A company representing boat owners berthed in Ta’ Xbiex has complained that a Christmas village is blocking free access to their vessels.

In a judicial protest filed in court against the Ta’ Xbiex local council on Friday, the operator of Creek Marina complained that owners of vessels berthed at several pontoons were being denied access to their boats because of a permit the council had issued for the Christmas Village.

Creek Developments Limited explained that the parking area in front of their clients’ pontoons had been blocked at the end of November. ‘No parking’ signs were installed and would be in place until January 9.

The council refused to provide the full list of conditions- Creek Developments Limited

Since then, security officers have been denying the owners access to their boats, forcing Creek Developments to complain to the council.

The company said it called the Msida police to report that the parking lot had been blocked without a permit.

Police told permits had been issued

But it was told the police would not take action as the council had informed them the necessary permits had been issued.

The company said it had been assured by the council that free access to the boats was a specific condition in the permit it had issued to the organiser of the Christmas Village.

The company then asked the council for the full list of conditions but the council refused to provide it.

Creek Developments therefore called on the council to provide it with the conditions linked to the Christmas Village permit and held it responsible for damages it was suffering as a result of lack of access to boats berthed at the Creek Marina.

Lawyer Austin Gauci Maistre signed the judicial protest.