Environment rally poster irks Gonzi

A poster carried during a national environment protest two weeks ago irked Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi so much that he asked a leading non-governmental organisation to publicly dissociate itself from it.

At the pro-environment march held in Valletta two weeks ago, a poster held up by environmentalist and columnist Claire Bonello read: "Vote George, Get Lorry", linking Environment Minister George Pullicino with the late Lorry Sant, the minister responsible for public works under the 1971-87 Labour administration.

During a press briefing at the Auberge de Castille yesterday, Dr Gonzi said that he had told a Din l-Art Helwa representative, which it transpired was Martin Galea, that the poster had upset him.

He also told Mr Galea that the organisers of the protest should deny having anything to do with the poster, which had been "unjust to the government and to Mr Pullicino".

Dr Gonzi said: "During the meeting, the representative of Din l-Art Helwa emphatically dissociated himself from the poster. My reply was that his stand had no value unless the environmental organisations participating in the protest march publicly dissociated themselves from it."

However, Dr Gonzi denied allegations by Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Harry Vassallo that the Prime Minister had threatened to withdraw a promise to involve environmental NGOs in the management of nature reserve sites unless they complied with his request.

"I was told that a number of serious organisers had written a letter to The Times, which was supposed to be published today (yesterday), dissociating themselves from the unjust poster. I would like to know who pressured the organisations to withdraw the letter," Dr Gonzi said.

When contacted yesterday, Mr Galea said the meeting with Dr Gonzi, which had been set months before the protest march, had been a "frank and open discussion" and was not meant for publication.

Mr Galea said the issues discussed during the meeting were Ix-Xaghra l-Hamra, Ta Cenc and a list of government properties over which Din l-Art Helwa may have a guardianship agreement.

"The Prime Minister was upset about the poster, and made it clear to us that we should dissociate ourselves from it. We said it had been carried by an individual and that the organisers of the demonstration had nothing to do with it," Mr Galea explained.

He said he did not feel blackmailed by Dr Gonzi in any way, and said no attempt had been made to link the request to dissociate themselves from the poster with environmentalist NGOs' involvement in nature reserve sites.

Asked to comment about Dr Gonzi's claim that the NGOs had withdrawn a letter sent to The Times, Ray Bugeja, the newspaper's editor, said: "We did not receive any such letter."

Contacted yesterday, Dr Bonello, who made the poster and carried it during the environment protest, said nobody from the environmental lobby had spoken to her about the poster.