Pledges of a rebuilding of the Marsalforn breakwater are being taken with a pinch of salt as successive governments fail to deliver.
This sentiment was palpable a few days ago when restaurant owners and residents of the Gozitan seaside village watched helplessly as huge waves swept away everything before them along the seafront in tsunami-like fashion.
“For the fifth consecutive day, Marsalforn seafront is in pitch darkness because, apart from the flooding, the waves are also damaging the street lighting system,” Żebbuġ deputy mayor, Daniel Cordina, wrote on his Facebook page.
His comment was backed by footage taken on Monday evening showing restaurant patrons with their feet immersed in water due to the waves gushing in at regular intervals.
Finance Minister Edward Scicluna announced in the 2019 Budget speech in October this year would see “the conclusion of plans to finally rebuild the Marsalforn breakwater”.
Yet, this commitment was met with scepticism as, too many times in the past, promises to address the situation were made only for such pledges never to materialise.

Plans to reconstruct the breakwater go back to 2010, shortly after inclement weather completely destroyed…