Directorate advised bathers not to swim in the bay after identifying the presence of E. coli and Enterococci because of sewage seeping into the bay. Ironically, the directorate’s warning was issued on the very same day Prime Minister Robert Abela pompously presided over the opening of the final phase of the upgrading of the Marriott Hotel – which overlooks Balluta Bay – after a €40 million investment.

After a whole month of silence on the part of the directorate, ignoring my requests for daily updates, on July 5 they informed us that sewage had stopped seeping in. However, the bay remained closed to the public.

In a statement, the directorate highlighted that the cause of contamination was due to an overflow from a “commercial entity” (who? no fines?) and from the nearby storm water/sewage system which, in their own words, was “old and had numerous cracks”.

As an MP, representing our residents, and as a former mayor of the locality, I raised the issue in parliament on numerous occasions.

I have not only highlighted the incompetence of the Labour government, in particular Environment Minister Miriam Dalli, for failing to find a solution but also accused the government of deliberately doing nothing to address the issue.

In fact, during these 11 years of Labour administration, no real investment took place, except the replenishing of the bay with sand, ironically sponsored by Marriott Hotel in its subtle attempt to encroach on part of the sandy bay.

PN leader Bernard Grech has rightly highlighted that the government has failed to build on the investment made by past Nationalist governments on the drainage system. Due to this lack of planning and investment, several bays have been closed to swimmers. 

May I underline that, during my tenure as mayor, I am on record for having requested the central government to resolve the yearly contamination problem by upgrading or  rebuilding the storm water/sewage tunnel, more so when there were numerous excavations going on in the area.

Incredibly, the reply was that there were no funds available. Sadly, this is a government willing to sponsor party lackeys, such as the film commissioner, but then has no funds to improve the quality of life of locals and tourists alike.

Balluta Bay belongs to all. It belongs to the people. No fat cat can reclaim what is ours by right- Albert Buttigieg

In parliament, not only have I questioned if there exists a hidden agenda that is interested in keeping sewage seeping into the bay in order for the bay to be turned into another Sliema Ferries but I also accused the government that the sewage overflow is intentional and deliberate.

I assertively accused the Labour government that, with such an excuse, the government would be able to justify changing the bay’s status from a swimming bay into a commercial port.

I might sound like a conspiracy theorist, but I am not. This is a malicious plan by those sitting patiently behind the throne, pulling ropes and delivering brown envelopes. I stand by my statement delivered recently in parliament. The government is determined to turn the bay into another Sliema Ferries.

Once more, the government is betraying the common good to appease some fat cat/s thinking that Malta is theirs for the taking.

Until now, the government has not yet denied my accusations. The government can prove me wrong by reopening the bay. Until then, I will continue insisting that the bay should be opened.

Rest assured that residents, local councillors, NGOs and others will not remain silent. Silence is not an option. It is an option only for those who are compromised and/or have some vested interest/s to remain sitting on the fence.

Once more, we assertively and boldly stand in the way of those whose interest is to satisfy their compulsive greed. We demand our bay back. We are not asking, we are demanding.

Balluta Bay belongs to all. It belongs to the people. No fat cat can reclaim what is ours by right.

Hands off... to say it politely.

Albert Buttigieg is the Nationalist Party spokesperson on family and social solidarity.