Prime Minister on Sliema walkabout with Astrid Vella’s FAA

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat accompanied officials of eNGO Flimkien għal  Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) on a walkabout around Sliema on Thirsday afternoon.

FAA had invited Muscat to join them so as to experience first-hand the residents’ concerns about the locality, after a demonstration on the part of Sliema residents.

Concerns about over-development, abuse and destruction of cultural heritage, lack of parking spaces and other issues undermining Sliema residents' quality of life were raised with the prime minister.

A spokesman for the Office of the Prime Minister confirmed that the event was meant for the prime minister to listen to concerns about development in Sliema.

“The meeting was requested by FAA and the Prime Minister accepted the invitation and accepted to have a meeting on site rather than in an office to see for himself the issues which are being raised,” he told MaltaToday.

As to why the media were not informed of the walkabout, the spokesman said the OPM and FAA did not want to turn this into a publicity stunt, but for it to be a genuine listening session.