Road Safety and Motor Sports project proposal

I attended yesterday’s business breakfast organised by the Malta Motorsports Federation on its proposal to build a Road Safety and Motorsports Facility in Malta.  The proposal requires a land area of between 33 and 40 hectares and it appears that government has already identified the land which could serve for this purpose. Indications given so far are that it is in the vicinity of the airport, close to Safi and Kirkop.

During the Business Breakfast the Prime Minister expressed qualified support for the project. He referred to issues of noise and financial feasibility as being basic and which in his view require to be addressed in more detail before government considers the matter definitely to take a final decision.

I also heard veteran entrepeneur Maurice Mizzi air his views. He agreed with the road safety aspect of the project whilst disagreeing with the motor sports part on the basis of noise pollution.

The two aspects of the proposed project are complimentary. The Motor Sports aspect is considered to be the revenue generating part whilst the Road Safety aspect will contribute to an organised professional drive to have better trained drivers. The road safety aspect of the project was defined by one of the foreign speakers as being a CSR driven project, a means through which Motor Sports channels back into the community profits which are generated.

The issues to be examined are not only those relating to financial feasibility and noise impacts as emphasisied by the Prime Minister. Air quality and the emission of particulate matter resulting from the fuels which will be in use has to be studied in detail. One has also to consider the fact that the localities in the vicinity of the airport are already subject to excessive noise pollution resulting from the operations of Malta’s International Airport.

With this in mind whilst emphasising that the proposed project may serve as a much needed educational tool to improve driving skills much more needs to be examined before it can be given the go-ahead.

Our community may reap great benefits from this initiatve through improved road safety. As to the sports aspect one has undoubtedly to consider further. Eventually a decision will depend on the technical parameters of the project, the proposed mitigating measures and the precise location of the site. Any decision has to await such time as these issues are clear. It has to be clear that the communities close by are not shouldered with more burdens. They have shouldered more than enough to date.

published at di-ve.com on Friday 8 February 2013

L-imħallef għand tal-grocer

Sewwa qal Simon li in-nies għandha tiftaħ ħalqha għand tal-grocer. Ara xi smajt:

” Sewwa qed jgħidu n-Nazzjonalisti li l-Imħallef għandu jirreżenja. Mhux veru, jew, anke tal-Kumitat Olimpiku Internazzjonali qed jgħidu li hemm bżonn jieħdu passi.”

“X’imħallef hu?”

“U dak Farrugia Sacco!”

“Tajba din. Għan-Nazzjonalisti kulħadd għand jirreżenja minbarra huma!”

“U xi trid tgħid biha din?”

“Mela ma smajtx inti l-istorja ta’ Noel Borg Hedley li kien segretarju privat tal-Ministru Tonio Fenech u ammetta li ħa l-flus mingħand il-kuntratturi biex jirranġalhom ħalli jinħafrulhom il-multi.”

“U x’għamel bihom il-flus?”

“Ammetta li nefaqhom ……….. fil-kampanja elettorali ta’ Tonio Fenech.”

“Kif jista’ jkun, Tonio Fenech qal li ma kien jaf b’xejn!”

“Inti taf x’qal Franco?”

“Eeeeeeeeeeee…………. x’qal?

“Li Tonio Fenech messu jbus saqajn Borg Hedley għax refa’ ħafna iktar milli messu u weħel b’kollox hu!”

“U dan Franco mela kollox jaf………………?”

“Mela ma tafx li lil Borg Hedley iddefendih avukat mill-uffiċċju ta’ Franco? Jiena naħseb li tinten sewwa l-biċċa. Avolja Tonio qed jgħid li ma jaf b’xejn. Jiena ngħid għalija ma nemminx li ma kien jaf b’xejn.”

“Mela mhux l-Imħallef biss għandu jirreżenja. Jidher li Tonio Fenech imissu ilu li dabbar rasu.”

Malta’s reputation and the Olympics

Last June The Times informed us that Justice Minister Chris Said had called on the Commission for the Administration of Justice to investigate Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco in view of reports carried in London’s Times on the Olympics ticketing scam.

Mr Justice Farrugia Sacco had stated that there was no wrong-doing at his end. In fact he had informed The Times that: “We would never go against the rules of the International Olympic Committee ( IOC). It’s not worth it.”

