Pajjiż storbjuż

Malta hu pajjiż storbjuż iżżejjed. It-tniġġiż minn storbju esaġerat jeħtieġ li jkun indirizzat b’mod urġenti minħabba li dan għandu impatt mhux żgħir fuq is-saħħa tagħna lkoll. Il-problema tal-istorbju f’dan il-pajjiż hi waħda kontinwa, imma din tiżdied sostanzjalment matul ix-xhur tas-sajf minħabba li jkun hawn żieda ta’ attivitajiet ta’ divertiment li jsiru fl-apert.

Mhiex problema li qiegħda f’xi lokalità waħda partikolari. Hi fil-fatt mifruxa mal-pajjiż kollu.

Meta storbju esaġerat ikun iġġenerat minn ġo post mibni, permezz ta’ teknoloġija eżistenti, jekk din tkun użata sewwa, hu possibli li l-impatti jkunu mnaqqsa. Imma meta l-istorbju jkun iġġenerat fl-apert, is-soluzzjoni hi waħda: elimina is-sors f’dawk il-ħinijiet li joħloq inkonvenjent kif ukoll li permezz tal-permessi maħruġa jkun determinat limitu permissibli imma raġjonevoli ta’ kemm jista’ jsir storbju. Biex dan iseħħ, imma, jeħtieġ qafas regolatorju kif ukoll it-taħriġ sewwa ta’ dawk li jkunu meħtieġa li jintervjenu biex iwaqqfu l-eċċess tal-istorbju ġġenerat meta l-limitu stabilit jinqabeż jew ma jkunx osservat.

Sfortunatament dan il-qafas regolatorju ma jeżistix f’pajjiżna. Agħar minn hekk, il-Pulizija, li toħroġ il-permessi għall-attivitajiet ta’ divertiment li jsiru fl-apert, ma għandha l-ebda sensittività għal dan kollu. Meta taġixxi dwar l-ilmenti li tirċievi tagħmel dan bl-iżjed mod kajman possibli.

Madwar tliet snin ilu residenti tal-Isla kienu qed jilmentaw li l-ħidma tat-Tarżna ta’ Palumbo, b’mod partikolari matul il-lejl, kienet ta’ inkonvenjent kbir għalihom u ma kienitx qed tħallihom jistrieħu. Anna Spiteri, ambjentalista residenti fl-Isla, kienet, għan-nom tar-residenti, marret il-Qorti dwar dan. Ilkoll niftakru kif dakinnhar kien ħareġ ċar li l-Korp tal-Pulizija la hu mħarreġ u lanqas għandu l-għodda teknika biex ikun jista’ jaġixxi f’dawn iċ-ċirkustanzi. Minn dakinnhar lil hawn, jiena infurmat li t-Tarżna ta’ Palumbo ħadet passi biex l-istorbju ġġenerat bi nhar ikun indirizzat b’ilqugħ kif ukoll qed tevita xogħol li jiġġenera l-istorbu billejl!

Issa, fil-bidu tas-sajf ir-residenti tal-Isla huma għal darba oħra ibbumbardjati bil-ħsejjes ta’ mużika qawwija minn attivitajiet ta’ divertiment li jkunu organizzati f’ Sant Anġlu kważi f’kull tmiem il-ġimgħa. Dan apparti l-istobju minn opri tal-baħar mikrija jduru mal-port billejl u li flimkien ma’ bosta attivitajiet storbjużi oħra għaddejjin kontinwament. Kollha suppost li bil-permess!

Allura ir-residenti tal-Isla (u oħrajn) għandhom ta’ bil-fors jerġgħu jgħaddu mill-battikata li ħadu ma ta’ Palumbo biex jassiguraw l-osservanza tal-liġi u li huma jkunu mħarsa?
Mid-dehra l-Pulizija fl-inħawi ma tgħallmu xejn mill-ilmenti dwar Palumbo u dan għax l-ilmenti dwar storbju minn mużika li qed toriġina minn attività ta’ divertiment billejl dieħlin il-ħin kollu. Il-Pulizija mhix konxja li lkoll kemm aħna għandna dritt li nistrieħu matul il-lejl. Dawk li jagħżlu li ma jistriħux u jibqgħu attivi matul il-ħin tal-mistrieħ għandhom l-obbligu li ma jiddisturbawx lill-bqija!

