Sunday, 30th November 2008
Danish Village owners incensed by minister's comments
The Transpot Ministry yesterday released aerial photos from 1957 comparing the sand movement with the situation today. But objectors believe there is no justification to build a new road.
The management of the Danish Village has taken exception to comments made by Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt in relation to the complex as the crossfire over the controversial Għadira road proposal continued yesterday.
When contacted, Danish Village managing director Flemming Jensen said: "We are shocked and surprised at the minister's comments. Is this the way the government speaks to a foreign operator? I've worked in different countries and I've never experienced anything of the sort. We've been ambassadors for Malta in Denmark for 30 years and brought more than half a million tourists."
Asked about the possibility that the road would mean the closure of the Danish Village, Dr Gatt told a news conference last Wednesday that if the management decided to sell the complex, they would find a buyer straight away.
Plans to build a new road close to the environmentally friendly low-rise Danish Village have been shot down by environmentalists and the Labour Party. And though Dr Gatt has expressed a willingness to discuss the project, he once again insisted that doing nothing was not an option.
The €15 million project would mean the beach would grow depth-wise. But the new road would run through a section of the Foresta 2000 site, past the Għadira Nature Reserve and within metres of the Danish Village complex.
This angered Mr Jensen, who said the management had never been consulted about the road project and that letters of concern sent by the Danish Village to the government were acknowledged but not answered.
"We were only called to the ADT and shown a map which shows three options. But these are no options to us because they go directly past our houses. Of course, we'd like to see the beach to grow, but not at any cost."
Mr Jensen said the Danish Village was a model development. A new road would destroy the tourist complex and a business in the process.
With just over a month until the government requests EU funding for the project, Mr Jensen said it was obvious no time had been allotted for necessary independent studies.
The Infrastructure Ministry says the road is required because the Għadira beach is being eroded, though the minister has admitted this is not backed by any studies.
The ministry yesterday released aerial photos from 1957 to show that the beach had receded and compared them with the situation today.
"It is clear from this comparison that the beach is smaller today than it was some 50 years ago. Għadira is a large beach and its erosion is slow and imperceptible to the naked eye. But it is happening as surely as the natural sandy beaches of Xlendi, Marsalforn, Balluta and St George's Bay vanished," the ministry said.
"Just because we go there to sunbathe and relax by the seaside doesn't make Għadira any less eligible to environmental protection than garigue, by definition the lowest grade of natural habitat one can find in our climate."
The ministry said that both Dr Gatt and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino insisted the road would not pass through the Foresta 2000 site and both said the government was willing to listen to alternative proposals before deciding the best route for the road.
In the meantime, German Green MEP Michael Cramer, a specialist on transport issues, will be in Malta in the coming days to discuss the issue of the proposed road with Dr Gatt.
Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Arnold Cassola said yesterday that since the road would be mainly financed by the EU, it was only right to ensure that the EU's and Maltese taxpayers' money was invested in a proper and sustainable way.
On the other hand, Silvio Debono, owner of the Seabank Hotel, is four-square behind the proposal, saying that Malta had a chance to boast a quality beach and promenade, similar to the ones overseas.
"Of course, you need to weigh up everything, but there are more positive aspects than negative ones," he said, citing the improvements to traffic flow and the beach improvement.
Mr Debono said he had no plans to apply for any beach concessions once the beach was enlarged, though he said that if such a tender was available then "I believe I have every right to apply like everybody else".
Mr Debono described as "absurd" claims that a new road was being proposed to partly accommodate his business.
"I ignore these claims - this symbolises the jealousy which reigns supreme in this country whenever someone is developing something."
When contacted, Malta Tourism Authority chairman Sam Mifsud said the authority had not been approached to give any technical opinion on the specifics of this proposal.
"We understand that this current road-relocation is still at an early stage of the process, and therefore it would be inappropriate for the MTA to comment at this point," Mr Mifsud said.
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Comments
Mr Jensen I as a Maltese excuse myself on behalf of the Maltese Government.
Stefan Aquilina
1. We stand to lose Euro 40 million in EU funds in the construction of a sewage treatment plant, the plan for which was outlined in the Sewerage Master Plan of 1992. By the way, due to our government's short-sightedness the treatments plants are not designed to deliver a single drop of water for re-use.
2. We then get to know that a massive Euro 14million from the revered EU Funds will be allocated to a very extravagant and destructive project administered by an 'NGO' (the St. John's cathedral Foundation) to dig up a quarry in St. John's square, thus endangering the very structure of this priceless monument.
