Alternattiva Demokratika: ħarsa l-quddiem

Ir-riżenja ta’ Michael Briguglio hi issa aħbar pubblika. Kif jiġri dejjem, bħala Viċi Chairman ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika jiena issa qiegħed naġixxi ta’ Chairman minn floku. Fil-prattika dan ifisser il-koordinazzjoni neċessarja biex tissejjaħ il-Laqgħa Ġenerali Annwali fil-ġimgħat li ġejjin meta l-membri ta’ AD naħtru team ġdid biex imexxi l-Partit.

Wara ftit iktar minn ħames snin involut b’mod attiv f’Alternattiva Demokratika jiena naħseb li qed joqrob iż-żmien biex nieqaf u nagħmel il-wisa’ għal persuni oħrajn ta’ eta iżgħar li bl-enerġija u l-ideat tagħhom jistgħu jkomplu jibnu fuq dak li hi Alternattiva Demokratika illum. Jekk ma jkunx din is-sena jkun is-sena li ġejja u dan dejjem jekk it-team il-ġdid ikollu bżonn l-għajnuna tiegħi.

Fi ħsiebni nibqa’ attiv ta’ l-anqas sal-Laqgħa Ġenerali Annwali naqdi dmiri lejn il-membri li eleġġewni kif ukoll lejn il-5,506 votant li għoġobhom jivvutaw lill-Alternattiva Demokratika bħala l-ewwel preferenza tagħhom fl-elezzjoni ġenerali. Dan hu obbligu li naqdieh bil-qalb.

Kienu ħames snin ta’ ħidma kbira li fihom ħdimt ma’ tlett Chairmen differenti: Harry Vassallo, Arnold Cassola u matul dawn l-aħħar tlett snin u nofs ma Michael Briguglio. Kull wieħed minnhom ta’ l-kontribut tiegħu għall-bini ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika biex hi dak li hi illum. Ma kull wieħed minnhom ħadt pjaċir naħdem għax kull wieħed minnhom kien dedikat.

Il-ħidma politika mhiex faċli. Tirrikjedi sagrifiċċji li nagħmlu lkoll kemm aħna. Sagrifiċċji li nagħmluhom għax nemmnu li l-ħin dedikat għall-politika huwa investiment fit-titjib tal-pajjiż. Hi ħidma li permezz tagħha nagħtu kontribut biex il-ħajja ta’ madwarna tkun aħjar.

Il-ħajja madwarna tkun ħafna aħjar jekk nagħrfu nirrispettaw iktar lil xulxin: jekk ma nħallux il-preġudizzji li kull wieħed minna ġemma’ matul ħajtu itappnu l-mod kif inħarsu lejn dawk ta’ madwarna. Li inkunu kapaċi ngħidu dak li naħsbu huwa importanti. Imma huwa daqstant ieħor importanti li nkunu kapaċi nisimgħu dak li jrid jgħid ħaddieħor.

Li ninkuraġixxu d-diskussjoni miftuħa hu tajjeb. Imma fil-partiti politiċi b’mod partikolari hu importanti li dawk li jħaddnu ideat minoritarji ma jħossuhomx emarġinati.

Ilni kważi 40 sena attiv fil-politika l-parti l-kbira minnhom fil-Partit Nazzjonalista u kelli l-opportunita li nosserva li f’kull wieħed mill-partiti politiċi jinqalgħu ċirkustanzi li bħala riżultat tagħhom partit jagħmel għadu tiegħu minn dawk li jikkritikawh. Xi kultant minflok ma wieħed japprezza lil min kapaċi joħodha kontra l-kurrent u jlissen il-fehma tiegħu l-partiti politiċi għandhom ħabta li lil dawn jagħmluhom egħdewwa. Din iċ-ċirkustanza  hi riżultat li għadna ma fehmniex biżżejjed li l-partiti politiċi f’dan il-pajjiż huma wieħed mill-ftit postijiet fejn l-ideat jitħabbtu flimkien. L-enerġija li tirriżulta meta jitħabbtu flimkien dawn l-ideat tista’ tkun enerġija pożittiva imma sfortunatament għandna nuqqas ta’ persuni li kapaċi japprezzaw kif din l-enerġija pożittiva tingħaraf u kif tista’ tkun użata.