Dan mhux qed iseħħ biss madwar il-Port il-Kbir. Residenti ta’ Ħaż-Żebbuġ, ir-Rabat u Ħ’Attard, kontinwament jilmentaw ukoll, l-iktar matul is-sajf, dwar storbju matul il-lejl minn stabilimenti tad-divertiment fiż-żona. Storbju li jtellef il-mistrieh u hu ta’ inkonvenjent kbir. Ħadd mhu jagħti każ.

Xi snin ilu saru regolamenti li jipprojibixxu xogħol ta’ kostruzzjoni kmieni fil-għodu (qabel is- 7 am) inkella tard fil-għaxija (wara t-8 pm) jew fil-Ħdud u l-festi. Anke dawn ir-regolamenti ċari mhux osservati sewwa u dan billi bosta xogħol ta’ kostruzzjoni jsir f’dawn il-ħinijiet. Il-Pulizija bosta drabi ma jagħmlu xejn. Inkella jdumu ma jiċċaqalqu meta tinġibed l-attenzjoni tagħhom.

Probabbli ħafna li l-awtoritajiet għandhom risposta għal dan kollu: il-materja qed tiġi studjata. Ilhom jistudjaw għal żmien twil, imma s’issa jidher li għadhom ma tgħallmu xejn!

Ippubblikat fuq Illum : Il-Ħadd 30 ta’ Ġunju 2019

In a noisy country

Malta is an extraordinarily noisy country and noise pollution needs to be tackled as a matter of urgency because of the effect on our health due to the excessive noise to which we are continuously subjected. The issue of noise pollution is a continuous one but it intensifies during the summer months when more entertainment activities are held in the open. And this is not an issue that is limited to any particular locality – it is present in various localities.

When excessive noise is generated from inside a building, available technology – if used appropriately – can generally help mitigate its impact by reducing the transmission as much as possible. However, when the noise is generated in the open air there is only one solution: stop the source during the hours when it causes the most inconvenience and ensure that the permits issued clearly define the permissible (and reasonable) limits of the noise generated. This requires an appropriate regulatory framework as well as trained staff who can assess when it is appropriate to act in order to stop the generation of excessive noise if the permissible limits are exceeded or not observed at all.

Unfortunately, we still lack such a regulatory authority. To add insult to injury, the Police, who issue permits for the organisation of outdoor events, are not sensitive to the matter and are either slow to take any action – or do not take any at all – whenever complaints come their way.

Some three years ago, Senglea residents complained about the operations of Palumbo Shipyards as work in hand during the night were the cause of many sleepless nights. Anna Spiteri, an environmental scientist and Senglea resident took the matter to Court on behalf of Senglea residents. We can remember how it was then very clear that the Police force are neither trained nor technically equipped to deal with the matter. Since then, however, I am informed that Palumbo Shipyards have set up noise buffers along Dock Number 6 and are refraining from noise-generating activity during the night!

Now, as soon as summer begins, Senglea residents are once again being bombarded by very loud music from entertainment activities held at St.Angelo on practically every weekend. In addition, the rented-out party boats and other noisy festivities which, from now on, will colour most summer nights – endorsed by the inevitable permit – amplify the problem!

Should Senglea residents, and others along the coast of the Grand Harbour, go through the same ordeal they went through with Palumbo Shipyards in order to have the law enforced and their rights protected?

Apparently the Police in the area have not learned any lessons from the Palumbo affair as complaints have been pouring in during the past weeks as a result of entertainment activities playing loud music well into the night. The Police are, unfortunately, not aware that all of us have a right to rest during the night and those who choose not to have a rest still have a duty to not disturb those of us who do.

This is not only happening in the Grand Harbour area. Residents at Ħaż-Żebbuġ, Rabat and Attard, complain all year round as their nights are continuously disturbed by entertainment activities which generate lots of noise during the night, causing a major inconvenience to residents. Who cares?

Some time ago, regulations were introduced prohibiting construction work before 7 am, or after 8 pm and on Sundays and public holidays. Even these straightforward regulations are not being enforced well enough, because work is still going on outside  the permitted time in various areas and the Police, when alerted, rarely take any action.

Most probably the authorities have an answer to the above: the matter is being studied. They have been studying for a very long time, but, unfortunately, they do not seem to have learnt anything yet!

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday : 30 June 2019

Moving away from Ali Baba politics

 

Way back in 2008 during the general election, Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party in Malta had put the issue of a possible parliamentary coalition on the national political agenda.

