Brian Decelis: aħdar ta’ veru

Brian hu persuna mimlija enerġija. Hu dedikat. Jiffoka l-enerġija tiegħu b’mod kreattiv favur dak li jemmen fih.

Għandu viżjoni ħadra. Hu aħdar ta’ veru.

Segwejtu mill-bogħod snin twal ilu waqt l-ewwel kampanja elettorali għall-Kunsilli Lokali fl-1992. Dakinnhar kien ġie elett fil-lokalità tal-Fgura għan-nom ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika.

Għaddew 32 sena, u għalkemm bħali,  b’inqas xagħar, għadu mimli bl-istess ħeġġa u determinazzjoni li fejn hu possibli jmidd għonqu għall-ħidma biex jagħmel id-differenza.

Dan hu l-impenn politiku tagħna, li bil-viżjoni ħadra tagħna nagħmlu differenza fil-ħajja tal-oħrajn, biex ħajjithom tkun aħjar.

Hemm ħafna xi jsir fuq livell ta’ lokalità. F’kull lokalità hemm ħtieġa ta’ Kunsill Lokali magħmul min-nies li kapaċi jkunu proattivi.

Tul dawn l-aħħar snin, kelli l-opportunità li naħdem mill-viċin ma’ Brian. Miegħu kelli l-opportunità li niddiskuti u nfassal il-ħidma tal-partit f’ċirkustanzi differenti.  Fi Brian dejjem sibt persuna li kienet kapaċi tittraduċi l-ftit kliem tiegħi (kultant anke espress b’mod telegrafiku) f’ħidma effettiva.

Fl-elezzjoni ġenerali li għaddiet, jekk Ralph (Segretarju Ġenerali tal-Partit) kien l-id il-leminija tiegħi, Brian, bla ebda dubju kien l-id ix-xellugija tiegħi, biex, flimkien mal-kumplament tat-tim organizzajna l-partit aħjar u bil-ftit riżorsi li kellna irnexxielna kważi nirduppjaw il-voti li ksibna minn elezzjoni ġenerali għall-oħra.

L-isfidi fil-lokalità mhumiex wisq differenti. L-issues li irridu niffaċċjaw huma kemm dawk ambjentali kif ukoll dawk ta’ governanza tajba. 

Brian għandu għarfien tajjeb ta’ dak li hemm lest għalih, meta, xahar ieħor nawguralu li jkun elett. Hu kapaċi jkun leħen taż-żgħir, tal-vulnerabbli, tar-resident abbandunat mill-awtoritajiet.

Ix-xahar id-dieħel, bi Brian elett bħala kunsillier, Marsaskala jkollha biex jirrappreżentha persuna determinata li tiddefendi liż-żgħir.  Meta nassiguraw li jkun imħares l-iċken wieħed fostna, għandna l-garanzija li nkunu qed inħarsu lil kulħadd. Brian hu l-bniedem li xahar ieħor jagħmel id-differenza.

Awguri Brian.

(diskors f’Marsaskala, Il-Ħadd 12 ta’ Mejju 2024)

From business-friendly to people-friendly

Public land is being continuously taken over for tables and chairs as an outdoor extension of restaurants and cafeterias. It is a land grab and has been going on for years. This land grab has intensified after the outbreak of COVID-19, primarily in response to the then restrictions on the permissible indoor numbers of customers allowed within catering establishments.

The most obvious examples of this land grab are in places like Sliema, Marsaskala, St Paul’s Bay, and Valletta. This land grab, however, is taking place all over the island, in practically all localities.

There are instances, such as in the case of squares, pedestrianized streets, and other large open spaces, where the placing of chairs and tables does not bother anyone. In these instances, complaints are rare, except when excessive noise is generated, particularly in the silent hours. In these cases, the use of public spaces for the placing of tables and chairs can be justified, provided that the space taken up for such use is reasonable and respects the rights of both the public as well as the residential communities.

The ever-increasing complaints are in respect of those instances where pavements are practically completely taken over by the placing of tables and chairs such that pedestrians, obstructed from using the pavement end up having to share the road with moving traffic, at considerable risk to themselves. It gets worse in the case of wheelchair users and their carers, as well as in the case of parents with children, particularly those still in prams.

In residential areas, that is in those instances where there are a number of residential units above ground-floor commercial establishments, the placing of tables and chairs on the pavement also restricts residents’ access to their homes. There is the added issue, encountered in many cases, of difficulty in accessing residential units when making deliveries of large objects, such as furniture and white goods. The land grab makes access in these instances practically impossible.  Access would be even worse in case of emergencies. I have not heard a whimper from the civil protection authorities on the matter.