Sfortunatament din hi d-diżgrazzja ewlenija tal-politika Maltija. Flok nikkompetu b’mod pożittiv naħlu wisq enerġija fin-negattivita u fis-suspetti. Ir-riżultat hu li qed naħlu ħafna talenti.

L-awgurju tiegħi hu li nitgħallmu iktar. Li nagħrfu iktar dak li hemm pożittiv f’kull wieħed minnha. M’huwiex faċli. Imma naħseb li hu possibli.

Spekulazzjoni dwar Alternattiva Demokratika

 

Hi normali li fejn l-informazzjoni tkun ftit nieqsa l-media tispekula dwar x’jista’ jkun qiegħed jiġri. Dan tagħmlu biex twassal ritratt tas-sitwazzjoni kif tkun qed tarah hi dak il-ħin.

Hekk qed tagħmel parti mill-media dal-għodu dwar it-tmexxija ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika.

Fit-Torċa hemm artiklu interessanti ta’ Mark Camilleri intitolat Il-bidla u ċ-ċaqlieq ideoloġiku. Hu analiżi tas-sitwazzjoni attwali kif ukoll tal-mixja ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika tul dawn l-aħħar ħames snin. Ir-riflessjonijiet tiegħu huma validi u xejn ma jdejquni. Jistimulaw id-diskussjoni.

Hemm imbagħad artiklu fil-Malta Today intitolat Briguglio decapitates himself after internal criticism. Dan l-artiklu m’huwiex iffirmat. Jieħu spunti selettivi minn diskussjoni interna f’Alternattiva Demokratika u jibni storja fuq dan. L-inċens ma jonqosx. Jikkonkludi li d-deċiżjoni ta’ Michael Briguglio li jwarrab tidher mgħaġġla.

M’għandix dubju li l-awtur ta’ dan l-artiklu jifhem li partit politiku li fih m’hemmx diskussjoni ħajja (u jekk meħtieġ ukoll imqanqla) jkun partit mejjet. Id-dibattitu intern hu pre-rekwizit essenzjali għall-ħidma politika. Fortunatament f’Alternattiva Demokratika matul dawn il-ħames snin kien hemm diskussjoni ħajja u kontinwa.

Hemm imbagħad fil-Malta Today ukoll il-kumment ta’ Salvu Balzan fil-paġna tiegħu. Kumment dwari li donnu pprogrammat li jidher fil-Malta Today kull darba li jkun hemm il-kariga ta’ Chairman ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika battala. Għal darba oħra Salvu jibbottja li jekk jiena nieħu t-tmexxija ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika wara Michael Briguglio dan ikun diżastru madornali.

Hemm imbagħad kumment fil-paġna 7 tal-gazzetta l-Illum iffirmata mill-korrispondent li jiddeskrivi lilu innifsu bħala Il-poodle. Dawn l-osservazzjonijiet huma deskritti b’dan il-mod “Ġabra ta’ osservazzjonijiet bażati fuq il-veritajiet li qatt ma joħorġu għax hekk iridu”.

Mela Il-poodle jgħid ukoll li jiena irrid immexxi l-Ħodor. Jagħti ukoll ftit tal-kulur. Jgħid li fl-1996 meta kont għadni attiv fil-PN kont mort għand Austin Gatt flimkien ma George Pullicino u tlabtu (lill-Austin Gatt) biex jirreżenja.

Issa li kieku fl-1996 tlabt lil Austin Gatt biex jirreżenja ma kontx ser nistħi ngħid li għamilt hekk. Imma sfortunatament dan m’għamiltux.

Dwar it-tmexxija ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika naħseb li f’dan l-istadju ħadd għadu ma jaf xejn għax ħlief għal Michael Briguglio jidher li ħadd għadu ma ħa l-ebda deċiżjoni. Naħseb li jkun għaqli iżda li jkun hemm ħafna demm ġdid.