The PN, then, did its best to try and ridicule the proposal as it preferred to go it alone. At the end of the day, the PN just managed to scrape through the general election by the minimum of margins (1580 votes) on a national level. Eventually, however, it had to pay the consequences, as it ended up as a political hostage of a couple of unprincipled mavericks.

Simon Busuttil is trying not to repeat his predecessor’s mistake. He has called for the formation of a coalition against corruption, hoping that until the forthcoming general election, such a coalition will coalesce around the PN. This is similar to the strategy adopted by Joseph Muscat who transformed the Labour Party into what he described as a “movement”. In practice, however, Muscat’s endeavours have only transformed his Labour Party into a modern day version of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves!

To date, both the PN and the Labour Party have acted in such a way that the only coalition that made sense to them was the one within their own parties as both of them have over the years developed into grand coalitions, at times, championing diametrically opposed causes simultaneously.

However, coalitions are forged quite differently, at least those coalitions that are intended to contribute positively to the local political kaleidoscope.

The first foundation on which coalitions are built is reciprocal respect. Without reciprocal respect, those forming part of a coalition end up clowning around, trying to impress those around them with their buffoonery.

A second essential prerequisite for a coalition is an agreed political programme which clearly communicates the agreed common objectives of the coalition members. It would obviously be expected that members of such a coalition act in accordance to such an agreed political programme. Supporting environmental protection as an essential element of a programme to better everyone’s quality of life would undoubtedly feature in such an agreed political programme to which Alternattiva Demokratika could adhere. This would also be in line with the PN’s recent “conversion” in support of environmental activism.

It is not however clear how these newly discovered credentials of the PN are manifested by going around patting the management of Palumbo Shipyards and Malta Freeport Terminals on the back, congratulating them on their achievements which have inconvenienced their neighbours in the surrounding localities. This was recently done by the Leader of the Opposition Simon Busuttil during his visits to the Għajn Dwieli yard and the Kalafrana Terminal.

Consistency by the coalition members is not only desirable, it is an essential prerequisite for a coalition intended to last!

A coalition is not formed just to win an election. On the contrary, it seeks to win an election in order to be in a position to implement an agreed electoral programme. Winning an election is a means to an end and not an end in itself. It is for this reason that coalitions seek to bring together people and political parties who share a sufficient number of ideals on the basis of which they can construct a common electoral platform. Otherwise, what purpose would be served if those forming part of a coalition are not at ease with the new political environment which they seek to create?

For this specific reason, coalitions must be based on sound political principles. Having a coalition or a political party based on anything else is a recipe for the creation of an additional Ali Baba den, of which the present one is more than enough.

A solution to the current ethical crisis, which Malta’s political infrastructure is faced with, will not be delivered by a Parliament which is composed of only two political parties. This ethical crisis can only be overcome if more than two political parties make it to Parliament and if the winner-takes-all mentality and behaviour is consigned to the dustbin of history once and for all . This is both essential and possible without any changes to Malta’s electoral legislation and still allows for like-minded political parties to form a coalition.

It is important that those who have discarded good governance are set aside by the electorate in the forthcoming general election. It is however equally important that the machinery of government is never again entrusted into the hands of one single political party. In Malta’s particular circumstances only this can guarantee that good governance is placed on solid foundations.

published on The Malta Independent on Sunday : 2nd October 2016

L-istorbju madwarna

Nhar il-Ġimgħa li għaddiet, kmieni fil-għodu, bosta residenti ta’ Marsaxlokk u Birżebbuġa qamu maħsudin bi ħsejjes li bdew jinstemgħu għall-ħabta tas-sitta ta’ fil-għodu, liema ħsejjes baqgħu għaddejjin għal ftit minuti. S’issa, wara li għaddew iktar minn tlett ijiem għad mhux magħruf x’kien il-kawża ta’ dawn il-ħsejjes ħlief li dawn oriġinaw mill-inħawi tal-power station ta’ Delimara.

Għar-residenti ta’ Birżebbuġa din mhiex xi esperjenza ġdida għax f’Birżebbuġa  ilhom is-snin jisimgħu l-ħsejjes matul il-lejl: ħsejjes ġejjin mid-direzzjoni tal-Port Ħieles. Ħsejjes ikkawżati minn containers li jaħbtu jew jistabtu huma u jkunu qed jiġu mċaqalqa minn post għall-ieħor, inkella ħsejjes ikkawżati mill-generators tal-vapuri mal-mollijiet tal-Port Ħieles.

Ir-residenti ta’ Birżebbuġa, kif ukoll dawk ta’ diversi lokalitajiet fil-madwar, kemm matul il-lejl kif ukoll matul il-jum iridu jissaportu ukoll il-ħsejjes tal-ajruplani nieżla għall-mitjar Internazzjonali ta’ Malta fil-Gudja. Dawn l-ajruplani ħafna drabi jkunu l-iktar qrib il-bini meta jkunu għaddejjin minn fuq iż-żona residenzjali  tal-Papa f’Birżebbuġa.

Ir-residenti tal-Isla (u dawk ta’ Bormla) ilhom jilmentaw ukoll mill-ħsejjes matul il-lejl ġejjin mit-Tarżna ta’ Palumbo. Ħsejjes ġejjin mill-grit blasting li jkun għaddej matul il-lejl fit-tarżna, inkella minn xogħol ta’ tiswija ta’ vapuri jew ta’ oil rigs. Ħsejjes li ma jħalluhomx jorqdu.

Pajjiżna hu żgħir fid-daqs. L-ispazju li naħdmu fih hu ristrett u allura kull ħidma li issir fih bil-fors li jkollha impatt fuq l-inħawi tal-madwar li huma viċin wisq ta’ xulxin.

Uħud qed jargumentaw li dawn l-ilmenti kollha kontra l-ħsejjes huma ta’ theddida għall-għixien tal-familji li jiddependu għall-ħobża ta’ kuljum tagħhom mit-Tarżna ta’ PaIumbo, inkella mill-Port Ħieles jew mill-mitjar Internazzjonali tal-Gudja.

Għall-bosta snin l-awtoritajiet tal-pajjiż (kif ukoll il-management ta’ dawn l-azjendi) ġew jaqgħu u jqumu mill-fatt li l-gwadann ekonomiku ta’ dawn l-azjendi qed isir għad-detriment tar-residenti madwarhom, li lejl u nhar iridu jissaportu impatti kbar fuq ħajjithom. Impatti li qed iħallu effett fuq saħħithom u l-kwalità tal-ħajja tagħhom u tal-familji tagħhom.

Il-mistoqsija li teħtieġ tweġiba hi : kemm jagħmel sens li din il-ħidma issir daqshekk viċin ta’ żoni residenzjali? It-tweġiba, ħafna drabi tkun li din l-attività ekonomika ilha għaddejja s-snin u li m’hemm imkien iktar fejn issir. Allura, qiesu jridu jgħidu li m’hemm xejn x’tagħmel. Jgħidulna li Malta ajruport wieħed għandna u li l-faċilitajiet għat-tarznari jew għall-Port Ħieles ma hemm imkien iktar fejn isiru jekk mhux fejn ġja qegħdin. Sfortunatament dan hu kollu minnu bħalma hu minnu ukoll li dawn il-faċilitajiet ġew żviluppati meta ħadd ma kien jagħti kaz tal-impatti fuq ir-residenti.

Imma allura, nistaqsi, jekk ta’ qabilna ma kienux jagħtu kaz għandna nibqgħu aħna ukoll ma nagħtux kaz? Jekk il-Gvernijiet u l-awtoritajiet tal-bieraħ għalqu għajnejhom u widnejhom, dawn għandhom jibqgħu b’għajnejhom u widejhom magħluqa illum ukoll? L-ewwel pass jista’ jkun li dawn l-azjendi, matul il-lejl, iwaqqfu l-ħidma tagħhom li tikkawża l-istorbju.

Il-Gvern mhux ser jiċċaqalaq jekk in-nies tibqa’ lesta li tissaporti. Jekk in-nies ma titkellimx iktar l-ebda Gvern jew awtorità m’hi ser tiċċaqlaq.

Jiddependi minnek ukoll li qed tisma’ jew taqra dawn il-kelmtejn jekk jittieħdux passi. Mela jekk xbajt tissaporti qum minn hemm u tkellem. Jekk ma tagħmilx hekk, ikun inutli toqgħod tgorr, għax ser jibqgħu jgħadduk biż-żmien.