On the 22 June 2012 The Times had informed its readers that His Excellency President George Abela would abstain from presiding over the investigation requested by the Justice Minister as in the past he (Abela) had represented Mr Justice Farrugia Sacco as legal counsel. The investigation consequently was to be led by the Vice President  of the Commission, the Chief Justice Dr Silvio Camilleri.

No one knows anything else about the investigation requested by Justice Minister Chris Said.

Yesterday 7 December 2012 The Times reported the conclusions of the IOC five-month international investigation into Olympic ticket selling.

I have accessed the website of the International Olympics Committee which reported that on the 5^th December 2012 the Executive Committee of the IOC considered and approved “the Ethics Commission proposed recommendations, which were based on a thorough analysis of the evidence provided by the Sunday Times and several hearings.”

The report of the Ethics Committee of the IOC makes interesting reading.

Paragraph 17 of the IOC Ethics Committee Report states the following :

“With regard to the NOC [National Olympic Committee] of Malta,

a) Mr Lino Farrugia, President of the Maltese NOC:

After taking cognisance of all the evidence and his observations, the Commission observes that, by agreeing to take part, with the NOC Secretary General, in a discussion concerning the ATR contract for the Games in Sochi, when it was apparent that his interlocutors seemed to be looking for ways to circumvent the official mechanism, Mr Farrugia allowed the journalists to prove their point.

b) Mr Joe Cassar, Secretary General of the Maltese NOC:

After taking cognisance of all the evidence and his observations, the Commission observes that, by agreeing to discuss the ATR contract for the Games in Sochi when his interlocutors were clearly looking for ways to circumvent the official mechanism and knowing that some of the tickets could be sold in the Middle East; and finally by explaining which means could be used to get around the mechanism, Mr Joe Cassar helped to prove the point being made by the journalists, namely that the sports world and those who work with it are prepared to violate the rules. As a result, Mr Joe Cassar helped the reputation of the Olympic Movement to be tarnished.”

The IOC Ethics Committee concluded by giving its opinion which was unanimously approved: either the local Olympic Committees take action against the named officals who have tarnished the reputation of the Olympic Movement, or else :

“The Commission is further of the view that, in the absence of appropriate action by the NOCs or the individuals concerned, the IOC Executive Board has the authority to take the appropriate administrative measures, particularly with regard to issuing accreditations for the various IOC organized events such as the Olympic Games, the Youth Olympic Games, Sessions and other IOC meetings.”

In view of the above it is clear that the matter is not just an internal matter for the Malta Olympic Committee. It may well involve non-participation of maltese sportsman and women in Olympic activities.

I have no hope that Parliament will act by impeaching Mr Justice Farrugia Sacco, even if that is what he deserves.

What will happen now is anybody’s guess. Will the sports organisations stand up to be counted?

The International Olympic Movement is worried because its reputation has been tarnished. Unfortunately it seems that no one is worried in Malta. No one seems to care that Malta’s reputation is being severely tarnished. It gets worse.

The silence of the authorities is deafening. It defines the ethical standards of public officials!

Qed ifakkruni f’Bobby Fisher

Il-ħidma tal-membri parlamentari JPO u Franco Debono kemm dik parlamentari kif ukoll dik extra-parlamentari qed issir tixbah iktar lil logħba chess milli ħidma fi ħdan partit li xi darba kien jissejjaħ demokristjan.

Mhux qed nirreferi għal logħba chess kwalunkwe iżda lill-logħba għaċ-Championship tad-Dinja li kienet intlagħbet f’Reykjavik l-Iżlanda bejn l-Amerikan Bobby Fisher u ċ-Champion tad-Dinja taċ-Ċess ta’ dakinnhar Boris Spasky fl-1972!

Iktar mill-logħba innifisha dakinnhar kienu interessanti l-manuvri u t-teatrin ta’ Fisher intenzjonat biex jikkundizzjona psikoloġikament lil Spasky.

L-intervisti u l-kummenti ta’ JPO u RCC f’dawn il-jiem jiena nħares lejhom f’dan is-sens.

M’għandix dubju li saru elf manuvra fil-PN biex jipposizzjona ruħu aħjar waqt il-kampanja elettorali tal-2008. Uħud minn dak li sar u intqal nafuh. Imma għad hemm ħafna iktar li għadu mistur, u probabilment jibqa’.