Eko-Skola: kelmet iż-Żgħażagħ dwar l-Ambjent

Ħadt sehem fit-tieni Summit ta’ Eko-Skola dwar l-Ambjent li sar dal-għodu fi Xrobb l-Għaġin Marsaxlokk.

Flimkien ma Mario de Marco u Joseph Muscat indirizzajt lill-istudenti u lill-għalliema tagħhom.

Iż-żgħażagħ tagħna fehmu l-ħtieġa li jeħtieġ li jkunu huma li jieħdu ħsieb il-futur tagħhom. Dan hu rifless b’mod qawwi fid-dikjarazzjoni tagħhom li approvaw dal-għodu fi tmiem is-summit.

Iddiskutew bosta suġġetti pero fuq quddiem kien hemm l-ilma, l-enerġija l-iskart u l-baħar ta’ madwarna.

Id-diskussjoni li kellhom dal-għodu tawgura tajjeb ħafna għal futur għax ifisser li tiela ġenerazzjoni b’sensittivita ikbar għal dak kollu li qiegħed jiġri madwarha. Huwa awgurju tajjeb ukoll għall-għalliema u l-familji ta’ dawn iż-żgħażagħ. Għax iżjed minn xi ħaġa li tgħallmu dak li smajt dal-għodu hu prova ta’ dak li jħossu, ta’ dak li jippruvaw jgħixu kemm huma kif ukoll dawk ta’ madwarhom.

Prosit mill-ġdid liż-żgħażagħ tagħna li permezz ta’ eko-skola qed juru kemm li tinvesti fil-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri hu l-iktar pass għaqli.

Voting at the Hospitals and Retirement Homes: 5. Infringement of data protection legislation

As  AD Deputy Chairman together with Prof Arnold Cassola on Monday 17 December 2012 I had a meeting with the Chief Electoral Commissioner relative to the amendments to the General Elections Act as applicable to state hospitals and state run retirement homes.

AD is worried that the said amendments require that the administrators of state hospitals as well as state run old people’s homes to submit regular updated list of patients and residents to the political parties for the purposes of monitoring the electoral process.

This information being made available permits the political parties not only to know who has been admitted to state run hospitals and retirement homes on a daily basis for practically two whole two months, but also to indirectly know what particular condition or ailment patients in hospitals are suffering from.

In a democratic country which gives value to the right to privacy this is totally unacceptable.

In view of this AD has requested the Data Protection Commissioner to investigate the manner in which the electoral process will invade the privacy of patients in state hospitals and residents in retirement homes when the list of patients/residents is provided to the political parties. The Data Protection Commissioner was requested to provide remedies ensuring that the provisions of the Data Protection Act are observed.

Voting at the Hospitals and Retirement Homes: (1) Introduction

On Monday morning together with Professor Arnold Cassola on behalf of Alternattiva Demokratika I had a meeting with the Chief Electoral Commissioner who was accompanied by the Commission’s Secretary. The point at issue were recent amendments to the General Elections Act (through Act XIV of 2012) which set out the framework for the running of general elections in retirement homes and Hospitals.

Retirement homes to which the amendments apply must have at least fifty resident voters and must be run by the state. This means that only one retirement home, St Vincent de Paul  Residence, is targeted. Ther retirement homes which though owned by the state are run by the private sector (Zejtun and Mellieħa homes) are excluded.

Likewise when it comes to the hospitals it will be the state hospitals which will be subject to the recent amendments. These are four in number, namely Mater Dei Hospital, Karen Grech Hospital, Mount Carmel Hospital and the Gozo General Hospital.

Twenty four hours after the publication of the writ establishing the date of the general elections the Electoral Commission shall form a sub-committee which shall be chaired by a Commissioner together with a representative of each of the political parties. Alternattiva Demokratika shall participate in this sub-committee and I shall be its representative.

In terms of these latest amendments to the General Elections Act the Electoral Commission shall delegate to the above-mentioned sub-committee the running of the general election  in retirement homes and hospitals.

to be continued : tomorrow (2) The draconian powers of the sub-committee

Water Sustainability ………… Sostenibilta tal-Ilma

World Environment Day: Water Sustainability a most pressing issue in Malta

In a press conference held in front of the Malta Resources Authority, Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party said that water sustainability is a most pressing issue in Malta.

Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson, said: “There are various important environmental issues in Malta, including air pollution, noise pollution, rampant construction and waste management. Like such issues, water sustainability deserves top prioritization in Malta’s environmental, economic and social policies”.

“Malta is one of the driest countries in the world, yet sustainable use of water does not yet seem to be a national priority.  We are in a situation where the majority pay their utility bills, whilst others steal water from boreholes. The water issue is ultimately an issue of environmental justice, social justice and economic good-sense. How could it be that we are treating such a scarce resource as if we have unlimited supply of it?”

Malta has mismanaged its water resources for far too long. Focusing on the potential use of recycled Treated Sewage Effluent Carmel Cacopardo AD Deputy Chairman and Spokesman on Sustainable Development and Home Affairs said that the infrastructure for sewage treatment was designed on the basis of the misconception that treated sewage had no economic value. As a result the 24 million cubic metres of treated sewage (estimated data for  2011 : 21,858,000 cm for Malta and 1,982,000 cm for Gozo, excluding rainwater in sewers during the rainy season) so far are being discharged into the sea. Simultaneously 29 million cubic metres of water are produced annually (56% by RO and 44% extracted from the water table).

The recently announced change of policy as a result of which it is envisaged that Treated Sewage Effluent is utilised for various purposes is a positive step.  However it is imperative that TSE of the right quality is available the soonest in order that boreholes all over the country are sealed up after sufficient water of the appropriate quality is available for both agriculture and industry. This said Carmel Cacopardo could lead to a much needed resting time for  the water table.

Last month the Prime Minister announced that a pilot project was in hand in order to examine the impacts of recharging the aquifer with Treated Sewage Effluent.  AD, said Carmel Cacopardo notes that a successful pilot project could lead to a long term sustainable solution to the management of water resources in Malta. This however, he added is not without its pitfalls as it is dependent on a tough enforcement policy ensuring that only permissible liquid waste is discharged into the public sewer.

AD has earlier this week met with Malta Resources Authority officials who confirmed that this is still a major sticking point.

Finally Carmel Cacopardo pointed out that Water Services Corporation has produced a “ (Master) Plan for the Use of Treated Sewage Effluent for the maltese Islands. A National  Reclamation project.” Dated May 2009 this Masterplan has been made public earlier this year in Parliament.  AD, stated Cacopardo, queries why this Masterplan has not been subject to a public consultation and being examined in terms of the Strategic Environment Assessement Directive of the EU.

Jum Dinji tal-Ambjent: Sostenibbilta tal-Ilma l-aktar kwistjoni urgenti f’Malta – AD

F’konferenza stampa li saret quddiem l-ufficini tal-Awtorita’ Maltija tar-Rizorsi, Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party qalet li s-sostenibbilita’ tal-ilma hija l-aktar kwistjoni urgenti f’Malta.

Michael Briguglio, ic-Chairperson tal-AD, qal: “Hemm diversi kwistjonijiet ambjentali importanti f’Malta, inkluz it-tniggiz ta’ l-arja, tniggiz akustiku, il-kostruzzjoni rampanti u l-gestjoni tal-iskart. Bhal dawn il-kwistjonijiet, is-sostenibbilta’ tal-ilma jisthoqqa prijorita’ gholja fil-politika ambjentali, ekonomika u socjali ta’ Malta.”

“Malta hi wahda mill-iktar pajjizi niexfa fid-dinja, izda il-politika sostenibbli dwar l-ilma mhux qed tinghata. Qeghdin f’sitwazzjoni fejn il-maġġoranza tal-poplu jħallsu l-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma, waqt li ohrajn jisirqu l-ilma li jiġi mill-boreholes. Il-kwistjoni ta’ l-ilma hi wahda ta’ gustizzja ambjentali, gustizzja socjali u sens tajjeb ekonomiku. Kif jista’ jkun li rizorsa hekk skarsa qed tigi trattata qisha xi wahda bi provvista bla limitu?”