As emphasised in the ADPD 2022 Electoral Manifesto, we want our pavements back. The use of pavements should revert to their intended use. Pedestrians should always have priority. It is about time that public authorities shift their emphasis from being business-friendly to people-friendly.  The needs of residents and pedestrians should take precedence over the interests of business! The pavement is, after all, not meant for tables and chairs but to facilitate the mobility of people such that they are safe from traffic.

This would entail that planning applications for placing tables and chairs in open areas are vetted properly, such vetting being based on the real impacts on both the residential community and pedestrians. It would also mean that continuous monitoring is carried out to ensure that the permit limitations are observed.

Just a little bit of effort in enforcement would make quite a significant difference. Unfortunately, enforcement is practically nonexistent. This lack of enforcement is the driving force that motivates those abusing the system to ride roughshod over the rights of residents and pedestrians. They know that most probably their abuse will be ignored as it has been for ages. This has always been interpreted that the state does not care at all.

During the local elections next month, this issue is a matter of considerable importance to residents. It is a campaign issue that is continuously brought up in discussions with voters.

The Marsascala ADPD candidate Brian Decelis has been campaigning on the matter for some time. This week he was confronted by one of the operators who is obstructing pavements at Marsaskala. He was even threatened. A police report has been submitted on the incident and it is hoped that swift action will be taken by the police authorities.

This mess should be addressed, all over the islands, the soonest.

Local Councils should be at the front line in ensuring that the authorities act such that permits issued for the placing of tables and chairs outside commercial establishments are people-friendly and that abusive operators are brought to order the soonest.  Electing local councilors sensitive to the matter would make a substantial difference.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday: 5 May 2024

Tourism: the industry does not care

Notwithstanding the increasing numbers of incoming tourists, the tourism industry is currently in a self-destructive mode.  After the carrying capacity study published by the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) in July 2022, one would have expected the Ministry of Tourism or the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) to take the lead in initiating a public debate on the matter.

The Deloitte report published by the MHRA, in July 2022, entitled Carrying Capacity Study for Tourism in the Maltese Islands has pointed out that the total of existing and planned hotel accommodation would require approximately 5 million tourists per annum to ensure an 80 percent occupancy. This does not take into consideration non-hotel accommodation. If non-hotel accommodation is also taken into account, the problem would be much worse.

This is anything but sustainable. Yet, except for the public discussion on the skills required by foreign workers in the industry, no one is (apparently) bothered by the considerable negative impacts of tourism: impacts on both tourism itself as well as on the residential community. No wonder that studies have identified a developing tourismophobia. Tourismophobia has been described by Catalan anthropologist Manoel Delgado as a mixture of repudiation, mistrust, and contempt for tourists.

The total number of inbound tourists to Malta in 2023 was around 3 million. This accounted for 20.2 million bed nights and an estimated expenditure of €2.7 billion. The employment that this generates is considered by many as a positive contribution to the industry, and sustaining around 50,000 jobs.

The Deloitte report published by MHRA in 2022, however, explains that in 2009, 82 percent of those employed in the tourism sector were Maltese. By 2019 this statistic had decreased to 40.6 percent. The Deloitte report does not explain the reasons behind this trend. It only emphasises that this trend is not unique to the Maltese islands.

However, the Deloitte report goes on to argue that the reliance of the tourism industry on an ever-increasing cosmopolitan labour force is an important contributor to an increasing lack of authenticity of the touristic product.  Who cares?

The ever-increasing volume of incoming tourists has an impact on both the tourist experience as well as on the quality of life of the residential community.

Many years ago a substantial portion of the residential community of Paceville was squeezed out of the locality as a direct result of the impacts of the tourist industry. It seems that no lessons were learned from this experience as various residential communities around the islands are still continuously at the receiving end. No one cares.

Tables and chairs have taken over substantial public areas around our residences, in many instances obstructing access to our homes. Consider, for example, The Strand from Gżira to Sliema: from Manoel Island right to The Ferries, and beyond. Has anyone ever considered the impact of the continuous stretch of chairs and tables on the residential community along the same stretch of road?

This experience is not limited to Sliema but also exists in Marsaskala, St Paul’s Bay, St Julians, and many other areas, including Valletta. Who cares?

The tourism industry is aware of all this. Yet the issues raised are not being addressed. The situation gets worse by the minute.

The residential communities in various localities are voicing their concerns. One of the latest to so do was the Valletta residential community.

The local council elections next June are an opportunity to elect local councilors who are sensitized to the concerns of the residents. We need Local Councils that can take up the fight directly at an institutional level as it is only in this manner that the real issues faced by our communities can be addressed.