Li RCC hu strateġista ħadd m’hu ser jiċħdu. Avolja kien hemm drabi li għamel żbalji goffi ukoll. Imma huwa għandu l-vantaġġ li “sempliċiment” jagħti l-pariri. Id-deċiżjonijiet jeħodhom ħaddieħor!

L-uniku diskors “onest” fil-Parlament dwar il-mozzjoni biex ikun ċċensurat RCC sar minn JPO. Dan għandu jkun rikonoxxut. Hu biss ma qagħadx jistaħba wara subgħajh biex jgħid ir-raġunijiet veri għala RCC kellu jwarrab. Il-Labour ipprovda l-mezz, JPO għamel użu minnu. Probabilment li l-Labour kien jaf eżattament x’inhu jagħmel. Kienet mossa kkalkulata bi preċiżjoni u bl-intenzjoni speċifika li taċċellera d-diżintegrazzjoni tal-PN. Mhux għax JPO ser ikollu xi appoġġ intern, għax naħseb li mhux ser ikollu appoġġ l-anqas minn dawk li jaħsbuha bħalu dwar RCC. Jekk dawn humiex 10 jew iktar ma nafx. Imma diffiċli nemmen li kien hemm xi ħadd daqshekk baħnan li wiegħed appoġġ lil JPO b’SMS! Is-suwiċidju politiku ma tantx hawn min jieħu pjaċir jipprattikah!

Din hi l-qagħda illum. Tal-biki. Kellu raġun Lawrence Gonzi jgħid li l-esperjenza fil-Parlament tat-Tnejn tal-ġimgħa l-oħra kienet waħda tal-biża’. Jiena nżid li ħdejn dak li jidher fuq ix-xefaq, dak li ġara fil-Parlament hu biss taħmil id-dras.

Jiddispjaċini ħafna nara lill-PN jaqa’ f’dan il-livell.

Il-PN hu wara kollox il-partit politiku li jiena u ħafna oħrajn iddedikajna żgħożitna biex nimmilitaw fih. M’għandi l-ebda dispjaċir li għamilt hekk għax fiż-żmien li jiena kont attiv fil-PN dan kien l-unika tarka għad-demokrazija fil-pajjiż. Sfortunatament taħt l-Avukat Lawrence Gonzi illum il-PN sar jirrappreżenta affarijiet oħra. Flok tarka għad-demokrazija sar staffa għall-poter akkost ta’ kollox. Għax kieku ma kienx hekk l-elezzjoni ġenerali ilha li issejħet.

X’ser jiġri iktar ma nafx. Jidher biss li jiem il-PN u jiem Lawrence Gonzi huma magħduda. It-tmiem hu fil-qrib.  U ma jistax ikun hemm tmiem agħar minn dak li jidher fuq ix-xefaq. Kollass intern. Partit mibni fuq prinċipji sodi jiżviluppa f’tarka tal-inkompetenza u l-opportuniżmu. Dan kollu qed iseħħ għax il-PN għażel li jinjora l-egħruq tiegħu.

Il-Partit Laburista ilu li għamel l-istess ħaġa. Il-logħba ċess li l-Labour qed jilagħab b’JPO, Franco u Jesmond hi rebħa tat-tattika fuq il-prinċipji. Għal mument il-Labour qed isikket il-prinċipji u qed jitmexxa minn strateġija politika ibbażata fuq il-gwadann immedjat. Għad jiddispjaċih għax fi ħdanu l-Labour fl-eżerċizzju li għaddej minnu li jaċċetta lil kulħadd tefa’ iż-żerriegħa għal repetizzjoni ta’ dak li qed jiġri illum f’data mhux il-bogħod .

Fid-dawl ta’ dan kollu hu ċar li l-PN ta’ Gonzi ma tistax tafdah. Il-Labour ta’ Muscat ma joffrix alternattivi. Hu partit bla prinċipji li nesa’ l-egħruq tiegħu.

Jibqa’ biss Alternattiva Demokratika li b’wiċċha minn quddiem tgħid lil kulħadd li magħha kulħadd jaf fejn hu qiegħed. Għalina ta’ AD kemm il-PN kif ukoll il-Labour huma żbaljati għax kontinwament qed jirriduċu l-politika f’logħba ċess fejn l-iktar importanti għalihom hu min ikollu l-poter f’idejh.