Malta ma haditx hsieb ir-rizorsi taghha tal-ilma ghal zmien twil. Huwa u jiffoka fuq il-potenzjal ghall-uzu tad-drenagg ippurifikat,  Carmel Cacopardo, Vici Chairman u Kelliemi ta’ AD ghall-Izvilupp Sostenibbli u l-Intern qal: “l-infrastruttura ghat-trattament tad-drenagg kienet iddisinjata fuq l-impressjoni zbaljata li dan l-ilma hekk prodott ma kellux valur ekonomiku. Bhala rizultat ta’ dan 24 miljunmetru kubu ta’ drenagg ippurifikat (stima ghall-2011: 21,858,000 mk ghal Malta u 1,982,000 ghal Ghawdex, apparti l-ilma tax-xita fid-drenagg meta taghmel ix-xita) s’issa qed jintefa l-bahar. Fl-istess hin 29 miljun metru kubu ta’ ilma qed ikunu prodotti kull sena (56% bl-RO u  44% estratt mill-pjan).”

“It-tibdil recenti fil-politika tal-Gvern li bhala rizultat taghha nistennew li d-drenagg riciklat ikun utilizzat ghal skopijiet diversi huwa pass pozittiv. Imma huwa essenzjali li ilma riciklat ta’ kwalita tajba ikun prodott mill-iktar fis biex ikun possibli li jinghalqu l-boreholes kollha wara li jkun hemm bizzejjed ilma ta’ kwalita’ ghall-agrikultura u l-industrija.  Dan, qal Carmel Cacopardo jista’ jwassal ghas-serhan tant mehtieg tal-ilma tal-pjan.”

“Ix-xahar li ghadda l-Prim Ministru habbar li progett pilot kien qed jezamina l-impatti li jirrizultaw jekk l-ilma tal-pjan ikun rikarikat b’ilma riciklat mid-drenagg. Alternattiva Demokratika tinnota li jekk dan il-progett pilota jirnexxi dan ikun jista’ jwassal ghal soluzzjoni sostenibbli u fit-tul tal-immanigjar tar-rizorsi tal-ilma f’Malta.  Dan imma, zied jghid, irid jiffaccja diffikultajiet kbar, principalment il-htiega ta’ id tal-hadid biex jigi assigurat li fid-drenagg  jinxtehet biss skart likwidu permissibli. “

“Alternattiva Demokratika iktar kmieni din il-gimgha iltaqghet ma ufficjali tal-Awtorita’ Maltija tar-Rizorsi li ikkonfermaw li din id-diffikulta ghadha ma gietx meghluba.”

Fl-ahhar nett  Carmel Cacopardo gibed l-attenzjoni li l-Korporazzjoni tas-Servizzi tal-Ilma ipproduciet  ‘(Master) Plan for the Use of Treated Sewage Effluent for the Maltese Islands. A National  Reclamation project’. Datat Mejju 2009 dan il-pjan kien ippubblikat fil-Parlament iktar kmieni din is-sena. Alternattiva Demokratika, qal Cacopardo, tistaqsi l-ghaliex dan il-pjan ma kienx soggett ghal konsultazzjoni pubblika kif ukoll ghaliex ma giex ezaminat ai termini tal-iStrategic Environment Assessement Directive tal-Unjoni Ewropea.

Ir-Riżenja tiegħi mill-PN

Ftit iktar minn 4 snin ilu, wara 32 sena jiena irreżenjajt minn membru tal-Partit Nazzjonalista. 

L-ittra tiegħi ta’ riżenja wassalta jiena bl-idejn fl-uffiċċju tas-Segretarju Ġenerali tal-PN ta’ dak iż-żmien Joe Saliba nhar is-16 ta’ Jannar 2008. Għaddew 49 xahar u s’issa ħadd għadu ma wieġeb l-ittra ta’ riżenja.

L-uniku kumment kien għamlu Lawrence Gonzi waqt konferenza stampa. Ara 1 u 2.

Jiġifieri Franco Debono m’għandux għalfejn jistagħġeb li l-ittra tiegħu ta’ riżenja minn membru tal-PN baqgħu ma wieġbuhiex.

