Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1534344
10 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 13 APRIL 2025 ANALYSIS Recruitment Licence Pentasia Malta Ltd declares the intention for the company to register for an Employment Agency License in accordance to L.N. 270 of 2023 EMPLOYMENT AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT (CAP.452) Employment Agencies Regulations, 2023. The activities proposed to be carried out focus on recruitment services including: 1. Recruitment consultancy. 2. Interviewing, selection, and placements of candidates in employment. 3. Recruitment of persons from abroad to employment in Malta or in an EU member state. 4. Recruitment of persons in Malta or in an EU member state. 5. Advertising of the filling of vacancies. 6. Keeping a register of applicants for employment. Official Registered Address: Valletta Buildings, Second Floor, Suite 7, South Street, Valletta VLT 1103 Company registered number: C 38099 The land reclamation saga: Land reclamation features in government's plan for the future, dubbed Vision 2050. James Debono traces back two decades of land reclamation proposals and studies that have yet to lead to a single project. FROM Lawrence Gonzi's 2005 proposal for artificial islands to Joseph Muscat's 2013 call for ex- pressions of interest; from an €11 million seabed study in 2019 to a cautious mention in Vision 2050, the idea of land reclamation has whetted the appetite of politicians for the past two decades. Yet, despite repeated studies and political pledges, no concrete plans have ever materialised. The land reclamation that has taken place is primarily linked to Malta's ports with the largest being the two terminals at the Freeport in Marsaxlokk Bay. 2005: Gonzi's artificial island dream It was then Prime Minister Law- rence Gonzi who, in June 2005, first floated the idea of building an artificial island off Malta's coast. The proposal followed a prelim- inary study commissioned by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) and carried out by Danish consultants Carl Bro. The study identified two poten- tial sites: The coastline between Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq and Pembroke, and the northern Xgħajra coast near Ħaż-Żabbar. These sites were then subject to further feasibility and environmen- tal impact studies by Maltese firm ADI and British experts Scott Wil- son. These were published in 2008. The €500,000 study concluded that land reclamation would only be economically viable if it was linked to real estate development. The Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq site was ruled out due to ecological con- cerns despite being the most eco- nomically feasible. Meanwhile, the Xgħajra proposal carried an estimated cost of between €250 million and €439 million. The consultants concluded that only a Smart City-style development which includes vast tracts of real estate would recover such an in- vestment. Despite the initial enthusi- asm, the Nationalist government quickly lost interest. Former En- vironment Minister Mario de Marco had later voiced caution, flagging environmental concerns amid growing interest in the idea from the Labour opposition. 2012–2013: Muscat picks up the baton Fast forward to 2012 and then Opposition Leader Joseph Mus- cat revived the idea, presenting land reclamation as a way to ease development pressures on Malta's limited landmass. Muscat suggested the creation of yacht marinas through recla- mation, arguing that demand was high and that such projects would generate wealth and employment. The Labour Party's 2013 electoral manifesto made a formal commit- ment to land reclamation, empha- sising the need to respect environ- mental and planning standards. After winning the election, Mus- cat's government issued a call for expressions of interest (EOI) for land reclamation concessions in Maltese waters. The response was overwhelming: 21 projects from 17 local and foreign companies, proposing everything from float- ing villages to race tracks, mari- nas, boutique hotels, and even underground developments, were presented. Though the government insisted it was under no obligation to im- plement all proposals, it promised to assess them based on innova- tion and environmental, econom- ic, and social impacts. However, the list of bidders was never pub- lished. One developer who did go pub- lic was Silvio Debono, owner of the Seabank Group, who revealed a €150 million bid involving re- al estate. Former Freeport CEO Aaron Farrugia also hinted at a possible reclamation extension near the Freeport, an idea which has now resurfaced in the Vision 2050 plan. 2016: Reclamation in the Paceville Masterplan Land reclamation also found its way into the now-abandoned 2016 Paceville Masterplan, which proposed extending the Portoma- so coastline into the sea. The plan included a high-rise development on reclaimed land – 38,700sq.m of built footprint – adjacent to a marine protected area rich in Po- sidonia meadows. Photomontages showed how the proposed tower would obscure views of the Drago- nara Casino from Sliema, sparking public outcry. A similar proposal for a high-rise project on reclaimed land near the Jerma Hotel in Mar- saskala in 2016 was also dropped after negative public reaction. 2019: ERA's seabed study In 2019, the government tasked the Environment and Resourc- es Authority (ERA) with identi- fying feasible reclamation sites. A draft report based on an €11 million seabed study was later leaked to MaltaToday, identifying a broad arc from Portomaso to Xgħajra as suitable for large-scale reclamation. Other sites men- tioned included Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, Marsaxlokk, St Paul's Bay, Mġarr Harbour in Gozo, and a spoil ground off Xgħajra already used for the dumping of construction waste. The ERA was quick to stress that these locations were "indicative" and merely posed the least envi- ronmental problems. Even within the preferred arc, certain areas like the Grand Harbour were ruled out due to cultural heritage con- cerns. Notably, both Portomaso and Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq – consid- ered among the most suitable are- as – were home to vital Posidonia beds which oxygenate the Medi- terranean Sea. Despite then Environment Min- ister José Herrera declaring in 2019 that a decision on five or six sites was "imminent", by late 2020 the ERA confirmed the analysis was still ongoing. 2021–2022: Repetitive budget mentions In the 2021 budget, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana said con- sultations were underway with experts to explore projects that could enhance the environment and provide long-term value. This was repeated in 2022, with Caru- ana reiterating that land reclama- tion would be pursued only if it respected environmental sustain- ability. Labour's 2022 manifesto de-