Destroying natural beauty (1)

I read with interest the article under the headline Developer Defends Controversial Gozo Project (June 11). It beggars belief that following the national outcry on various developments such as Xaghra l-Hamra and Ta' Cenc we as a nation are once again faced with the destruction of one the islands' most pristine areas.

The developer's view is, by default, very subjective and one cannot really take Mario Grech's viewpoint seriously. Various NGOs, along with the local council of Xaghra and a prominent Gozitan politician have all voiced their opinion against the proposed development. Furthermore, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, set up specifically to safeguard all aspects of our heritage (both cultural and natural) highlighted the need to protect areas of natural beauty from radical development.

Mr Grech suggested that the public should have voiced their opposition to this project at the "outline stage". This brings me to the crucial point of this controversial affair. By inexplicably doing away with an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the authorities robbed the general public of the chance to contribute towards what should have been a very wide ranging study (by appropriate experts) covering the potential impacts of the development on the surrounding area.

Other newspaper reports focused on the archaeological report submitted with the application and the fact that no cultural remains of significance were present in the area. It is imperative to look at the broader context and wider impact of the proposed development.

There can be little doubt that whether viewed from above (the belvedere at Calypso's cave) or below (Ramla il-Hamra), the area is one of outstanding natural beauty. The main impact that must be assessed when dealing with this project is the permanent alteration and destruction of a landscape that is unique to the Maltese Islands. The European Landscape Convention was specifically launched to "promote landscape protection, management and planning, and to organise European co-operation on landscape issues". Article 5 of this same convention deals specifically with the need to set up legislation intended to "establish and implement landscape policies aimed at landscape protection, management and planning (...and...) to establish procedures for the participation of the general public, local and regional authorities, and other parties with an interest in the definition and implementation of landscape policies".

With these clear instructions in mind I implore the authorities involved to reconsider and revoke the permit that would lead to irreparable damage to one of Gozo's most pristine and fragile areas. Such natural scenery makes Gozo the island that it is and by ruining the natural landscape we are destroying the very essence of what makes Gozo the idyllic island it is. If we don't grasp this then we as a nation have understood nothing about what needs to be done so as to save what little natural beauty is left on our islands.