Il-pajjiż jixraqlu aħjar.

Mental Gymnastics at MEPA

Over the past two years, three special areas of conservation were in the news: Mistra (Spin Valley disco), Baħrija Valley and, now, Dwejra. Next in the news will be the White Rocks sports development, bordering Pembroke.

The Director for Environment Protection at the Malta Environment and Planning Authority is on record as saying that an SAC should not be “a keep-out zone”. To my knowledge, no one has made such an assertion. It is, however, to be underlined that permissible activities in and around SACs are limited in terms of the EU Habitats Directive.

Decisions of the Environment Protection Directorate relative to SACs need to be adequately motivated. This is unfortunately not always apparent. What is also very clear at this stage is that the Environment Protection Directorate seems to have been kept out of the process leading to the original decision on the use of the Dwejra site, only to be pushed onto the frontline at the eleventh hour when a damage limitation exercise was embarked upon.

The Habitats Directive is very clear. As a rule, it permits activities on and in the vicinity of SACs only if these activities are required for the purpose of managing the site. Other activities may also be permitted but when this is the case they are subject to stringent procedures and conditions.

The Habitats Directive (transposed into Maltese legislation by Legal Notice 311 of 2006) may permit an activity in or in the vicinity of an SAC provided the Environment Protection Directorate determines it is not detrimental to the site either on its own or cumulatively with other activities.

However, in so determining, the Environment Protection Directorate has to carefully consider the proposed activity and correlate it to all the characteristics of the SAC. In particular, it should also consider what is known as the “corridor effect”. That is, whether an activity in or outside an SAC is likely to have an impact on any area of the SAC or another protected area in the vicinity, say a marine conservation area as is the case in Dwejra.

An SAC should be considered as a whole and should not be parcelled into areas where activity is permissible and others where it is not, as Mepa seems to be suggesting. Malta cannot go on with declaring areas to be SACs only to subsequently commence mental gymnastics in order to invent exceptions whenever the need to justify something crops up.

Analysing statements made after the Dwejra saga, it is clear Mepa failed to do the above. By stating the site was “bare rock”, worse still, by stating there is no eco-system to protect (even if this absurd statement was later retracted), Mepa in my view abdicated its responsibilities as the competent authority entrusted by the EU to act on its behalf to manage SACs, which are today part of an EU Natura 2000 network.

At least two parallel investigations are under way. One by the Mepa audit officer, the other by independent experts to scientifically examine and report on any impacts on the site as a result of the permit issued by Mepa.

So far, the applicant (Fire and Blood Productions) and the sub-contractor have been censured for not observing the permit conditions imposed by Mepa. However, no official comment as to whether Mepa overstepped its brief in issuing the Dwejra permit has yet been made. This I submit is the primary pending matter as, in my view, Mepa should never have authorised the placing of sand at Dwejra.

Earlier this year, in an article entitled Land Speculation At White Rocks (July 7) I had written about another SAC, that at Pembroke. The proposal there does not involve the temporary placing of sand but the development of a sports complex in an area which is very close to the Pembroke SAC. In view of conflicting information it is not yet clear how and to what extent this proposal impacts the Pembroke SAC.

After considering the manner in which SACs have been mismanaged by Mepa in Mistra, Baħrija, Dwejra and, now, possibly Pembroke it is legitimate to ask why the government has bothered to declare them as areas worthy of protection.

It is clear so far the government is only interested in paying lip service to such issues and, subsequently, to engage in mental gymnastics to justify anything.

As stated by Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco (The Cost Of Decisions That Count, The Times, November 27) one should not use this serious incident to discount the validity of a number of environmental initiatives. However, if the government wants to be taken seriously on environmental issues it must put its house in order. Unfortunately, this does not seem to be a priority.

 

Published in The Times of Malta, Saturday December 4, 2010

Gonzi u l-White Rocks: l-interessi personali u l-profitti

 

Lawrence Gonzi kien rappurtat dalgħodu mit-Times li wieġeb għall-kritika ta’ Paul Abela (ex Sindku Nazzjonalista tas-Swieqi u illum President tal-GRTU) dwar il-proġett tal-White Rocks billi qal li dan (Abela) għandu interessi personali u interessi ta’ profitt u li l-kritika tiegħu għall-proġett tal-White Rocks hi motivata minn dan.

