Malta disagreed with British proposals for the reform of the EU's Common Agriculture Policy and would be making its arguments in the EU fora Rural Affairs and Environment Minister George Pullicino said yesterday during the budget debate.
Mr Pullicino said the budget showed how the environment was a priority for the government. Capital expenditure was going up by Lm11.6 million to Lm15.9 million, a 37 per cent increase. The government had also announced incentives to encourage the use of alternative sources of energy.
Efforts to encourage the use of biodiesel were paying off, with consumption in the first eight months of the year having increased to 770,000 litres, 200,000 litres more than the target set for the whole year. Some 24,000 families were taking part in a pilot project through which used cooking oil was collected to be converted into biodiesel.
The government was promoting means of transport that used clean energy. The ministry was preparing a masterplan on the use of electric powered vehicles and was financing university research on electric boats to be used in sensitive places such as Dwejra.
On waste management, Mr Pullicino said that the opposition and Alternattiva Demokratika had been playing a political game on the Sant'Antnin waste recycling plant but the opposition had now made an about turn.
It was not true that no alternative sites had been considered, as Dr Brincat had claimed and he was tabling a report on alternative sites.
He said that despite all the hindrance the government was to continue moving ahead with the modernisation of the plant. The outline permit had been approved and a tender had been issued to identify the best technology for the plant.
The minister said Lm8.4 million were being allocated for the rehabilitation of the Qortin, Maghtab and Fulija rubbish dumps. Tenders for the equipment which would extract gases from these sites was currently being evaluated.
Lm4.6 million from EU funds were being allocated to increase the number of bring-in sites from 72 to 300. There was to be a bring-in site for every 300 households in Malta and such sites would be set up in all localities. He hoped local councils would help identify the most suitable sites, and the government would otherwise have to do so itself. The volume taken to these sites had more than doubled in one year.
He said the government had also trained 20 unemployed people to visit homes and explain how residents should separate their waste. Over 20,000 homes were to be visited in one year and the government had allocated Lm410,000 for an information campaign.
It wanted to modernise the waste collection system and a pilot project where people were given different bags for separation purposes had already started.
Referring to questions by Dr Brincat (see separate report) on the effectiveness of the eco-tax to reduce the use of plastic bags, Mr Pullicino said 22.5 million fewer plastic bags were used in the first nine months of this year.
The first return scheme was to be launched soon for bottles. This scheme had been drawn up by the private sector.
The government had also set up Eco-Skola to encourage students to take an active role in decisions regarding the environment. This initiative was coordinated by Nature Trust and the Education Ministry.
Littering regulations had also been issued and green wardens appointed. In 24 days up to yesterday 750 warnings had been issued by these wardens. Next year new regulations would be issued to reduce the negative impact of building sites on the environment.
The afforestation project would next year see the planting of 4,000 trees and shrubs at Mellieha, 2,500 in Kennedy Grove, 500 at Pieta' and 11,000 at Xrobb l-Ghagin. The national park would continue being extended.
Referring to a proposal by Dr Brincat for changes to the process of environment impact assessments, Mr Pullicino said he was open to change as long as changes were in line with EU regulations and the process remained interactive as it was at present.
Mr Pullicino said that over the past year Mepa had worked on a number of development briefs. It revised building regulations and continued work on local plans, which would be concluded next year. Mepa also continued to work on a new Structure Plan, which was to be moved for the approval of the House next year.
An inter-ministerial committee had been set up to consider the potential of eco-tourism.
Green leaders appointed in the civil service had established that there were some 80,000 neon tubes in government building. Their replacement with energy saving lighting would bring down running cost by 50 per cent. The government was studying how this could be carried out.
On animal welfare, the minister said that the government had set up the animal welfare council but this was not enough. It was working on regulations to address the problem of stray cats and dogs and these were to be implemented next year. The government was also working on a dog registration system.
Land at Ta' Qali had been identified for use as an animal centre.
Reacting to remarks made last week by opposition leader Alfred Sant, Mr Pullicino said nature protection zones had been declared and a marine protection area would be launched shortly.
