MP slams company preparing impact assessments

Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando said yesterday the company entrusted to carry out the environment impact assessment on the proposed temporary landfills near Mnajdra should never have been given the task, because of its record abroad.

He said landfills operated by the same company in the UK were being regularly investigated by the authorities over various shortcomings including rat infestations, poor protection of the liners around the landfills, lack of control over surface water run off which could cause contamination, and inadequate use of inert material to bury rubbish.

There were also various reports of serious air pollution, which had caused a higher incidence in respiratory disease. Nearby rivers had also been contaminated and dead fish were found on the surface.

This, Dr Pullicino Orlando said, was the same company whose representatives, whom he viewed as "cowboys", last September said that site preparation for a landfill at Ghallis could not be completed on time - without consulting local contractors who felt the job could be done. These were also the same people who ruled out land reclamation and proposed temporary landfills. Such people should not be allowed to lead Malta by the nose.

Dr Pullicino Orlando said it was ambiguous, to say the least, that while bird hunters and trappers were being asked to remove their structures near Mnajdra and Hagar Qim, the government was considering the building of facilities for waste dumping in the same zone with a greater detrimental impact than the hunters' hides.

The Nationalist MP made his comments when parliament considered the budget of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Culture.

He highlighted the fact that two leading authorities, Dr Mario Tabone, chairman of Heritage Malta, and Prof Anthony Bonanno, head of the Department of Archaeology of the University, had argued that a heritage park and visitors' centre for Hagar Qim and Mnajdra should be built within the nearby disused quarries at il-Maghlaq and Qasam Il-Kbir so that they would not have a major environmental impact.

Yet the government wanted to use those same quarries for landfills.

Such a development, including the rock cutting involved and the emission of gases, would be detrimental to the temples.

There was no doubt that the building of the heritage park would be eligible for EU aid, but not if the site included landfills. Indeed, the building of the landfills would relegate the stone age temples to the list of world heritage sites in danger.

Dr Pullicino Orlando criticised the fact that the environment impact assessment on the proposed landfills had excluded the impact of the development on groundwater and on the residents of nearby Siggiewi and Qrendi. The study had not been accepted by Mepa because it was only one third complete.

Dr Pullicino Orlando said the company which prepared the EIA would be held responsible for any damages caused to the temples and the people if the project went ahead.

Arts Minister Jesmond Mugliette said an international competition for the design of the heritage park was launched yesterday and the winning design would be announced in April.

He did not refer to the landfills controversy. A report on the rest of the sitting will be reported on Monday.