We have a tourism industry that only cares about what goes into its bank account: nothing else is of significance. We can compensate for this by having local councils that not only care about our communities but most importantly act swiftly to right the accumulated wrongs.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday: 21 April 2024

Is-skiet tal-Ministri fiż-Żurrieq

L-attivisti li waħħlu messaġġ mal-uffiċini tal-Ministri Miriam Dalli u Stefan Zrinzo-Azzopardi, fiż-Żurrieq, għamlu sewwa. Bil-bibien kollha magħluqin dan kien l-uniku mod kif setgħu jikkomunikaw mar-rappreżentanti tagħhom fil-Parlament: mal-Ministri tagħhom.

Il-messaġġ li wasslu lill-Onorevoli Ministri ifakkarhom li huma kienu siekta waqt il-kontroversja dwar l-art tan-Nigret. Wara kollox huma responsabbli politikament għal dak li għaddej. Stefan Zrinzo-Azzopardi bħala Ministru għall-Ippjanar tal-Użu tal-Art u Miriam Dalli bħala Ministru għall-Ambjent.

L-attivisti setgħu żiedu lit-tielet Ministru, Robert Abela. Anke hu jiġi elett mill-ħames distrett elettorali li minnu ż-Żurrieq jifforma parti.

Matul dawn l-aħħar għaxar snin, il-Partit Laburista ma għamel xejn biex jaġġusta, jemenda, inkella jħassar il-pjan ta’ razzjonalizzazzjoni li kien ippreżenta fil-Parlament George Pullicino fl-2006, dakinnhar Ministru responsabbli kemm għall-Ippjanar għall-Użu tal-Art kif ukoll għall-Ambjent. Robert Abela, dakinnhar, kien wieħed mill-konsulenti tal-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar permezz tad-ditta legali ta’ missieru Abela & Stafrace.

Il-PN, li, bħalissa, fil-Parlament, qed ixerred id-dmugħ tal-kukkudrilli dwar id-drittijiet ambjentali tagħna hu resposabbli għal din il-mandra li qed tiżviluppa quddiem għajnejna. Il-Partit Laburista, min-naħa l-oħra, li fil-Parlament fis-sajf tal-2006 kien ivvota kontra l-proposta tar-razzjonalizzazzjoni ukoll irid jerfa’ parti mit-tort, għax għal għaxar snin sħaħ ma għamel xejn dwar din il-problema. Ħalla kollox miexi waħdu.

Mill-Qrati hemm bosta deċiżjonijiet li juru li ma jkun hemm l-ebda dritt għal kumpens kemm-il darba il-pjan ta’ razzjonalizzazzjoni kellu jitħassar immedjatament. Imma l-Labour fil-gvern, kontinwament jipprova jbeżża’ bil-babaw tal-kumpens biex jipprova jiġġustifika għala ma għamel xejn dwar dan.   Għaxar snin ta’ skiet li matulhom żewġ miljun metru kwadru ta’ art ingħataw għall-iżvilupp. Żewġ miljun metru kwadru li sal-2006 kienu kollha ODZ, jiġifieri barra miz-zona ta’ żvilupp.

Waħda, waħda, qed induru diversi lokalitajiet li, illum, 17-il sena wara li l-Parlament approva l-pjan ta’ razzjonalizzazzjoni bdew iħossu l-impatti tiegħu. Iż-Żurrieq missu wara Marsaskala, l-Iklin, Marsaxlokk, il-Mosta, Santa Luċija, Ħ’Attard, is-Swieqi u bosta lokalitajiet oħra. Bla dubju ser ikun hemm iktar lokalitajiet li jintlaqtu għax il-Labour m’għandux il-kuraġġ li jmur fil-Parlament biex iħassar il-pjan ta’ razzjonalizzazzjoni. Jippreferi jilgħab bis-€700 miljun, jikkonvinċi lilu nnifsu li taparsi qiegħed joħloq xi spazji miftuħa ġodda, meta, kien ikun ferm iktar effettiv kieku beda biex iddefenda l-kampanja, l-ispazju miftuħa li diġa għandna għax ipprovdietu n-natura bla ħlas.

Min-naħa l-oħra, il-PN irid jipprova jingħoġob ma kulħadd. Il-Membri Parlamentari Nazzjonalisti li jiġu eletti mill-Ħames Distrett (Toni Bezzina u Stanley Zammit) kienu in-Nigret b’appoġġ u b’solidarjetà mar-residenti.  Imma ftit siegħat wara, il-kelliemi tal-PN għall-politika dwar l-ippjanar tal-użu tal-art, (Stanley Zammit) iddikjara bi kliem ċar daqs il-kristall li l-PN kien għadu favur il-pjan ta’ razzjonalizzazzjoni u ma jrid li jinbidel xejn minnu.  Għall-PN jigifieri l-art tan-Nigret għandha tinbena.  Ma nafx x’ġew jagħmlu n-Nigret!

Flimkien, il-PLPN huma responsabbli għall-ħerba li qed tiżviluppa quddiem għajnejna. Il-PN fil-gvern ħoloqha. Il-Labour fil-gvern sostniha u dan meta seta faċilment ġiebha fit-tmiem, darba għal dejjem.