Work had continued on the sewage treatment plants. The tender for the plant in the north of the island was awarded in November 2004, that for Gozo in February. Offers for the setting up of civic amenity sites were currently being adjudicated. These would be established in Maghtab, Mriehel, Hal Far and Xewkija to handle bulky refuse.
Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando said he was struck by a remark by the Prime Minister in the budget speech that while the creation of new golf courses would benefit tourism, this did not mean that a new golf course would be built at any cost and this should not lead to exaggerated development. The government was putting the environment first, Dr Pullicino Orlando said.
The government had a clear environmental strategy based principally on education, modern waste management, the regeneration of the environment through afforestation and other actions, and the promotion of alternative sources of energy.
In line with this strategy, the government next year would invest more in waste management and waste separation. It would be more active in its efforts against dumping, and it would not tolerate or bow to environmental terrorism. It appeared that a person who allegedly carried out such disgusting acts was caught some days ago. He hoped that if convicted, the full punishment allowed by the law would be imposed.
Dr Pullicino Orlando said he agreed with the study which the government had said would be carried out on new land reclamation.
Also welcome were the incentives being given to encourage greater use of alternative sources of energy. He hoped that the popular use of such alternatives would increase.
In his speech Dr Pullicino Orlando observed that the MLP had made a u-turn on the Sant'Antnin waste recycling plant and like the government, it was now saying that the plant should be modernised but not enlarged, and it should be removed if it continued to cause an inconvenience.
He also appealed to Mepa to place a stronger emphasis on tackling noise pollution, such as the inconvenience caused by nightclubs in the summer.
Parliamentary Secretary Francis Agius said that millions of liri received from the EU were helping to bring about a restructuring of agriculture, placing it on a sounder footing to face the challenges of competition from imports. None of these funds would have come had Malta stayed out of the EU, but imports would have had to be liberalised anyway.
The modernisation of the agricultural sector was governed by the Rural and Environment Development Plan which would run up to 2006, but a follow-up plan up to 2013 was already being drafted.
The opposition, however, was still buried under protectionism and lacked planning, vision or funding sources.
Dr Agius said the current agriculture plan involved an outlay of €43 million, of which €33 million were coming from the EU. These funds were being used to assist producer organisation, provide technical assistance to farmers and improve the infrastructure.
The vegetable market was being modernised and a new grading station was being set up. Grading would, as far as possible, be made in fields so as to reduce handling, and inferior quality produce would not be allowed on the vegetable market because this brought down the price of good quality products.
Replying to points raised by Labour MP Noel Farrugia (see separate story), Dr Agius said testing on meat residue at the abattoir was continuing. The process for the accreditation of the pay agencies was continuing. He said Malta was continuing to vote consistently against GMOs.
Touching briefly on fisheries, Dr Agius said this sector was receiving €1.4 million in aid from the EU.
Landings had gone up this year. Progress was also being made in the aquaculture sector and the government centre was working with private firms in an effort to introduce the breeding of new types of fish, such as the amberjack (accola).
Dr Agius said a number of producer organisations had already been recognised and had 824 members. The organisations had an operational programme which was to cost Lm275,000, of which the EU would be paying part.
Dr Agius said that the first rabbit slaughterhouse was to be built by the private sector with assistance of Lm50,000 from the EU.
On potatoes, he said export targets had been reached and this season had been extended to the end of May. Produce was being exported to The Netherlands, Germany, Croatia, Denmark and the UK, among other countries. A total 7,000 tonnes of potatoes were exported this year.
Referring to the safeguard clause, Dr Agius said Malta could apply this clause if circumstances so justified. However the drop in vegetables sales was minimal. Farmers' income had gone up.
The poultry industry had invested more than Lm2 million but the sector was still searching for new markets. The beef and port sectors, among others, had registered growth.
Vine growing was also seeing expansion with vineyards having increased by more than 1,200 tomna in one year to 7,500 tomna.
Dr Agius said that an agriculture insurance scheme was being set up.