Various stakeholders present at the Labour Party’s presentation of their ‘Regional Grand Harbour plan’ yesterday greeted positively the party’s vision for the regeneration of the Grand Harbour and surrounding cities, presented at the Mediterranean Conference Centre.
Representatives from local councils, unions, and other social clubs and sporting associations from around the harbour area, were present for the presentation of Labour’s plan which has listed 100 proposals for the regeneration of the harbour it claims will be completed by 2020 if elected to government.
It includes, among other proposals, changing the Evans Building, Valletta, and the Bighi sites into five-star hotels. Unlike the vision presented a few months ago by the government to have Boffa Hospital transformed into a five-star hotel, Labour has proposed the hospital is turned into an international medical institute.
The plan also proposes a restructuring of St Elmo and Ricasoli forts to find a more suitable use for the forts, converting the Marsa power station into a ‘garden village’ consisting of a residential area with gardens, new cruise liner berths in Isla, and the VISET cruise liner terminal banks extended to the Pixkerija area.
The localities forming part of the ambitious project are Kalkara, Birgu, Cospicua, Isla, Marsa, Floriana, Valletta, Pieta, Msida, Ta’ Xbiex, Gzira and Sliema.
The idea of the “holistic” plan proposed by Labour is part of the strategy to “revamp the economy in the harbour area,” Labour leader Alfred Sant said.
Preceding Labour leader Alfred Sant’s speech was an audiovisual presentation portraying the various developmental stages the Grand Harbour went through historically, from the times of the Phoenicians, the Arab conquest, right up to British colonisation.
Alfred Sant said the Grand Harbour area was a central plank in the generation of economic growth, thanks to its national and historical assets.
Both Sam Mifsud, director of SMS travel and also the chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority, and Joseph Formosa Gauci, the president of the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, had encouraging for the project.
Mifsud said he was happy that Labour was interested in expanding cruise liner projects, while Formosa Gauci expressed his “gratitude” that Labour had taken into account the MHRA’s suggestions.
“It is very interesting, with feasible ideas, which when ready, will definitely look good,” Formosa Gauci said, also praising the idea for a Grand Harbour authority which he said would be “a big stepping stone that would serve to accommodate fast track projects.”
Labour MP Charles Buhagiar, speaking on the environmental problems facing the harbour area, said Labour’s proposal would help alleviate problems of pollution. “We studied all the problems in the area. By doing that we came up with solid solutions to improve the Grand Harbour area.”
General Workers Union secretary-general Tony Zarb, although optimistic about the project, diverted attention to the situation of workers in the harbour area. Describing the project as “ambitious” and “viable”, he said: “We have to keep in mind the workers who are presently working in the harbour area, making sure that no one loses his job. This should be an opportunity to increase work.”
UHM secretary-general Gejtu Vella insisted that the regeneration of the Grand Harbour was a national project “that was owned by no specific party, government, local council or organisation”.

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