The government will keep listening to Marsa residents over the transfer of the Ricasoli oil tank cleaning facility to the town and is in frequent communication with the local council, Transport Minister Ian Borg told Times of Malta.

Borg was asked at a press conference whether he would be responding to concerns raised by Marsa residents over the relocation of the facility to the MOBC site in Marsa.

Marsa residents have decried the project over concerns about their health and are urging the government to reconsider the move, saying it will only shift the problem from Kalkara residents to them.

Video: Jonathan Borg

“The Marsa local council is in contact with the government entities involved and we are hearing the concerns they are bringing forward on behalf of residents,” Borg said.

He added that a number of meetings had taken place where more technical and scientific details have been shared with the council. “The council has made a number of proposals to us which are not limited to this issue but concern the regeneration of the locality. We will keep hearing their concerns until a decision is made.”

Marsa locals want the move to be called off amid a lack of studies and consultation predating the move. The mayor, Josef Azzopardi, has appealed to residents to unite in resistance to the project, saying he would continue to push for Marsa to benefit from regeneration similar to other harbour-surrounding localities.

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