Bikers may have the image of tough daredevils but a couple of words from minister George Pullicino sent none other than the head of Maltese BMX enthusiasts in tears at the launch of the Msida skate park yesterday.
BMX Association president John Zammit burst out crying as he stormed out of the skate ring seconds before the minister and Lawrence Gonzi cut the ribbon.
So agitated was Zammit that other BMXers had to escort him out as the politicians looked at him in dismay.
“No minister has the right to talk to me in this way,” he said sobbing, although what the minister actually told him remained unclear.
Involved in BMX bicycles for the last 21 years, Zammit is one of the men behind the bike track in Pembroke.
People accompanying him said his argument with Pullicino arose over the minister’s indifference towards BMXers and glaring lack of consultation over the new skate park.
“Whenever we asked for backup from the government we were always told it’s a question of money,” they said.
Pullicino was so irked by the incident that he made sure to promise an indoor BMX track “of international standards” if the PN is re-elected, although he barely had time to think where he would build it.
Instead, he said he was relinquishing the right to be the first official skater and passing on the privilege to Gonzi.
“I’d love to give it a shot; not a bad idea,” Gonzi replied jokingly. “I would probably earn a week off from work as I’d end up with by legs fractured.”
The skate park project cost the government €256,231.07 (Lm110,000), €93,174.94 (Lm40,000) of these were forked out from the Good Causes Fund..