Mur obsor, kemm hu għaref il-Prim ! Mhux ovvja li min (flimkien ma ħaddieħor) tefa’ offerta li wara proċess twil ta’ negozjati ġiet aċċettata jfittex li jħares l-interessi tiegħu.

Paul Abela fl-artiklu tiegħu  ippubblikat fit-Times of Malta tal-14 ta’ Lulju 2010 qal li l-Gvern kien għadu marbut mal-consortium bl-isem Costa San Andrea li miegħu kienu saru negozjati wara sejħa għall-offerti fl-1999.

Bil-mod kif qed jitkellem Lawrence Gonzi qiesu li dawk li magħhom qiegħed jinnegozja l-Gvern tiegħu ġejjin jagħmlu l-karita’. Dawn għall-profitti ukoll ġejjin, profitti li biex jimmaterjalizzaw talbu art li fuqha jkunu jistgħu jinbnew 300 appartament. Il-fondi ġġenerati mill-bejgħ tal-appartamenti jagħmlu tajjeb kemm għall-profitti kif ukoll għall-ispejjes biex jinbena dak li Lawrence Gonzi qed isejjaħlu kumpless sportiv, imma li fir-realta’ għadu mhux ċar eżatt x’ser ikun.

Il-mistoqsijiet mhux imwieġba mill-Gvern ta’ Gonzi qed jiżdiedu, u issa magħhom żdiedu dawk ta’ Paul Abela : għadu marbut mal-consortium Costa San Andrea jew le ?  

Għal uħud mill-mistoqsijiet l-oħra, ara ukoll fuq dan il-blog :

 3 ta’ Lulju                 Land Speculation at White Rocks

13 ta’ Ġunju                 The White Rocks Project

Land Speculation at White Rocks

Having first class sports facilities in Malta is an objective which everyone shares. Hence the point at issue, in my view, is not whether a sports complex should be developed but how this can be done and the manner in which it should be financed.

The government has opted for direct negotiations with the selected partners. Was it right in directly selecting the proposed developers and negotiating away from the spotlight of tendering rules and procedures which a normal democratic society imposes?

My view is that the method of selection clearly indicates the government’s disdain for transparency and accountability, even if the final deal will eventually be presented for Parliament’s approval. Removing the major part of the process from the continuous scrutiny of the public institutions set up purposely for their examination, is a clear indication of what could lie in store. Comments have already surfaced as to the ethical credentials of those selected as partners.

An eventual agreement will consist of two elements: the provision of the sports facilities and a prime site residential development consisting of around 300 residential units. The second element is intended to finance the first, the land being made available by the taxpayer through publicly-owned land.

Three documents need to be examined in order to identify the applicable parameters and the considerations to be made.

The first document of relevance is the Development Brief for the White Rocks site issued by the then Planning Authority in 1995. Even if then the proposed development was for an “upmarket tourism project” the development parameters drawn up are of extreme relevance to today’s discussion.

The site, the brief informs us, has a total area of 36.9 hectares. This is subdivided into three zones. Zone 1, having an area of 38 per cent of the total, consists of the existing holiday complex and its facilities. Zone 2 (39 per cent of the area) consists of a mixed garigue and rocky coastline, including the marine environment and archaeological resources. Zone 3 (23 per cent of the area) consists of agricultural land.

The 1995 brief laid out that only Zone 1 was to be released for development. The brief identified one exception: an underground structure in Zone 2 which was to be rehabilitated and in respect of which no extension of its footprint was to be considered.

The second document of relevance to the White Rocks site is the North Harbour Local Plan approved in August 2006. This document, in addition to ignoring any development potential of the White Rocks site, defines it as a “green wedge”. Now, to my mind this means that no development is permissible on the site.

The third document of relevance is the Habitats Directive of the EU applicable to these islands as of May 2004. Zone 1 of the White Rocks site is adjacent to a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) which has been so declared by Malta and approved by the EU Commission. This spills over into Zone 2 described above.

Now the only development permissible in SACs is that which is necessary for the management of the site. The Habitats Directive further lays down that activities on sites adjacent to SACs are restricted too, such that they serve as a buffer zone and are not the indirect cause of damage to the said SACs.

