A team of tugboats has begun to tow the island of Lampedusa towards Malta this afternoon, as part of Joseph Muscat’s plan to create a new open space.
It will take the vessels two days to transport the former Italian island – which was dislodged from the sea – to Malta. Once in place just off the Sliema area, it will be anchored to the seabed once more, and will provide much needed breathing space for the area’s residents.
“Given that there’s literally no space on the island that can be turned into a large recreational area, we decided to ask Italy if we could buy Lampedusa off them. Salvini was more than happy to get rid of a tiny piece of land so close to Africa,” Muscat said.
“People will say it would’ve been easier to turn Manoel Island into an open space instead, but this Government thinks big.
“Also despite the fact I’m Prime Minister I have absolutely no power to tell the Manoel Island developers to go screw themselves, even if I wanted to.”
As for what will happen to Lampedusa’s 6,000 residents, plus the hundreds of migrants currently living in a reception centre, Muscat said they would be employed by the new hotels and restaurants that will be built on the island.
“Just because it’s an open space doesn’t mean we can’t put one, or two, OK three, hotels on there as well.
