FAA against sanctioning of Dwejra boathouses

Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) said today that it is, in principle, against the sanctioning of the boathouses at Dwejra, Gozo.

MEPA hearings are currently taking place to sanction boathouses built without permits there. It observed that some of these so-called boathouses sport two floors and a satellite dish on the roof."

According to the agreement reached in the Dwejra Heritage Action Plan these boathouses will escape demolition as long as they dismantle any upper storeys, water tanks, satellite dishes etc, replace iron and aluminum apertures with wood, paint the boathouses a uniform colour and return them to their original role as boathouses.

"FAA recognises that the Action Plan is a package of measures that include the banning of all traffic down to the Inland Sea, the demolition of illegal jetties, the rehabilitation of quarries in the Dwejra area, a clamping down on hunting in the area and the introduction of low-pollution engines for the tourist boats. Still FAA maintains that all this could have been done without rewarding the boathouse owners for their abuse," the foundation said.

"FAA is in principle against all forms of sanctioning, especially Outside Development Zone, however since the Management Plan was approved before FAA was in existence, it was only able to attend MEPA Hearings and to put forward objections which were accepted by the MEPA Board. However, we maintain that had proper enforcement been in place these illegal boathouses would have been dismantled years ago, particularly as they are in the ODZ.

"Mepa must give the strong message to the general public that abuse will not be tolerated and all law breakers, irrespective of political persuasion or district will be penalised. Building without going through the proper planning procedures renders our country a jungle. Many are finding the practice of sanctioning very convenient as the current situation actually encourages people to build as and where they please, then ask for sanctioning against the payment of a fine."

The foundation said that since December MEPA has been flooded with applications to sanction, submitted by "very prominent architects in both political camps, who do no credit to their parties by supporting and profiting from such abuse".

"No payment of fines, even if they run into thousands of euros can ever compensate for the loss in environmental space and the quality of life which the people of Malta and Gozo are suffering through this abusive practice. Sanctionings give a clear sign that MEPA is ready to not only tolerate, but also encourage abuse and corruption of the system."

It demanded that politicians guarantee that the Dwejra case will not be used as a precedent leading to the further sanctioning of boathouses in other areas, that the boathouses do not gradually return to residential use, and that demolitions of extra structures, restoration of the chapel and the dry stone walls will be fully implemented.