Forsi wieħed jifhem li għalkemm ir-riżenja tiegħi u r-riżenja ta’ Franco Debono minn membri tal-PN saru f’ċirkustanzi differenti l-motiv bażiku hu l-istess: il-PN immexxi minn Lawrence Gonzi mhux biss jiddefendi lil min jiżbalja, talli jippremjah. Imbagħad ma min jagħmel xogħolu jimxi bil-gambetti.

49 xahar ilu lil Joe Saliba jiena kont għidtlu dan li ġej:

“Meta sseħibt fil-Partit Nazzjonalista kont nidentifika ruħi bla diffikulta miegħu.  Iżda illum ilni żmien nagħmel sforz nistaqsi lili nnifsi jekk il-PN għadux l-istess Partit li jiena sseħibt fih fis-snin 70. Qiegħed nasal għall-konkluzjoni illi kieku kelli nagħmel l-għażla illum ma kontx nagħżel li nissieħeb.    

Għal dan hemm bosta raġunijiet. Prinċipalment (iżda mhux biss) l-attitudni leġġera li bih il-Gvern immexxi mill-PN (kif ukoll il-PN innifsu) ħares lejn w aġixxa fil-konfront ta’ min mexa ħażin fil-ħajja pubblika.

Fil-konfront ta’ min mexa ħażin kontinwament isir attentat biex jinsatru u jitmewwtu l-affarijiet. Iżda imbagħad fil-konfront tal-ħidma tiegħi fil-MEPA jiena ġejt ostakolat milli nkompli l-ħidma li kont qed inwettaq fl-Uffiċċju tal-Verifika (Audit Office) b’elf skuża. Ir-raġuni vera ma tissemma qatt : li nibtet intolleranza għall-kritika u għal min kapaċi jaħseb b’moħħu. Min ma jittollerax il-ġbid tal-ispag qiegħed kontinwament jiġi imwarrab.”

X’inbidel mill-2008 lil hawn? Minn dak li qiegħed jgħid Franco Debono is-sitwazzjoni marret għall-agħar. 

Il-PN ma jridx jitgħallem u ma jinbidel qatt. Qabad it-triq tan-niżla.

The Quality of Life Account

Considering the Delimara power station extension in terms of the integrated pollution prevention and control application, the Malta Environment and Planning Authority asked Enemalta to submit an economic study on the different fuels that could be used. With a working language in euros, the study inevitably ends up considering whether preventing or reversing air quality degradation is, in fact, feasible due to the costs involved. I am being crude but that is basically what it entails.

It has been explained elsewhere that opting for gas oil instead of heavy fuel oil (HFO) will result in 37.75 per cent lower emissions of PM2.5 (particulate matter having up to 2.5 microns diameter).

Cubed Consultants Limited, author of the Delimara cost benefit analysis, recognises that gas oil has a better emissions performance than HFO. It arrives at this conclusion notwithstanding the incomplete information at its disposal, which information ignores a number of significant HFO emissions.

Cubed Consultants Limited concludes that there is an immediately apparent trade-off between low financial costs and high emission costs: they balance each other out! This may be so in the context of the economic philosophy adopted by Enemalta’s consultants but in the real world things work out differently.

The high emission costs are billed elsewhere. The health account foots part of the bill shouldering higher expenses for health care in general and respiratory ailments in particular. The quality of life account foots the rest of the bill. As a result of opting for lower fuel expenses the higher emissions produced will affect residents in the areas impacted. The varying impacts on their health will reduce their quality of life. Residents in neighbouring areas will also share the effects of the lower air quality.

One of the documents submitted to Mepa by the Marsaxlokk, Birżebbuġa and Żejtun local councils in reply to Enemalta’s IPPC submissions is authored by medical doctor Jason Bonnici and deals with the health effects of air pollution.

Dr Bonnici refers to studies carried out in Atlanta, US in 1996 both before and after the Olympic Games. As a result of measures taken to reduce air pollution during the three weeks of the Games, various indicators (ozone, NO2, carbon monoxide, PM10…) registered a substantial decrease. PM10 (particulate matter up to 10 microns diameter) for example, registered a 16 per cent decrease over the pre-Games levels.

