Rationalisation - the facts

In his Talking Point last Friday, Environment Minister George Pullicino made some interesting statements which beg to be answered.

Foremost among these is the oft-repeated claim that his so-called "rationalisaton plans" will seal off future development. Far from doing so, this precedent will make it much easier for every successive government to justify re-opening the development boundaries. That is exactly why the NGOs are against these schemes although Mr Pullicino tries to play down the significance of a further 2.3 per cent of land being built upon. We already have one-third the ratio of countryside to built-up land to that of Europe, we cannot lose even 2.3 per cent more, let alone what we will inevitably lose when other governments follow this precedent. This will bring about unprecedented environmental destruction, encourage unnecessary development and will further damage our health, quality of life and tourism.

Mr Pullicino talks at length of the transparency of the rationalisation process and its public consultation period. However, he fails to mention that new land added after the consultation deadline have not been made available to public scrutiny or objection, making a mockery of both transparency and consultation. If Mepa was genuine about transparency, why is it not releasing the names of the landowners involved? Why has it not published the number of objectors?

As for Cabinet's criteria for the selection of suitable sites, they are flawed, at best, allowing the building over of areas of agricultural, ecological, landscape and archaeological value. Protected trees, which ordinary mortals are heavily fined for felling, can now be cleared with impunity so long as the minister says so.

The very manner in which Cabinet imposed its criteria on Mepa, instead of Mepa taking the initiative and making submissions to Cabinet, violates the procedure set out in the Development Planning Act. Is the government now breaking its own laws?

We are not only breaking our own laws, but also those of the EU; the government has made every effort to have the plans approved by Parliament before July 21, when an EU law, imposing environmental studies, becomes effective. The government signed the relevant directive two years ago and is now scheming up ways to evade it. Is this moral dishonesty? Is this the sort of example and leadership we voted for?

Further encouragement of dishonesty comes in the form of the inclusion of sites that were built illegally beyond the building zone and will now gain legality. This serves to encourage abusers, confident in the knowledge that their abuse will eventually be legalised.

As for the mythical "well defined" boundaries that are supposedly to prevent any further exploitation, I challenge anyone to explain whether sites such as those in Marsaxlokk, islands of development surrounded by fields, contribute to sealing the boundaries or lay them wide open to be "re-rationalised" in a few years time.

It is gratifying to note that Mr Pullicino has dropped his trumpeting of "social injustices", a convenient excuse to open up the countryside to development. However, it is a fact that this move creates many more injustices than it might seek to remedy, as claims pour in of properties losing their value through the building of new developments in their area.

Another claim that has already been dropped is that this measure will bring down property prices, a fact which was subsequently denied by the Environment Minister. No social housing is being provided but Cabinet criteria favour speculation, stipulating that certain areas can only be handled by large developers, not individual home-owners.

The fact remains that it is the intention of the government to extend the development zone in spite of blanket opposition from the public, NGOs and even the professional bodies that stand to gain from more development. Mr Pullicino's assertion that "Cabinet felt the issues that were not addressed by Mepa had to be dealt with by giving a clear direction itself" is pure Big Brother straight out of George Orwell. This is not democracy. And it will be a sad indeed, if the Nationalist government that we voted for precisely to rid us of this arrogant misuse of power, and the new leader in whom we had so much hope, should embrace the cause of developers' greed.

Dr Gonzi, we urge you to listen to what the people who voted you in are staying. It is not to late to reconsider.

(Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar - the coalition of environmental NGOs will be holding a protest against the rationalisation schemes today at 5 p.m., at City Gate, Valletta. All those who have our country at heart are urged to attend.)

Ms Vella is spokesman of Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar.