About

A vision for Mrieħel
THE MRIEĦEL INDUSTRIAL ESTATE DESERVES BETTER

EIGHTEEN ORGANISATIONS FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR OPERATING FROM MRIEĦEL SET UP A FOUNDATION WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PEOPLE WORKING IN THE AREA ACROSS ALL SECTORS.

The Central Business District Foundation, formally known as the Mrieħel Enterprise Zone Foundation (MEZF) was officially established by the Prime Minister in March 2016. Investment in Mrieħel, both current and future, is not being sustained by the overall state of the area, which leaves much to be desired, therefore MEZF, a public private partnership is tasked to formulate and implement a vision for Mrieħel and also establishing immediate and long-term priorities that need to be addressed. Government and the private sector constitute the foundation with equal representation. A statute was drafted and approved by all the founding members.

The Board of Administrators is composed of twelve members six representing the private sector and six representing Government. All private members of the Board of Administrators were elected by the founding members. The first eighteen founding members are Alberta Group, Allied Newspapers Ltd, Alter Domus, Attard & Co, BOV, Engel & Volkers Sara Grech, ESS, Farsons Group, Fino, Forestals, Gasan Group, Homemate, HSBC, JB Stores Ltd, Joinwell, MSV Life, PwC and Vernons Ltd. In 2017, 12 Private Sector operators joined the Foundation increasing the total number to 35. The new members are Portughes Dry Cleaning, DIZZ Group, Busy Bee Caterers, Browns Pharma, Deloitte, Methode Electronics, Misco, Dhalia, Niumee, Tri-Mer, Elektra and the Micro SME’s represented by the GRTU. The members representing the public sector are Projects Malta Ltd, B’Kara Local Council, GRTU, MIP, Planning Authority and Transport Malta. Following the 2017 General Election, Government is represented by the Ministry For the Economy, Investment and Small Businesses.

Mr Louis A Farrugia chaired the Board of Administrators for the first 18 months representing the Private Sector. The current Chairman is Mr. William Wait representing Government. According to the Foundation Deed the Chairperson of the Board of Administrators shall be appointed by the Board of Administrators from among its members on an alternate basis, by the Government and the Private Sector Group for a period of eighteen (18) months.The responsibilities of the Board of Administrators include defining priorities for Mrieħel.

GENERAL INFORMATION

• The Central Business District covers a footprint area of 0.8km² – approximately same size as Valletta;
• 80% of the area is privately owned;
• There are 260 operators that operate in Mriehel with 97 different businesses;
• The number of employees working in the area is approximately 8,000

SCOPE

The intention to set up a Foundation for the day-to-day management of Mriehel is an important first step to provide, in a co-ordinated manner, the necessary up-lift of the area which is urgently and immediately required.
A very important function of this Foundation is also by acting as a point of reference for enforcements actions within the location.

Following a cabinet approval, the Foundation together with the Planning Authority will be working on a Holistic Regeneration Plan as a long term plan including aesthetics, health and safety, urban design, transport, maintenance, cleansing, waste management and all such matters which will improve the area.