As a result, Atlanta achieved a 40 per cent reduction of consultations in medical practices for asthma in children and a decline of between 11 and 19 per cent of asthma-related visits to emergency departments.

In Beijing, during the 2008 Olympic Games, similar efforts to reduce pollution resulted in a reduction of 31 per cent in PM2.5 and 35 per cent in PM10 concentrations. Results on the impacts of this achievement on health are not yet available.

Faced with this information, it is clear that the generation of air pollution through the use of HFO comes at a heavy health and environmental cost. No amount of economic benefit may balance out the reduction in the quality of life of those whose health is impaired. That is if they live on, as studies quoted by Dr Bonnici indicate an increased death rate in areas that experience the impact of high level PM2.5 and PM10 emissions.

Now, the PM2.5 and PM10 emissions measured by Mepa at Birżebbuġa and Marsaxlokk in April and May 2011 are already very high. Average PM2.5 daily readings measured 52.50μg/m3 at Marsaxlokk and 34.70μg/m3 at Birżebbuġa in contrast with the EU mandatory target value of 25μg/m3. On the other hand, average PM10 daily readings measured 54.10μg/m3 at Marsa­xlokk and 70μg/m3 at Birżebbuġa. The EU mandatory daily average is of 50μg/m3.

Faced with this reality, Mepa should feel in duty bound to ensure that the fuel option with the least impacts is selected. It is gas oil that pollutes the least and, hence, it presents the minimum of environmental and health impacts.

There is one further point that Edward Mallia has illustrated time and again. The cost to produce a unit of electricity at the Delimara extension making use of gas oil as a fuel is cheaper than what it presently costs at the Marsa power station using HFO. In the local councils’ documents presented to Mepa, Prof. Mallia and engineer Arthur Ciantar present the workings proving that it is not correct to state that using gas oil instead of HFO would lead to higher electricity bills.

Reducing health and environmental issues to prices and incremental costs or savings tends to lead to a situation of knowing the price of everything but the value of nothing, particularly the value of human life. Euros are not a suitable tool to measure the value of human life, health, the quality of life and the environment.

The ball is now in Mepa’s court. In the next few weeks, we will be able to comprehend the extent to which human life, health, quality of life and environmental issues are factored in (if at all) when important decisions are taken by Mepa.

Published in The Times, October 29,  2011

The circus has come to town

  

Saturday, September 10, 2011

 

When considering the draft National En­vironment Policy some patience is required. On one hand it is a detailed document covering a substantial number of environmental issues. However, its exposition of the issues to be tackled contrasts starkly with the government’s environmental performance throughout its long term in office.

The draft policy says more about the government than about the environment. It collates together the accumulated environmental responsibilities the government should have been addressing throughout the past years. The draft policy tells us: this is what the government ought to have done. It further tells us that in the next 10 years, the government will try its best to remedy its past failures by doing what it should do.

The government’s words and action are in sharp contrast, as I have been repeatedly pointing out in these columns. In late 2007, Cabinet approved the National Strategy for Sustainable Development, which, although being less detailed than today’s draft National Environment Policy, says practically the same things. It also covers a 10-year period (2007-2016), half of which has elapsed without the set targets having been addressed. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi is the Cabinet member politically responsible for this failure. Having failed repeatedly, I find it difficult to think how he could be trusted to deliver on environmental or sustainability issues.

On the basis of this experience, it is reasonable to dismiss the government’s media circus at Xrobb l-Għaġin where the draft National Environment Policy was launched as just another exercise in rhetoric.

It is definitely not a sudden conversion in favour of environmental issues that moved the government to act. The present exercise is the result of society’s metamorphosis, which came about as a direct consequence of years of environmental activism in Malta. Civil society has pushed a reluctant Nationalist-led government to this point.

