Rock around Ghallis

I refer to the letter by Labour MP Joe Mizzi (July 14).

It is very evident that Mr Mizzi's only aim is to sow doubts over the technical results that proved that the rock quality at Ghallis is of a poor quality. It has to be clearly stated from the outset that this decision was based on technical evidence on the material at Ghallis, which evidence was confirmed and audited with further tests in Maltese and British laboratories.

Contrary to the impression Mr Mizzi tries to portray in his correspondence, results from the recent mineral resource assessment at the Ghallis ta' Gewwa do not contradict earlier tests carried out as part of the preparation of a Mineral Resource Assessment for the Maltese islands.

What Mr Mizzi deliberately fails to point out is that the decision about the rock quality at Ghallis was a unanimous one by the Minerals Board and which was further unanimously confirmed by Mepa's board.

It is also very important to point out that the only change in the Minerals Board formation affected only one board member whose term had expired. This fact alone surely did not influence the eventual unanimous decision taken by the same board.

It is ironic that Mr Mizzi, and the Labour Party he represents, persist in this futile campaign aimed at taking merit off the government's waste management strategy. They are the same people that until a few months ago mocked the government's plans to close down the Maghtab and Qortin dumping sites and their only proposal was to keep them in operation.