Boatmen Take Transport Malta to Court Over Alleged Illegal Middleman

Seven licensed boatmen filed a judicial protest in the First Hall of the Civil Court on 14 May 2026, accusing Transport Malta, the Ministry for Transport and Infrastructure, and the State Advocate of allowing an unregistered entity to act as the de facto regulator of their sector. The seven plaintiffs — Jason Sevasta, Kenneth Psaila, Keith Attard, Luke Ciantar, Daren Agius, Ivan Agius, and Clifton Demanuele — contend that Għaqda Barklori is not registered as a voluntary organisation under Chapter 492 of the Laws of Malta.

They argue that Article 12(4) of that chapter, as they read it, bars government entities from entering into public service contracts or arrangements with unregistered voluntary groups, making the authorities' dealings with Għaqda Barklori unlawful. The protest also names Lawrence Mizzi, Gerald Camilleri, and Manoel Abela, identified as the individuals behind Għaqda Barklori, as jointly liable for the alleged damages.

The plaintiffs allege that, despite the group's lack of formal standing, its leaders presented it to Transport Malta as the sector's legitimate representative body and used that position to negotiate exclusive arrangements that favour certain operators over others. When the boatmen sought to engage Transport Malta directly on licensing matters, they say they were told to go through Għaqda Barklori instead — a redirection they argue has no lawful basis.

The dispute sharpened when they were pressured to sign a Membership Agreement alleged to contain perpetual confidentiality clauses, prohibitions on contesting government arrangements, non-disparagement obligations, and provisions stripping members of their right to seek court remedies. The plaintiffs say that refusing to sign stalled their licensing applications. The matter has been formally referred to the Office of the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations, which has been asked to assess the legality, registration status, and financial arrangements of Għaqda Barklori.

The seven boatmen are demanding an immediate end to all preferential treatment given to Għaqda Barklori, the cancellation of what they call illegal arrangements, and the formal issuance of their operating licences within five days. Should the respondent authorities fail to act within that window, the boatmen warn they will pursue litigation across civil, constitutional, and administrative tracks and claim damages for lost earnings.

The plaintiffs are represented by Dr Mark Muscat, Dr Errol Cutajar, and Dr Zack Esmail. The judicial protest is a formal legal filing; no judicial ruling has been issued and no hearing date has been set.