ADPD hu l-uniku partit politiku li b’mod ċar u konsistenti tkellem favur it-tmiem tal-pjan ta’ razzjonalizzazzjoni u l-qerda ta’ żewġ miljun metru kwadru ta’ art, il-parti l-kbira raba’. L-oħrajn, kontinwament iddefendew ir-rebgħa u l-iżvilupp esaġerat. L-effett ta’ dan kollu jista’ jarah kulħadd: qerda tal-kampanja, il-ftit li għad baqa’.

ippubblikat fuq Illum: 11 ta’ Ġunju 2023

In Żurrieq the Ministers are silent

The activists who fixed banners outside the Zurrieq constituency office of Ministers Miriam Dalli and Stefan Zrinzo-Azzopardi were right in what they did. All other channels being closed, this was the only way they could communicate with their parliamentary representatives, “their ministers”.

The message conveyed to the Honourable Ministers underlined their silence in view of the Nigret land controversy for which the two Ministers are currently politically responsible. Zrinzo-Azzopardi as Minister for Land Use Planning and Dalli as Minister for the Environment.

The activists could easily have added a third Minister, Robert Abela. He too is elected from the fifth electoral District of which the Żurrieq locality forms part.

During these last ten years, the Labour Party, did nothing to adjust, amend or repeal the rationalisation exercise piloted through parliament by George Pullicino in 2006 when he was the Minister responsible for both Land use Planning and the Environment. Robert Abela was then one of the Planning Authority’s legal advisors through his father’s  legal firm Abela & Stafrace.

The PN in Parliament, now shedding crocodile tears on our environmental rights is primarily responsible for the developing land use planning mess. Yet the Labour Party, whose Members of Parliament voted against the rationalisation proposal way back in summer of 2006, have to shoulder the blame too, as for ten whole years they did nothing about it. They did nothing to translate their party’s political stance to concrete action.

As evidenced by a never-ending case law, no compensation whatsoever would be due if the rationalisation exercise is immediately abrogated. Yet the labour party in government continuously uses the fear of compensation to absolve itself of not acting for ten whole years. Ten years of silence, during which each and every one of the two million square metres taken up by the rationalisation exercise is slowly being developed. This is a two million square metres area which until 2006 was an area outside the development zone (ODZ).

One at a time we have been at a multitude of localities which today, 17 years after Parliament approved the rationalisation exercise, are feeling the pinch. Żurrieq follows Marsaskala, Iklin, Marsaxlokk, Mosta, Santa Luċija, Attard, Swieqi and many other localities. More will undoubtedly follow as Labour in Parliament does not have the courage to proceed with the cancellation of the rationalisation exercise. It prefers to play around with €700 million thinking that it is creating new “open spaces” when it can be much more effective if it starts by defending the countryside, the existing open space provided by nature for free.

The PN on the other hand excels at a particular sport: simultaneously running with the hares and hunting with the hounds. Its fifth district Members of Parliament (MPs Toni Bezzina and Stanley Zammit) were present at in-Nigret in a show of solidarity with the residents. Yet some hours later, its spokesperson on land use planning (Stanley Zammit) declared in crystal clear language that the PN was all for more development in the ODZ land annexed as a result of the rationalisation exercise! Why, then, did they turn up at Nigret?

The PLPN are together jointly responsible for the developing mess. PN in government created it, and Labour in government is now sustaining it when they can very easily bring it to an end, once and for all.

ADPD is the only political party which has clearly and repeatedly advocated the cancellation of the rationalisation exercise and the ruin of two million square metres of land, mostly agricultural. The others have continuously defended greed and overdevelopment, in the process slowly ruining the countryside that we have left.

Published in The Malta Independent on Sunday: 11 June 2023

Il-qerda aċċelerata tar-raba’

Aħna ngħixu f’eko-sistema li qed tinqered ftit ftit. Dan hu rikonoxxut minn kulħadd.  

Ħarsu ftit, per eżempju, lejn l-ewwel sentenzi tal-White Paper intitolata Riforma fil-qasam tar-Raba’, White Paper ippubblikata għall-konsultazzjoni mill-Ministeru għall-Agrikultura f’Ottubru li għadda.

Dakinnhar kien intqal li: Il-ħarsien tar-raba’ huwa fundamentali biex niggarantixxu s-sostenibbiltà tal-biedja, il-produzzjoni tal-ikel, u l-ħarsien tal-ambjent rurali. Huwa għalhekk li meta jkun hemm problemi f’dan il-qasam, dawn ma jolqtux biss lill-bdiewa, iżda għandhom impatt qawwi fuq il-provista u s-sigurtà tal-ikel, u l-kwalità tal-ambjent li jista’ jitgawda mis-soċjetà.

