Minister appoints review teams on Wasterserv and Marsacala park

The Management Efficiency Unit (MEU) has been instructed by environment minister Leo Brincat to compile a technical report on the development of the Family Park in Marsaskala which is blighted by administrative and infrastructural problems.

During a visit to the park which was inaugurated by the previous administration just weeks before the March election, Brincat said: "We are in favour of the Family Park project, but want to ensure that the project is managed in the most professional way for the benefit of the families who make use of it."

He stressed that before the report is submitted the government would not be taking any decisions on the park's future. The MEU will be carrying out an in-depth investigation on how the park management was developed.

Brincat explained that the major problems at the park are down to the fact that there is no integrated management plan in place.

The park is currently managed by the national waste agency WasteServ whose plants are situated besides the park and Inspire, an NGO providing therapeutic, education and leisure services to persons with disabilities in Marsascala. 

While absolving WasteServ and the park managers from any blame for the situation, Brincat said that the previous government should not have inaugurated the park before the project was completed.

"There are several things which are three months away from being finalised," Brincat said, adding that a decision had to be taken whether to go ahead with the completion of the planned water park as this was not included in original €7 million estimated cost of the park.

"What concerns me is the fast tracking of the inauguration, two weeks before election, when parts of the park were still being developed. The park should have had an integrated management plan," Brincat insisted.

He added that after holding meetings with WasteServ and Inspire, the NGO showed interest to manage park, but Brincat added that the management plan presented by Inspire had not satisfied government criteria.

Yet, Brincat explained that Inspire claimed that the plan they presented was based on the suggestions of former resources minister George Pullicino. He added that the Nationalist administration never replied to the NGO's plans to employ people with special needs at the park.

Pointing out that the park management was facing manpower problems, instructions to the management team were never formalised.

The minister said a management efficiency unit was engaged to compile a technical report on the park's development and added that commercial leases for kiosks on site would only be issued upon the unit's recommendations.

Inspire would remain in the government's plans, even in the eventuality of a Private Public Partnership, Brincat said. He added that the park's running cost is estimated at €700,000 per year, which so far are not budgeted.

A review team led by physicist Edward Mallia was also appointed by Brincat and would be submitting an "objective report on the Sant Antnin recycling plant's operations."

Brincat said the members on the team had no conflict of interest and explained that Mallia would be joined by environment experts Louiselle Spiteri and Alan Pulis.

"Their brief is to look at the waste recycling plant and whether all environment and health impact studies had been carried out," Brincat said, adding that the team would also be submitting recommendations on waste and power generation.

"Preferably the review exercise will be carried out within a month but if the team members require more time an extension will be granted," Brincat said on the terms of reference set for the review team which will not be paid for its services.