Residents of Dingli have begun receiving leaflets from Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg defending a controversial project to build a road through farmland in his hometown. 

The former mayor’s PR campaign comes after farmers, residents and activists demonstrated against the road connecting Daħla tas-Sienja with Sqaq MUSEUM. 

Last Friday farmers woke up to find heavy machinery in the area, and said they were not consulted about the project, which they claim would destroy their livelihoods and clear away arable farmland.

After a three-hour standoff, Infrastructure Malta employees backed off and construction was delayed. 

Borg’s glossy flyers depict him gazing out onto the picturesque Dingli countryside, next to a quote promising he will “always bring prosperity to my hometown.”

The seven-point document argues that the road was first approved in parliament 14 years ago and is necessary for emergency access between Daħla tas-Sienja and Sqaq MUSEUM roads.

“Apart from residents, the road has premises for boy’s Christian doctrine, Girl Guides, the local council as well as a bus stop,” it says.

It promises that the construction of the road would not open up further tracts of land to construction and that the agency was working with the Salesian Oratory to plant a small garden. 

The document ends with him telling residents Dingli “is always in my heart.”

On Thursday, Moviment Graffiti rebutted Borg’s leaflet claims, saying that although plans for the road had been made 14 years ago, this did not necessarily mean that the road should be built, adding that residents and landowners should have been notified in writing, which they were not. 

Graffiti argue that the construction of the road will increase pressure for more development to be allowed in ODZ land and potential damage on the 15th century Santa Duminka church posed far too great a risk. 

They also countered Infrastructure Malta’s claims that the road is necessary to be accessible by emergency services, saying that even the narrowest point of the alley could accommodate emergency service vehicles, not to mention the availability of other methods as are employed in the countless other narrow alleyways around the Maltese Islands. 

Additionally, the group said that the road would not necessarily reduce traffic congestion and poses the risk of encouraging more traffic to flow through the area. 

“It is strange how a minister with a portfolio such as this, that should see him occupied by far larger projects, had to hastily publish a leaflet like this one to cover up his and Infrastructure Malta’s mess, the same hastiness with which they tried to run roughshod through private land and demolish a historic church without telling anybody,” Graffiti said. 

“Why are you in such a rush?” 

Meanwhile, Dingli local council has yet to take a stand on the issue, despite calling an urgent meeting on Wednesday to discuss a project. 

Mayor Raymond Schembri said the council would meet with Infrastructure Malta to discuss the project on Friday. 

He said: “There are those of us who are both for and against the project, but we will always put the interest of the town and the interests of residents first, which is why we want to discuss the matter further with the government.” 

Movement Graffiti activists are currently circulating a petition open only for Dingli residents to register objections to the project. 

Farmers say the road will severely impact their livelihoods and uproot several mature carob trees that characterize the environment. 

Experts have also raised alarm that works could jeopardize the integrity of the Santa Duminka church, a medieval structure that served as Dingli’s parish in the 1400s. 

However, Infrastructure Malta says the medieval church will not be demolished but that an adjacent building “that is not considered to be of historical value may need to be partially demolished”.

It said it would be working under the guidance of the superintendence of cultural heritage to ensure the church is not impacted by any works.