L-art agrikola għandha valur: valur imma li mhux biss wieħed ekonomiku. Għandha valur ambjentali u soċjali. Dan hu rikonoxxut anke mill-Ministeru għall-Agrikultura. Għalfejn, mela, nistaqsu, dan il-Ministeru ma jieħux posizzjoni iebsa kullmeta Ministeri oħra jagħtihom l-estru għall-qerda ta’ art agrikola?

B’mod kontinwu, l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar tirċievi u tipproċessa applikazzjonijiet għal żvilupp li jeqred art li tinħadem jew li kienet tinħadem. Dan isir għar-raġuni sempliċi li l-pjani lokali huma msejsa fuq filosofija tal-ippjanar għall-użu tal-art li tonqos milli tħares il-valur intrinsiku tal-biedja.  Tqis li l-biedja hi xi ħaġa ta’ bla siwi u li nistgħu ngħaddu mingħajrha. F’din is-sitwazzjoni l-Ministeru tal-Agrikultura jibqa’ sieket, kontinwament!

Sfortunatament, l-uniku valur li l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar tifhem u tapprezza hu dak li jiffaċilità l-ħolqien tal-opportunitajiet għal min irid idawwar lira ta’ malajr. Kontinwament, l-Awtorità  tal-Ippjanar hi kompliċi fil-qerda gradwali ta’ kull ma hawn madwarna.

Xogħol mhux meħtieġ fuq l-infrastruttura tat-toroq, tul dawn l-aħħar snin, qered meded kbar ta’ raba’. Is-settur privat ilu għaddej jittrasforma ammont mhux żgħir ta’ raba’ f’art għar-rikrejazzjoni privata, għal xi barbeque jew għal xi picnic. Bħala konsegwenza ta’ dan qed jeqred komunitajiet ta’ bdiewa. L-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar, minkejja li għandha is-saħħa legali li dan kollu twaqqfu, ma għamlet xejn.   Hu biss dan l-aħħar, wara l-għagħa li rriżulta minn numru ta’ deċiżjonijiet tal-Qorti dwar il-qbiela li l-Ministeru għall-Agrikultura qam minn raqda twila u ma baqax sieket!

Jiġu f’moħħi żewġ applikazzjonijiet għal żvilupp, applikazzjonijiet li għadhom pendenti: waħda f’Ħal-Qormi biex jinbena u jkun operat supermarket fuq art agrikola barra miż-żona tal-iżvilupp (ODZ). L-oħra dwar il-bini ta’ skola f’Ħal-Għaxaq, anke din fuq art agrikola.

Għaddejna minn dawn l-argumenti diversi drabi, b’mod partikolari fid-dibattitu nazzjonali dwar l-eżerċizzju biex tintgħażel l-art għall-Università Amerikana f’Marsaskala xi snin ilu! L-argumenti ta’ dakinnhar għadhom jgħoddu anke illum. Ma nistgħux nibqgħu nissagrifikaw ir-raba’. Għandna ftit wisq raba’ u jeħtieġ li nibżgħu għall-ftit li għandna.

Il-formola tal-applikazzjoni biex tinbena l-iskola f’Ħal-Għaxaq tgħid ċar u tond, bl-iswed fuq l-abjad, li l-użu tal-lum tal-art hu wieħed agrikolu. Dan jgħodd għal kull wieħed mill-35,970 metru kwadru li hu propost li jinbnew. Il-formola tal-applikazzjoni l-oħra dwar is-sit f’Ħal-Qormi, min-naħa l-oħra, tgħid li l-art f’dan il-kaz b’qies ta’ 4708 metru kwadru u li hi pproġettata li tkun żviluppata f’supermarket, bħalissa mhux użata!

Dawn l-applikazzjonijiet tal-ippjanar għadhom fi stadju bikri avolja dwar l-iżvilupp propost f’Ħal-Għaxaq għadu kif ġie ippubblikat studju dwar l-impatti ambjentali (EIA) reċentement.

F’dan l-istadju l-mistoqsija toħroġ waħedha: hemm ħtieġa għall-iżvilupp propost? It-tweġiba, fil-fehma tiegħi, hi ċara: le ma hemmx ħtieġa. M’għandniex bżonn iktar supermarkets. Pjuttost li diġa għandna iżżejjed minnhom!  

Dwar l-iskola proposta f’Ħal-Għaxaq l-istorja hi ftit iktar kumplessa. Imma xorta mhux iġġustifikat li tkun issagrifikata art agrikola. Għandhom ikunu esplorati soluzzjonijiet oħra, avolja naf li ilu żmien mhux ħażin isir (bla suċċess) tiftix għal sit alternattiv.  Is-soluzzjoni tista’ tinstab fl-iżvilupp mill-ġdid ta’ bini mitluq u dilapidat, li minnu għandna bosta, mxerred mal-gżejjer tagħna.

