Il-MEPA estendiet il-protezzjoni ta’ Ta’ Ċenċ. Dan hu pass tajjeb il-quddiem fil-ħarsien ambjentali li għandu ħtieġa tiegħu pajjiżna.
Imma jkun floku li niftakru li dan sar wara snin ta’ protesti u oġġezzjonijiet għall-iżvilupp propost fl-inħawi. Ġew dedikati mijiet ta’ siegħat f’laqgħat u protesti minn bosta, fosthom Alternattiva Demokratika u l-parti l-kbira tal-NGOs. Fl-aħħar, il-Gvern permezz tal-MEPA baxxa rasu. Għal snin sħaħ iżda irresista dan il-pass.
Tafu x’kienet id-differenza ?
Is-sħubija ta’ Malta fl-Unjoni Ewropea għamlet id-differenza kollha : huwa biss bħala riżultat tal-isħubija ta’ Malta fl-EU li l-Gvern permezz tal-MEPA ġie f’sessieh.
Kien hemm diversi attentati sa l-aħħar mumenti biex ikun hemm resistenza istituzzjonali għal dan il-pass. Fosthom iż-żjara (rappurtata fil-gazzetti) mill-iżviluppatur akkumpanjat (skond il-gazzetti) minn uffiċjali pubbliċi go Brussel. Kien hemm ukoll xi laqgħat li saru bil-kwiet biex titrattab l-opposizzjoni għall-proposti ta’ żvilupp ta’ Ta’ Ċenċ.
Imma fortunatament is-sħubija fl-EU bdiet tagħti l-frott għall-ħarsien tal-ambjent. Li kieku 4 snin ilu Malta ma ssieħbitx fl-Unjoni Ewropea jien konvint li Ta’ Ċenċ diġa ilu kkundannat għall-kostruzzjoni.
Issa wara Ta’ Ċenċ imiss Ħondoq ir-Rummien li ukoll jeħtieġ li jkun imħares minn ħalq l-ispekulaturi.
Nistennew u naraw.
Blog ta' Carmel Cacopardo 
Very good Mr Cacopardo – thank you for your warning. Yes, now Hondoq – and what about the Cambridge Project and all the scheduled houses falling into disrepair (or worse). Think of Villa Gwardmanga and Alhambra in Rudolph Street Sliema which not only is Grade One (house and garden) but had a Preservation Order placed on it. It has been abandoned by it’s current owner for about 4 years!
I am very glad at this news. We certainly owe a lot to A.D., those NGOs that continued to voice their concern as well as so many individual contributors to the Media – from across the political divide.
It is certainly true that had we not been in the E.U. the outcome might…very probably, have been quite different. Nevertheless it is important not to forget to acknowledge that this welcome development has occurred here and NOW. At long last MEPA seems to be moving in the right direction as are also those directly responsible for it in the present administration. Let us not alienate…let us offer appreciation and words of encouragement so that such change may continue to bear fruit…for the sake of our country and children.