Labour slams PN’s Msida councillors over creek project U-turn

The Labour Party has slammed Msida Nationalist councillors’ U-turn over the construction of a new flyover in the locality.

“What is the reason why the new Nationalist Local Council is now opposing the project when they have always been in favour? If the new Nationalist council is objecting to the construction of the flyover, why didn’t they oppose it during the previous legislature?,” a party statement read.

The statement comes after the Nationalist-majority council in Msida issued an official position against the construction of a flyover as part of Infrastructure Malta’s Msida Creek project.

As recorded in the minutes of Local Council meetings held during the tenure of the previous council, when Margaret Baldacchino Cefai served as Labour Mayor, all Labour and Nationalist Councillors agreed to this project, which includes the construction of a flyover, 60% new open spaces (a 2,000 square metre pedestrian plaza, new playgrounds, new public toilets, parking spaces, a cycling lane, and a 300-metre water channel to prevent flooding caused by rainwater).

“The Nationalist Councillors of Msida are now trying to obstruct something they themselves agreed to more than once in recent months. Several consultation meetings have been held over the past two years, and the PN never opposed this project. In fact, they unanimously voted in favour of it in its entirety,” Labour said.

It also accused the Nationalist Councillors of having been instructed by the leadership of their party to discredit the government “and, like Bernard Grech, follow the populism trend, even if it means going against their own principles and views.”

“The councillors elected on behalf of the Labour Party reaffirm that they expect the proposed and agreed-upon project to be honoured. It is important to recognise that their judgement has always been based on a balance between what is holistically needed for better traffic control in an area that sees thousands of cars passing through daily, and the needs of the Msida residents, including beautification, accessibility, recreation, better flood control, new open spaces, new roads, and many other benefits, most of which have been requested by the council itself,” the Labour Party said.

The Msida Creek project proposed by Infrastructure Malta sees the creation of an open square in front of the parish church, a canal and open spaces along it. However, it also foresees the construction of a flyover between the square and Regional Road to do away with the traffic lights at the junction where traffic from Birkirkara joins the square.

However, in a radically different proposal, earlier in the year, the Kamra tal-Periti suggested the creation of a wooded area in the square that would complement a formal open pjazza in front of the church.