Neħtieġu fuq kollox politika koerenti dwar il-ħarsien tar-raba’. Flok ma jorqod, u kultant jistenbaħ, il-Ministeru għall-Agrikultura għandu jkun fuq quddiem nett f’din il-ħidma. Jista’ jibda billi jassigura li l-proġetti pubbliċi u l-politika tal-Gvern jagħrfu l-valur intrinsiku tal-biedja. Minn hemm irridu nibdew għax jekk is-settur pubbliku ma jkunx ta’ eżempju xejn mhu ser jinbidel: nibqgħu għan-niżla!

ippubblikat fuq Illum: 8 ta’ Jannar 2023

The accelerated destruction of agricultural land

We live in an eco-system which is being slowly destroyed. This is recognised by one and all.

Consider, for example the introductory sentences in the White Paper entitled Acquisition and ownership of agricultural land published for public consultation by the Ministry for Agriculture last October. We were then told that: Controlling the acquisition and ownership of land is fundamental to guaranteeing the sustainability of agriculture and food production, as well as the protection of the rural environment. For this reason, whenever there are issues in this area, these not only affect farmers but also have a strong impact on the supply and security of food and the quality of the environment that can be enjoyed by society.

Agricultural land has value. Its value is not just economic. It has an environmental and social value. This is recognised as a fact even by the Ministry for Agriculture. Why then, may we ask, does the Ministry not take a robust stand whenever other Ministries embark on a spree of accelerated destruction of agriculture land?

On a continuous basis the Planning Authority receives and processes applications for development which seek to obliterate agricultural land. This is done for the simple reason that the local plans are buttressed by a land use planning philosophy which fails to protect the intrinsic value of agriculture. It is deemed to be expendable. The Ministry for Agriculture, in this situation, is conspicuously silent, continuously!

Unfortunately, the only value which the Planning Authority understands and appreciates is that which facilitates “making hay while the sun shines”. It has been continuously an accomplice in the gradual destruction of all that surrounds us.

Unnecessary road infrastructure has gobbled up considerable swathes of agricultural land over the past years. The private sector has been transforming considerable agricultural tracts into barbeque or picnic areas squeezing out the farming community in the process. The Planning Authority has the legal remit to stop this but it has continuously failed to act. Until the recent public outcry in response to a number of Court decisions relative to agricultural leases, the Ministry for Agriculture has been silent on this matter too!

Two specific planning development applications (currently still pending) come to mind: one in Qormi to construct and operate a supermarket on agricultural land Outside the Development Zone (ODZ). The other relative to the construction of a school on agricultural land at Għaxaq.

We have been through the relative arguments many a time, in particular when debating the site selection exercise for the American University at Marsaskala some years back! The arguments made then are still valid today. We cannot keep sacrificing agricultural land. We have too little of it and we have to take care of the little we have.

The application form for the Għaxaq school declares black on white that the current use of the site is agricultural: each and every one of the 35,970 square metres of the site. The application form for the Qormi site, on the other hand states that the site measuring 4708 square metres which it is proposed to develop into a supermarket is currently “un-used”.

These planning applications are still in their early stages, even though an EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) has been produced for the proposed Għaxaq development.

At this point we need to query: do we need the development proposed? The answer, in my opinion is a clear no. We definitely do not need more supermarkets. There are already too many of them.

As to the proposed school at Għaxaq the issue is much more complex. It does not however justify sacrificing more agricultural land. Other solutions should be explored, even though a search for an alternative has been going on unsuccessfully for quite some time. The solution lies in the redevelopment of existing dilapidated buildings of which we have quite a number.

We do however need policy coherence in respect of the protection of agricultural land. The Ministry of Agriculture should be at the forefront in such an exercise. It could definitely start by ensuring that public projects as well as policies factor in agriculture’s intrinsic value. This is the required starting point. The public sector sets the benchmark. If it fails to turn the page, matters will definitely change from bad to worse!

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday : 8 January 2023

Planning application PA00777/22 : another mega-development at Marsaskala

(photo is the official Parliamentary voting record of those voting in favour of the rationalisation exercise: that is those voting in favour of extending the building development boundary into what was then ODZ-Outside the Development Zone)

It would be pertinent to remember that on the 26 July 2006 Malta’s Parliament approved a resolution which we normally refer to as the “rationalisation” exercise, as a result of which extensive stretches of land until then outside the development zone (ODZ) were declared as land suitable for development.

The PN parliamentary group, supported the Lawrence Gonzi led government and voted in favour of developing ODZ land whilst ironically the Labour Opposition had then voted against the proposal. This is not just history. It is still affecting our daily lives. Today, 16 years later some are realising for the first time how land use planning was screwed by the then Environment Minister George Pullicino!