If the above parameters are adhered to, it is not at all clear which sports facilities can be developed on the White Rocks site. Given that Zone 1 covers 38 per cent of the total area, the space is limited both in terms of area as well as in terms of potential for the development of sports facilities. This would leave unanswered questions as to where the 300 projected residential units intended as payment for services rendered by the developing consortium are to be built.

One hopes that in planning the development of the sports complex the limits identified in the 1995 development brief will not be ignored.

Given the development parameters established in 1995, to which one must now add the responsibilities derived from the EU Habitats Directive of the European Union, it is doubtful whether the White Rocks site is suitable for development as a sports complex of the extent indicated by the Prime Minister and other government spokesmen.

Furthermore, it is neither possible nor acceptable to develop 300 residential units on the site to settle the costs of this development.

This is just land speculation in its crudest form. In an overdeveloped Malta the least one expects is a government engaging in speculative development in order to settle its bills and simultaneously claiming that the environment is one of its main policy pillars!

One wonders whose advice government is listening to. At times it seems that it has retained its Xagħra l-Ħamra advisors: those that had convinced it to promote a golf course without having first understood its environmental implications. Governments never learn.

published in The Times of Malta, July 3, 2010

The White Rocks Project

Dirk Urpani, AD Spokesman on Sports and Youths stated that AD appreciates that at last Government has produced a plan to utilise the abandoned White Rocks site for sports. Dirk Urpani expressed the hope that this project may further enhance a sporting mentality into the minds of the Maltese, all of which stand to gain only if it is properly implemented.

Carmel Cacopardo AD spokesman on Sustainable Development added that
government’s enthusiasm would only be justified if the proposed development is sustainable and consistent with government’s declared policy on the inauguration of the current session of Parliament in 2008. It was then solemnly declared that the Gonzi government would be guided and inspired by the principles of sustainable development. It is now time for Government to show one and all what it has learned from its environmental blunders, including those of the recent past, as was most recently observed in the press by the Parliamentary Secretary responsible for Tourism and the Environment.

AD, added Cacopardo, assumes that since it has been declared by Government that the environment is one of its policy pillars it has already taken into consideration the fact that the White Rocks Area borders a Special Area of Conservation which of its very nature limits the type of development and activities permissible. This is one of the duties which Malta has assumed through EU membership as it was this same government which identified this area (adjacent to the White Rocks area) to form part of EU’s Natura 2000 sites subject to the regulations detailed in the Habitats Directive.

In view of the above, Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson, concluded that it would be appreciated that the Prime Minister, even as Minister responsible for the Environment, puts everyone’s mind at rest how these responsibilities will be honoured now that detailed plans appear to have been finalised.

AD will be able to comment further about the project when the detailed plans are published.

_______

 

Dirk Urpani, kelliemi ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika (AD) dwar iż-Żgħażagħ u l-Isports jgħid li AD tapprezza li fl-aħħar tfaċċa pjan biex iż-żona mitluqa magħrufa bħala White Rocks tintuża għal attivita sportiva. Dirk Urpani esprima t-tama illi dan il-proġett jista’ jgħin l-iżvilupp sportiv fil-Maltin. Dan iżda jseħħ biss kemm-il darba l-proġett ikun implimentat sewwa.

Carmel Cacopardo kelliemi ta’ AD ghall-Iżvilupp Sostenibbli kompla li l-ħeġġa li qed tintwera tkun ġustifikata biss jekk l-iżvilupp propost ikun wieħed
sostenibbli u konsistenti mad-diskors programmatiku tal-Gvern fil-ftuħ tal-Parlament fl-2008 fejn gie dikjarat solennement li l-Gvern Gonzi ser ikun illuminat mill-prinċipji ta’ żvilupp sostenibbli. Huwa l-mument li l-Gvern juri jekk tgħallimx mill-iżbalji ambjentali li għamel anke’ fil-passat riċenti, u dan kif osserva tant tajjeb reċentement f’ġurnal lokali s-Segretarju Parlamentari responsabbli mit-Turiżmu u l-Ambjent.