It-Tarzna ta’ Palumbo u l-Isla

It-Times tal-bieraħ il-Ħadd infurmatna li t-Tarżna ta’ Palumbo iffirmat ftehim mal-Kumpanija Franċiża GTT: Gaztransport & Technigaz. Intqal ukoll mit-Times li dan il-ftehim ser jiffaċilita ħidma li t-Tarżna ta’ Palumbo tista’ tagħmel fil-futur fuq tankers li jġorru l-gass (LNG – Liquid Natural Gas).

Tgħid ta’ Palumbo jafu li l-Isla joqgħodu n-nies?

Matul il-ġimgħat li għaddew fl-Isla (fil-ġranet li ma kienx hemm riħ qawwi) matul il-lejl kien hemm irwejjaħ qawwija ta’ żjut li kienu qed joriġinaw mill-oil rigs li kien hemm fit-Tarzna u l-inħawi.

Dan kollu juri li fil-ħidma tat-Tarżna ta’ Palumbo mhux qed jagħtu każ tal-impatt fuq in-nies tal-ħidma tagħhom. Ifisser ukoll li l-anqas l-awtoritajiet m’huma jagħtu kaz.

Jista’ l-Kunsill Lokali tal-Isla jiċċaqlaq naqra?

Minn Birżebbuġa sal-Isla: r-residenti jeħtieġu l-protezzjoni

Alternattiva Demokratika semgħet l-ilmenti tar-residenti tal-Isla (prinċipalment dawk fi Triq is-Sur) dwar l-istorbju kontinwu pero’ prinċipalment bil-lejl bħala riżultat tal-oil rigs li qed isirulhom tiswijiet fit-Tarżna ta’ Palumbo. Ir-residenti tal-Isla tul Triq is-Sur sal-Ponta tal-Isla qed jgħaddu iljieli sħaħ bla mistrieħ minħabba l-istorbju prinċipalment iġġenerat minn xogħolijiet fuq dawn l-oil rigs.

Min ħa din id-deċiżjoni li jsir dan ix-xogħol mingħajr ma qabel eżamina l-konsegwenzi fuq ir-residenti?

It-Tarżna tul l-istorja  tagħha mhux l-ewwel darba li rritat lir-residenti kemm bi storbju kif ukoll bl-impatt tal-grit blasting.”   Il-fatt li t-Tarżna ta’ Palumbo  tmiss ma żona residenzjali titfa fuqha l-obbligu li tqis sewwa qabel ma tieħu deċiżjonijiet ta’ dawn it-tip. X’inhu jagħmel id-Direttorat tal-Ambjent tal-MEPA biex jipproteġi l-kwalita’ tal-ħajja tar-residenti tal-Isla? Kellu jkun id-Direttorat tal-Ambjent tal-MEPA li jissorvelja u jieħu passi immedjati hekk kif ikun meħtieġ biex ikun provdut ħarsien mit-tniġġiż ikkażat mill-ħsejjes.

Jidher, sfortunatament, li d-Direttorat tal-Ambjent tal-MEPA m’huwiex sensittiv għall-ħtieġijiet tar-residenti. Mhux biss għal dawk tal-Isla. Il-ġimgħa l-oħra rajna kif l-istess Direttorat tal-Ambjent irrakkomanda lill-Bord tal-MEPA biex l-istess attivita ta’ tiswijiet ta’ oil rigs tkun permessa fil-Port ta’ Marsaxlokk, mal-mollijiet tal-Port Ħieles. Għalkemm il-Bord tal-MEPA approva l-permess għal dawn l-attivitajiet fil-Port Ħieles kien ta’ sodisfazzjon li r-rapprezentant tal-għaqdiet ambjentali fuq il-Bord tal-MEPA ingħata l-appoġġ mir-rappreżentanti tal-Parlament fuq dan il-Bord fil-vot kontra dan il-permess.

Alternattiva Demokratika tinnota li l-ġimgħa l-oħra l-Gvern iddisassoċja ruħu mill-permess għat-tiswija tal-oil rigs fil-Port Ħieles. Ikun ferm għaqli kieku l-Gvern jikkommetti ruħu li din it-tip ta’ attivita’ ma issir ħdejn l-ebda żona residenzjali f’Malta jew Għawdex.

Nistennew li l-Gvern jieħu posizzjoni ċara f’qasir żmien għax ir-residenti ta’ kull parti ta’ Malta jeħtieġu din il-protezzjoni. Mhux biss dawk ta’ Birżebbuġa u l-Isla, imma f’kull rokna ta’ dawn il-gżejjer.