Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/954081
maltatoday WEDNESDAY 14 MARCH 2018 News 3 MATTHEW VELLA CNTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Certain uses and building heights are also the subject of the guardianshp agreement. For example, a casino will no longer be built on Manoel Is- land, while the Fort will not be a hotel but a mixed cultural and retail venue ensuring ac- cessibility and viability of the area. Manoel Island will also retain its characteristic Mediterra- nean feel and building heights will be kept low. The administrators of the foundation will not be remu- nerated, and will comprise Gzi- ra mayor Conrad Borg Man- ché, councillor Ralph Mangion, environmental activist Claire Bonello, and MIDI chief execu- tive officer Mark Portelli. Borg Manché recently wel- comed the revised master- plan for the Manoel Island project, which is now ear- marking 80,000sq.m for a public park. Borg Manché, who led a pro- test of Gzira residents against the closure of the Manoel Island coastline by developers MIDI, said the revised plans would turn the island into a cultural centre open to the public. "We worked with MIDI and amended their proposals to create a more holistic island. We want Manoel Island to be Malta's green island," Borg Manché said. MIDI faced public outcry back in March after publish- ing plans that included a hotel at Fort Manoel, an extensive shopping complex and a casi- no-hotel at the historic Laza- retto among other proposals. Speaking at the time, in re- sponse to the backlash, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had said he wanted the island to be a "green lung", insisting that he didn't want the community to feel a stranger to the area. Borg Manché, together with Kamp Emergenza Ambjent and Moviment Graffiti, later led a successful protest to forcibly reopen an illegally closed area that had kept the foreshore in- accessible to the public for 16 years. "We fought for a greener plan for the area, hoping for the is- land to be an open space for the public. It is the only place of its kind we have left in Malta," Borg Manché said. Earlier this week, the MIDI group published a revised masterplan for the restoration and redevelopment of Manoel Island, which included a pub- lic park of over 80,000sq.m in area. "In response to valuable feed- back received from the broader community, the Gzira Local Council, and the NGOs, ar- chitects Foster + Partners sig- nificantly amended the earlier masterplan for Manoel Island," MIDI said. mvella@mediatoday.com.mt Implementation of revised masterplan to fall under foundation's oversight MATTHEW AGIUS A road carpeted in heroin is expected to feature promi- nently in the trial by jury of a man who allegedly spread 500g of the drug on the tarmac as he was about to be arrested by the police in 2007. A jury, empanelled yes- terday morning, will begin hearing evidence against Herman McKay from Mar- sa, who is accused of traf- ficking over half a kilo of heroin. McKay, 34, had been ar- rested in August 2007 in Triq is-Serkin, Marsa af- ter police were tipped off that he had been dealing drugs from his black Mer- cedes. Approaching the area, of- ficers had spotted a group of young people who dis- persed when they saw the police. They were all captured later. McKay was amongst them. When he was approached by the police, the accused had tried to get rid of his car keys, however a police constable managed to get hold of them. The police pressed the key fob to unlock the car and immediately McKay rushed to the vehicle and retrieved a brown package from a compartment under the armrest. McKay spread the con- tents all over the road. Po- lice had stopped him as he tried to do the same with another package. Laboratory tests had con- firmed the contents to be 538g of heroin of 23.1% pu- rity, valued at €24,755. But during the compila- tion of evidence, a court- appointed expert had es- tablished the man only had €1.50 and five horses to his name. Mighty, Chilly Beast, Osay de Viette, Worg Xing and Marathon d'Isques were the horses owned by McKay, the expert had told the court. McKay, who had been charged with several of- fences in the past and who had committed crimes dur- ing suspended sentences, was accused of trafficking heroine. The crime carries with it a possible life sentence. Lawyers Elaine Mercie- ca and Justine Cilia from the office of the Attor- ney General are leading the prosecution. Lawyers Franco Debono and Mar- ion Camilleri are defence counsel. Judge Antonio Mizzi is presiding. 'Heroin Highway' jury underway Herman McKay, 34, allegedly spread half a kilo of heroin on the road at the time of his arrest in Marsa in August 2007 • Police had received a tip that man was trafficking drugs from his black Mercedes