AD, żied jgħid Cacopardo tassumi li billi l-ambjent illum huwa pilastru ewlieni tal-politika dikjarata tal-Gvern dan diġa ħa in konsiderazzjoni il-fatt li
l-area tal-White Rocks tmiss ma’ Żona Speċjali ta’ Konservazzjoni (Special Area of Conservation) li allura minna nnifisha tillimita x’tip ta’ żvilupp u attivita’ tista’ issir fl-inħawi. Dan huwa wieħed mill-obbligi li Malta daħlet għalihom bis-sħubija fl-Unjoni Ewropea meta kien il-Gvern innifsu li identifika ż-żona biex tagħmel parti min-Natura 2000 tal-Unjoni Ewropea. L-obbligi kollha dwar dan joħorġu mid-Direttiva tal-Habitats.

Għaldaqstant temm jghid Michael Briguglio, Chairperson ta’ AD,  AD tapprezza jekk l-Prim Ministru jserraħ ras kulhadd u jekk issa li jidher li hemm pjani dettaljati dwar il-progett jinforma lill-pubbliku kif dawn l-obbligi ser ikunu onorati.

AD tkun tista’ tikkummenta fid-dettall dwar il-proġett meta l-pjanijiet kollha
dettaljati jkunu pubbliċi.

Beijing Olympics : the quality of the air

 

Its 08.08.08. Beijing Olyimics will commence later today.

Notwithstanding all the precuations taken by the organisers it seems that the quality of the air is poor.

Mike Friedman, an American cyclist wore a mask issued by the American Olyimpic Committee to althletes when he exited from the plane. Replying to critics he stated that he was only doing what was best for his health.

Tibet

Illum il-31 ta’ Marzu huwa xieraq li nirriflettu ftit fuq il-qagħda fit-Tibet. Pajjiż okkupat minn forzi barranin.

Il-protesti preżenti fi Lhasa, belt kapitali tat-Tibet ilhom għaddejjin min-nofs Marzu, anniversarju tal-protesti imdemmija li kienu saru kontra t-tmexxija Ċiniża fit-Tibet fl-1959.

L-istorja tat-Tibet hi waħda ta’ sekli sħaħ ta’ dominazzjoni Ċiniża.

Issa it-Tibetani qed iħosshom minoranza f’pajjiżhom. Il-mexxej tagħhom id-Dalai Lama fl-eżilju.

Bil-waqa’ tad-dinastija Qing it-Tibet sar stat indipendenti fl-1913, wara sekli sħaħ taħt id-dominju Ċiniż. Baqa’ hekk indipendenti sal-1951 meta reġa’ ġie anness mar-Republika Popolari Ċiniża. Dak li li llum huwa magħrufa bħala r-Reġju Awtonomu tat-Tibet huwa biss parti minn dik li kien it-Tibet. Il-bqija ġie inkorporat fi-proviċji Ċiniżi ta’ Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu, u Qinghai.

Fl-10 ta’ Marzu 1959 l-armata Ċiniża attakkat il-palazz tad-Dalai Lama, l-mexxej tat-Tibet, li irnexxielu jaħrab lejn l-Indja fejn qiegħed fl-eżilju.

Nhar l-10 ta’ Marzu 2008 mitt patri mill-monasteru Drepung bdew mixja lejn Lhasa bħala protesta għall-arrest ta’ patrijiet wara li d-Dalai Lama ngħata midalja tad-deheb mill-Kungress Amerikan. Il-forzi tas-sigurta Ċiniżi mhux biss żammew il-mixja milli tkompli għaddejja, talli uħud mill-patrijiet ġew imsawta.

Is-sena d-dieħla jaħbat il-50 anniversarju tal-irvellijiet tal-1959.

Dan fil-qosor huwa l-kuntest ta’ dak li qiegħed jiġri llum fit-Tibet.

Il-poplu tat-Tibet jixraqlu appoġġ. Uħud iridu jużaw l-Olimpijadi ta’ Bejing għal dan l-iskop. Fil-passat kien hemm min ipprova jagħmel dan dwar il-gwerra tal-Afganistan (l-Olimijadi ta’ Moska fl-1980) imma l-iskop ma ntlaħaqx.

Għax l-isport u l-politika m’għandhomx jiġu mħallta.

Il-komunita internazzjonali xorta għandha l-obbligu li tagħti l-kontribut tagħha biex l-imperu Ċiniż jisfaxa ukoll bħalma ġralu dak Sovjetiku 18-il sena ilu. Ilhom jistennew 50 sena !