Motorsport track will be completed in 18 months – Clifton Grima

Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and Sport Clifton Grima has dismissed comments from Opposition spokesman for Transport Tony Bezzina and promised that the motorsport track project, that was announced by the government in the past few weeks, will be completed in the next 18 months.

On Wednesday, Tony Bezzina, the shadow minister for transport, told parliament that the depot for the proposed metro will sit on the same site which the government has said it has earmarked for a motorsport track.

Bezzina tabled documents prepared by the government’s advisers Arup, showing the Ħal Far site to be the most favoured option.

“Who is the government deceiving, the public in general or motorsport enthusiasts?” Bezzina asked.

But Dr Grima said that Bezzina cannot understand that the major difference between the government and him was that the former always keeps his promises.

“The work we are carrying out as a team on the motorsport racing track is giving us a lot of satisfactions,” Dr Grima said.

“It’s great to work with so many enthusiasts that hold so much professionalism. That is why when Toni Bezzi tries to throw doubts on the work we are carrying out with the Malta Motorsport Federation is showing how we are different than him.

“When we make a promise, we try to do it immediately.

“Bezzina is not aware yet that the building plans papers have already been filed to the Planning Authority. When we will have the necessary permits, works will start immediately and that the facility will be completed in the space of 18 months.”

Dr Grima said that the Opposition is too focused on partisanism and tries to invent issues instead of discussing seriously the mass transport proposal that was made by the international experts ARUP.

“Instead of doing his work, the shadow minister for transport Toni Bezzina is looking for different spins and headlines. We, on the other hand, continue to do politics with facts,” Dr Grima said.

“We have lined up a project that will benefit from it everybody and we have already started to impliment it.

“The motorsport enthusiasts will have a dream they had for several years come true.”