3. And now this. One month to take a very hasty and irreversible decision of critical importance - with no studies and no proper consultation.
The aura surrounding Austin Gatt about his ability to deliver is being lost by the minutes. Only the arrogance remains.
(Frans Sammut: See, I'm a reasonable kind of guy).
By your commnet It only shows that you are not old enough to remember the way Ghadira Bay ingeneral was befor the existing road was constructed. I being from Mellieha, can attest to that the beach has eroded si gnificantly snce the '60's
You might have experienced temporarily inconveniences during the construction of Manwel Dimech; however if the Ghadira Road is not rerouted the inconveniences will not be temporalily but rather permanent specially to those of us from Melllieha. If you have a magic wand that road construction/reconstruction can be carried out without casusing any inconveniences to the general public I am sure there are many that would like to talk to you in this regards.
Ghadira Bay being a four lanes today doesn't mean easy flow of traffic specially in the summer.
Certainly you do not recall the way Ghadira Bay road was when it was a two way lane years ago. Between the road area and the Nature Reserve there was an area, almost as big the beach area itself, dividing the two. One doesn't need to earn any degree to notice that the beach is indeed smaller today then it was in the '60's
The refurbishment of the present road is the least expensive also. In the “pros & cons” it was stated that this would create the most inconvenience to traffic, but then I say, since when and why is the government concerned about our inconvenience? Remember the very recent history of the Manuel Dimech Bridge? We suffered a much prolonged inconvenience and the government did not raise its voice or lifted a finger.
Is there a hidden agenda behind this proposal for a new road?
Also, since when do we have finds to spend on unnecessary infrastructure and then do not find enough funds to adjust the promised reforms on pensions.
Do the words, the bay is under threat mean anything to him ? Is saving the beach less important than Danish Village ?
Does he realise that Danish Village's foorprint must have destroyed much more than what will destroy ?
What Danish Village MD is saying is scandalous. Should I, as a Maltese person, intent on leaving this island less worse off than I found it, be worried about Danish Village or the destruction of the bay ?
Mr. Jensen has been quoted in another The Times article saying that there never is traffic in this road. So having the new road next to Danish Village should not be a problem should it ? There is never any traffic jams that will disturb your business.
I said this before and I repeat it. Business interests should have no say when the scope is for saving the destruction of the bay which now, from the picture, one can clearly see how sad it is in just 50 years. What will happen to it in 150 years ?
What remains of the Ghadira sand dunes is hardly the best example in terms of biodiversity in Malta - Ramla tat-Torri is a much more diverse habitat and we all know what the shanty-towners have been allowed to get away with up there.
When Austin Gatt start voicing environmental concerns I can only shudder.
Tides in Malta are negligible
Traffic will be improved? Really? By replacing a 4-lane road with a 2-lane road? Hmmmm....
There is ample room on that beach to extend a lovely promenade if one tells the sand thieves (aka concessions) to keep their umbrellas and sunbeds at their kiosks until someone wants one! Common sense, what a concept.
Beach erosion, Traffic, Parking, using EU funds at 11th hour.
(conveniently Beach Concessions to Hotels, and Hefty Contracts dished out to party-donors contractors are not mentioned)
No studies (if ever done) have been made public yet, however some logical assessments are obvious
Beach erosion -
Building up Ghadira/Mellieha, and the intensified activities at Ghadira itself have contributed to erosion. Sand trapped on one side of the road, can either be channeled through tunnels onto the bay, or carried directly. Finally, sand replenishment every 5 years is a last resort
Traffic -
Govt itself has narrowed arterial roads into single-lane carraigeways, thus it cannot claim traffic concerns about a seasonal dual carraigeway road.
Parking -
Seasonal problem evident - seriously blending in multi-level carpark on the left side of the bay should suffice.
EU funds-
pls respect our intelligence, and deploy funds responsible and where really needed.
lastly it is mindboggling how the fact that Govt has allowed fishfarms to operate within Ghadira itself, polluting sea and seabed (benefiting a closely knit circle of friends, to the detriment of everyone else and tourism income) is being ignored!
This would be another step in civil engagement and good practice in the democratisation of sustainable development.
The experiment has been carried in the local councils reform whereby the meetings were also attended by the Prime Minister.
Good practices must be encouraged. The people are not there just to pay taxes and say "OUCH" every morning.
Thank you for listening.
How can a statement like this stand or be taken seriously? This seems the way Government bulldozes its way through thought and public opinion.