No one in his right senses can quarrel with the proposed National Environment Policy in principle. Yet, it is a fact that the environment has always been the Cinderella of government business. All talk and little walk. A clear example is the adjudication process of the Delimara power station extension. When the submitted tenders were adjudicated, it resulted that the submissions that were technically and environmentally superior were considered less favourably than the tender that was perceived as being economically more advantageous. When push comes to shove, environmental issues are not given priority, the adjudication criteria being skewed in favour of perceived economic gain.

All this contrasts with the declarations in favour of green procurement in the draft National Environment Policy. In defending the decision on the use of heavy fuel oil in the power station extension, government spokesmen are in fact stating that while the environment is the government’s political priority it still retains the right to have second thoughts whenever it takes an important decision.

When the government plays around with its declared environmental convictions with the ease of a juggler, it sows serious doubts on its intentions. Even if the Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment is doing his best to convince that, under his watch, the environment carries weight it is clear to all that he has not succeeded in wiping the slate clean. He is still conditioned by the attitudes and the decisions taken by his boss and colleagues in the recent past. Their attitudes have not changed at all. Old habits die hard.

On a positive note, I have to state that the process leading to the draft National Environment Policy submitted for public consultation was one which involved civil society. A number of proposals submitted by civil society, including those in an AD document submitted to Mario de Marco, were taken on board. I also had the opportunity to discuss the draft policy and AD’s views with Dr de Marco on more than one occasion. The discussions were, in my opinion, beneficial.

The problem the government has so far failed to overcome is that it preaches one thing and continually does the opposite. The only times when it carries out positive environment action is when it is forced on this course by EU legislation or by threats of EU infringement proceedings. Within this context, declarations that Malta aims to go beyond the requirement of the EU’s acquis are, to say the least, hilarious. It would have been much better if the basics of the EU environmental acquis are first put in place.

The environmental initiatives taken during the past seven years have been mostly funded by the EU.

They would not have been possible without such funding.

By spelling it out, the draft National Environment Policy defines the government’s past failures. Hopefully, it also lays the groundwork for the required remedial action. The environmental destruction the government has facilitated and encouraged will take a long time to remedy. In some cases, the damage done is beyond repair.

Beyond the entertainment value of the media circus at Xrobb l-Għaġin, these first steps are just the beginning of a long journey. For the sake of Malta’s future generations I hope that the government does not go astray once more.

Paroli, Paroli u iktar Paroli. Il-Politika ta’ Gonzipn dwar l-Ambjent

 

   paroli, paroli u iktar paroli.

Ftit siegħat ilu għadu kif ħareġ għal konsultazjoni pubblika l-abbozz tal-politika Nazzjonali dwar l-Ambjent.  Dan id-dokument huwa primarjament ġabra tar-responsabbiltajiet akkumulati ta’ Malta fil-qasam ambjentali li ġew injorati bil-goff matul is-snin. Kien biss bħala riżultat tas-sħubija ta’ Malta fl-Unjoni Ewropea fl-2004 kif ukoll bħala riżultat tal-influwenza dejjem tiżdied tal-moviment ambjentali f’Malta li l-Gvern beda jiċċaqlaq fuq miżuri ambjenti. Xi drabi dan seħħ ukoll bħala reazzjoni għal-theddid ta’ passi legali mill-Unjoni Ewropea.

L-politika proposta hija prinċipalment ezercizzju ta’ retorika minn Gvern li wiegħed ħafna u falla bil-kbir. Bil-politika proposta l-Gvern qed jipprova jpatti għall-abolizzjoni tal-Kummissjoni Nazzjonali għall-Iżvilupp Sostenibbli li ilha ma tiltaqa’ sa mill-2006. Il-Kummssjoni Nazzjonali għall-Iżvilupp Sostenibbli fl-Istrategija li pproponiet għall-Gżejjer Maltin indirizzat diversi oqsma intersettorjali li illum qed jiġu indirizzati ukoll mill-Politika Nazzjonali għall-Ambjent. Kienet stabiliet ukoll miri għall-implimazzjoni ta’ proposti speċifiċi bħat-taxxi ambjentali u l-Pjani ta’ Azzjoni fil-Ministeri differenti. Id-dati stabiliti ġew u marru u minflok ma twettaq dak imwiegħed ġejna ippreentati b’dan l-abbozz.