Three of the Members of Parliament who had then voted in favour of developing ODZ land are still MPs today.

Their names come to mind when considering the latest mega-development proposal, this time at iż-Żonqor on the outskirts of Marsaskala, through development application PA00777/22.  The development application this time concerns a 5,000 square metre area of rural land over which it is proposed to construct 135 residential units and 180 basement garages. These will be spread over 10 different levels, four of them below ground floor level after excavating a substantial amount of rock.

The basic decision permitting today’s proposed development was taken on the 26 July 2006 when the rationalisation exercise was approved by Parliament on the proposal of a PN-led government. No studies were then carried out as to the environmental impacts of the development resulting from the rationalisation exercise. Specifically, the cumulative impact of the development proposed was ignored contrary to the then emerging environmental acquis of the EU relative to the assessment of plans and programmes, known as the SEA Directive (Strategic Environment Assessment Directive) which Directive entered into force on the days immediately following the approval by the Maltese Parliament of the rationalisation exercise.

The basic question to ask is whether we really need such large-scale developments. Why are we determined as a country to develop every square centimetre of our land? Isn’t it about time that a moratorium on such large-scale development enters in force?

The rationalisation exercise should be scrapped at the earliest and all rationalised land returned to its former ODZ status the soonest. This is what we should expect of any government which (unashamedly) proclaims that the environment and our quality of life is now its priority.

It has taken our residents 16 years to become sensitised to the large-scale havoc which land use planning has degenerated to.  Throughout these 16 years all genuine environmentalists have been pointing this out. Unfortunately, some only react when large scale development is very close to their backyard, otherwise they do not care. The writing has been on the wall for a number of years, yet it was ignored for quite some time.

One mega-project after the other has been eroding our quality of life, the latest one being proposal PA00777/22 which goes by this description: To excavate and construct 180 garages at basement level, 2 Class 4B shops, and 135 overlying units. The site is at iż-Zonqor, Marsaskala, but it should be everyone’s concern.

It is about time that we stop all this in the same way that the proposed Marina at Marsaskala had to be shelfed, hopefully for good!

published on Malta Independent on Sunday : 5 June 2022

Il-kosta tagħna lkoll: inħarsuha

Għaddej sforz kontinwu biex il-kosta tkun ikkommerċjalizzata. Sforz li ilu għaddej is-snin.

Il-jott marina proposta f’Marsaskala hi biss eżempju wieħed minn bosta li mhux limitati għan-nofsinnhar politiku, iżda li huma mifruxa mal-pajjiż.  Fost l-eżempji hemm it-Terminal tal-Port Ħieles, Manoel Island, il-Bajja tal-Balluta, ix-Xatt u l-jott marina tal-Birgu, il-jott marina fil-Kalkara u x-Xatt tal-Belt.  

Hemm ukoll għaddej il-kummerċjalizzazzjoni tal-ispazji pubbliċi mal-kosta, bil-bankini b’kollox.

L-art pubblika kontinwament qed tkun trasformata f’minjiera ta’ profitti privati, ħafna drabi għall-magħżulin. Il-kwalità tal-ħajja tar-residenti rari jagħtu każ tagħha, jekk mhux fl-aħħar minuta. Meta possibli jevitawha kompletament ukoll.

Għaddew madwar erba’ snin minn meta l-Parlament approva il-leġislazzjoni biex tissaħħah il-protezzjoni tal-kosta permezz tal-liġi dwar id-dimanju pubbliku. Kellna kemm-il Ministru li tkellem b’mod pompuż dwar dan. L-għaqdiet ambjentali ippreżentaw lista ta’ iktar minn għoxrin sit, mifruxa mal-kost,a li kollha kemm huma jikkwalifikaw għall-protezzjoni. Ninsab infurmat li l-għaqdiet ambjentali għamlu riċerka estensiva dwar min hu sid din l-art. Iżda sfortunatament l-Awtorità tal-Artijiet u l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar qed iżommu dan il-proċess milli jitwettaq, anke għal dawk il-każijiet fejn l-art hi kollha kemm hi propjetà pubblika.  

Għalfejn jiġu approvati dawn il-liġijiet jekk ma hemm l-ebda intenzjoni li dawn ikunu implimentati?

Nafu li wieħed mill-impatti ewlenin tat-tibdil fil-klima fuq il-gżejjer, inkluż dawk Maltin, hu bit-tibdil fl-livell tal-baħar. Numru ta’ gżejjer fl-Oċejan Paċifiku li mhumiex wisq il-fuq minn livell il-baħar diġa bdew jisparixxu taħt baħar li l-livell tiegħu qed jogħla. Robert Abela, Prim Ministru, huwa u jindirizza l-laqgħa Internazzjonali fi Glasgow dwar it-tibdil fil-klima (COP26), iktar kmieni din il-ġimgħa, emfasizza dan il-punt.

