MP protests over parties in bird sanctuaries

Opposition MP Adrian Vassallo complained yesterday that despite everything that was said about protecting the environment, permits were being issued for rave parties in the heart of bird sanctuaries and other ecologically sensitive areas.

Much was said about hunting, he said, but then permits were issued for activities that created traffic, loud noise and excessive lighting which disturbed birds' habitat, in contravention of the law.

Huge parties had been held in a number of such places including Paradise Bay, where Malta's national bird, the blue rock thrush (il-Merill) nested, an area close to Hagar Qim which was an important breeding ground, Ta' Qali, a bird sanctuary, and Cirkewwa. A party was even planned for Buskett!

Had Mepa and the police been reduced to nonentities? Was this a case of friends of friends?

Last year The Times, for reasons best known to itself, had even promoted such parties and showed pictures of whole beaches having been taken over.

This gave the lie to the government's assertions that such beaches had not been taken over in their entirety.

Dr Vassallo said that with beaches being polluted and others given as beach concessions, the situation was becoming untenable. And the price for one such permit was just Lm150, at a time when the country was strapped for cash.

All this amounted to serious corruption.

And what about the deaths or close shaves from over-doses that had been experienced in parties, in spite of officially-issued guidelines? Some parties even lasted 24 hours.

Permits had only been issued this week for parties that had been advertised for the past month. This showed that the organisers knew well beforehand that their applications would be accepted.

Where were Nature Trust, Din l-Art Helwa and other similar organisations to protest against such activities in areas so sensitive for flora and fauna? They seemed to speak up only when it suited them.

Dr Vassallo said such parties should only be held in areas where they did not cause disturbances to the environment and the people.