Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1541244
2 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 12 NOVEMBER 2025 NEWS Omar Farrugia ignores Ta' Qali controversy in parliamentary address on portfolio OMAR Farrugia ignored the Ta' Qali picnic area gravel contro- versy when speaking about his parliamentary secretariat port- folio in parliament on Tuesday morning. Farrugia is parliamentary sec- retary for public works and the Ta' Qali National Park manage- ment falls under his purview. Addressing parliament during the budget estimates debate of the Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works Ministry, Farrugia insisted the Labour government "created the big- gest national park" at Ta' Qali. He spoke about the transfor- mation of an illegal concrete factory into a concert area, which he said was the "biggest regeneration" project ever. But while priding himself on the regeneration works un- dertaken at Ta' Qali, Farrugia completely ignored the con- troversy that erupted over the park management's decision to cover the picnic area in gravel. The gravel decision taken by Ta' Qali park chief Jason Mi- callef was intended to reduce dust and improve soil condi- tions. Nonetheless, the deci- sion caused shock and was even questioned by some experts. But instead of offering an ex- planation and being transpar- ent about the decision-making process that led to the gravel being placed on the site, Mi- callef threatened a podcaster with legal action and mocked Momentum Chairperson Ar- nold Cassola, describing him as "a 70-year-old man" and "Mr two per cent". Farrugia never replied to questions sent by MaltaToday last week about the Ta' Qali controversy and Micallef's in- appropriate behaviour and lan- guage. And in parliament on Tues- day, the parliamentary secre- tary completely skirted the is- sue, insisting the government would be leaving a "legacy of long-term investment and not abandonment" at Ta' Qali. Parliamentary Secretary Omar Farrugia CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 The four residents said the incident caused them severe psychological trau- ma and distress due to the aggressive conduct. Their distress of the incident was made even worse after they were reportedly pre- vented from filing a police report about the incident. A police officer promised to contact them but never did. The individuals claimed violations of their rights to liberty and security, free- dom from inhumane or degrading treatment, the right to private and family life and the right to an ef- fective remedy. The judicial protest held the Police Commissioner and the State Advocate re- sponsible for the damages suffered , with the indi- viduals demanding that all body camera footage and other recordings from the alleged raid be preserved. The judicial protest was signed by lawyers Edward Gatt, Mark Vassallo, Shaun Zammit, and Carina Nagi- ah. Residents say armed men held them at gunpoint, aiming rifles at their faces The incident happened at Triq is-Swieqi KURT SANSONE ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt New Merill project lets you turn bird photos into science A new citizen-science initiative is calling on Malta's nature en- thusiasts to help shed light on the lives of the island's national bird, the Blue Rock-thrush, known lo- cally as the Merill. The Merilli Malta project, led by ornithologists Benjamin Metzger and Marie Claire Gatt, is study- ing the ecology of the Blue Rock- thrush (Monticola solitarius) while encouraging the public to take part in scientific discovery. The project, launched in 2022, combines professional bird-ring- ing research with public participa- tion to learn more about how these distinctive birds move, breed, and adapt to changing environments across the Maltese Islands. Although the Blue Rock-thrush is a familiar sight on Malta's cliffs and valley, and increasingly within urban areas, scientists still know relatively little about its behav- iour and ecology. Through the use of colour-ringing, Merilli Malta has already equipped over 200 individual birds with unique identification rings that can be read through photographs or tele- scopes. This allows researchers to track each bird without the need to capture it again, providing more data and reducing disturbance. Early findings from the pro- ject have revealed that Blue Rock-thrushes form long-term pairs and defend distinct territo- ries over several years. Interesting- ly, despite their strong territorial instincts, several breeding pairs can coexist in relatively small ar- eas. To expand its research, the Merilli Malta team is inviting bird-watchers, photographers, and nature enthusiasts to con- tribute by photographing Blue Rock-thrushes and submitting their sightings along with time and location details via the pro- ject's website at www.merillimal- ta.org/report-a-sighting. Contrib- utors will receive a history of the bird they photographed, linking citizen observations directly to ongoing scientific study. Metzger and Gatt said the in- volvement of the public is key to unlocking a fuller understand- ing of the Blue Rock-thrush's life across Malta, noting that collec- tive data from citizen scientists greatly enhances the reach and accuracy of their findings. All bird-ringing within the pro- ject follows European standards set by EURING, and is conduct- ed by licensed professionals using materials designed specifically for wild bird research. Merilli Malta is part-funded by the Malta Environment Founda- tion, and works in collaboration with Friends of the Earth Malta, BirdLife Malta, the Malta Rock Climbing Club, and ClimbMT. More information about the project can be found on its web- site www.merillimalta.org and through its social media pages on Facebook and Instagram. NICOLE MEILAK nmeilak@mediatoday.com.mt