L-għoli fil-livell tal-baħar ikollu impatt sostanzjali fuq il-gżejjer Maltin, skond kemm dan ikun kbir. Jeffettwa l-infrastruttura kostali kollha: l-infrastruttura marittima, dik tat-turiżmu, tal-ilma kif ukoll l-infrastruttura tal-enerġija li huma kollha b’xi mod marbuta mal-kosta. Kemm-il darba jogħla l-livell tal-baħar dawn kollha jitħarbtu.  Anke iż-żoni residenzjali viċin tal-kosta jsofru impatti mhux żgħar.  

Ħadd ma jaf eżatt dwar kemm, kif u meta dan ser iseħħ. L-ewwelnett għax il-proċess li bih dan iseħħ għad mhux mifhum biżżejjed. Imma ukoll għax għalkemm ma nistgħux nevitawh nistgħu nnaqqsu l-impatt tiegħu billi nindirzzaw u nnaqqsu l-emissjonijiet tal-karbonju.

Repetutatament fil-laqgħat tal-UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change) li jsiru regolarment tul is-snin, kien hemm emfasi fuq il-ħtieġa li ż-żieda fit-temperatura globali minn kif kienet fl-era pre-industrijali ma tiżdiedx b’iktar minn 1.5 gradi Celsius. Dan sar fuq insistenza tal-istati gżejjer u tal-pajjiżi sottożviluppati, għax għal snin twal il-limitu raġjonevoli kien meqjus li kien ta’ 2 gradi Celsius. Pass ieħor il-quddiem. Imma mhux biżżejjed.

F’Pariġu fl-2015 kien hemm qbil dwar dan kollu. Imma sfortunatament dan ma kienx ikkonvertit f’azzjoni. Huwa dak li issa qed nistennew li jseħħ fi Glasgow.

Huwa essenzjali li nindirizzaw it-tibdil fil-klima bis-serjetà. Anke l-ħarsien tal-kosta jiddependi minn hekk.

ippubblikat fuq Illum :il-Ħadd 7 ta’ Novembru 2021

Claiming back (and protecting) our coast

A continuous effort to commercialise the coast is under way. It has been going on for quite some time.

The proposed Marsaskala yacht marina is just one example. It is possibly the latest of many examples, not just in the political south, but throughout the Maltese islands. The Freeport Terminal, Manoel Island, Balluta Bay, the Birgu Waterfront and yacht marina, the Kalkara yacht marina, Valletta Waterfront are some of the most glaring examples which come to mind.

There is also the ongoing commercialisation of the public spaces adjacent to the coast, including pavements and open spaces.

Public land is continuously being transformed into private profits, many times for the chosen few. In practically all cases,the quality of life of residents is not factored in, until the eleventh hour. Whenever possible, it is avoided completely.

It has been around four years since parliament approved legislation in order to reinforce the protection of the coastline through the public domain legislation. Much was said pompously by many a Minister. Environmental NGOs have submitted a list of over twenty sites along the coast which qualify for protection. I am informed that eNGOs have even carried out extensive research on ownership issues related to these sites. It is indeed unfortunate that the Lands Authority and the Planning Authority have ground the whole process to an unacceptable halt. This applies even in those instances where it is proven beyond any doubt whatsoever that the land in question is public property.

Why approve such laws when there is no intention to implement them?

We are aware that one of the main areas through which climate change will impact islands, including the Maltese islands, is through sea level rise.  A number of low-lying islands in the Pacific Ocean are already in the process of disappearing below a rising sea level.  Robert Abela, Prime Minister, addressing the Glasgow Climate Change COP26 earlier this week emphasised this point.

A rise in sea level will have a substantial impact on the Maltese islands, depending on its extent. It will impact the coastal infrastructure: the maritime, tourism, as well as the water and electricity infrastructure are all linked to our coast. A sea level rise will play havoc with all this. It will even impact the residential areas which have been developed close to the coast.

No one is certain as to when, how and the extent of this happening. Primarily this is due to the fact the natural processes in play are not fully understood yet. It is also however possible that mitigation measures planned and in hand to reduce carbon emissions could be quite effective if taken up.

During UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change) meetings it is continuously emphasised that the increase in global mean temperature should not exceed 1.5 degree Celsius over the pre-industrial temperature. This is the result of extensive lobbying by island states and under-developed countries over the years. They have been successful in adjusting the objective from the previous 2 degree Celsius.  This is definitely a step in the right direction, but it is not enough. 

In Paris in 2015 this was already agreed upon. Yet it was all words, none of which was converted into action. At Glasgow we need some decisions which are implemented the soonest.

Taking definite action on climate change is required to protect our coast.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday : 7 November 2021