'Għadira road would cut through Foresta 2000'
BirdLife and Din l-Art Ħelwa insisted yesterday that contrary to claims by the Transport Minister, the proposed Għadira road will cut through Mellieha's Foresta 2000 site.
Birdlife director Tolga Temuge said Minister Austin Gatt's statements show that his understanding of the area is that it simply involves tree planting whereas in actual fact it is a conservation project that includes farmland and habitat restoration.
The ministry's statement that the garigue landscape is by definition the lowest grade of natural habitat in our islands is shocking as the habitat in question is one of the reasons the area was designated a Special Area of Conservation, continued Mr Temuge.
Ever since the news of the proposal was made public two weeks ago, several environmental NGOs have been insisting that it would intersect the Foresta 2000 project site as well as run alongside the Għadira nature reserve.
The management of the Danish Village complex - one of Malta's main tourist complexes - has noted that the project may mean it will have to close down as the road would pass within metres of its guests' rooms.
Still, the ministry held firm to its position yesterday and said that, in objecting to the new Għadira road, Labour leader Joseph Muscat was objecting to a much needed 34,500 square metre-extension of the sandy beach.
The ministry pointed out that Malta had lost beaches at Marsalforn, Xlendi and Balluta because roads were built behind them. However, the new road would make the biggest beach extension ever in Malta possible, upgrading an important element for the tourism industry.
The ministry issued a statement in reaction to comments made by Dr Muscat on Sunday. Dr Muscat criticised the proposed road highlighting the fact that there are no studies to support this plan.
He also pointed out that the ministry had in hand a proposal that would allow the beach to be extended but which did not require the building of a road near the Għadira reserve and the Natura 2000 site.
Dr Muscat, in fact, stressed that one of the proposals suggests the building of an Irish bridge, an elevated road over the existing one behind the beach. That would allow the beach to grow while avoiding the need to develop a completely new thoroughfare.
On this point, however, the ministry said that the same NGOs which were now opposing the new project had opposed that proposal.
The €15 million project would form part of Malta's proposed EU Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) project and, according to the government, it is intended to ease the traffic flow between Ċirkewwa and Mellieħa.
Two car parks will also be built on either end of Għadira bay if the government goes ahead with its plan and, although plans have not yet been finalised, the Transport Ministry said the car parks will "almost certainly" not be underground.
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Joseph Calleja
Dec 2nd 2008, 18:49
If these Special Interests want to preserve wild life and trees why don't they go visit along the Armier Road and see what's happening to those trees along the way. I remember all of us school children went to plant these trees in part to produce a GREEN AREA at the time. The trees have grown but nobody cares, as a matter of fact ( excuse my saying ) a lot of these trees are being used as outhouses not to mention the trash left all over the place by some campers and others not to mention they need pruning. How come the Government and Special Interest Groups never cared to make sure these trees are cared for. Maybe there is no money in caring for these trees but there is big money in Ghadira Reserve and the Foresta 2000. How about instead of suspended sentences the courts hand out sentences that include tidying up Malta, it works fine in other countries.
J. Borg
Dec 2nd 2008, 13:35
@ Joe Camilleri,
If you have anything against BirdLife, stick to the subject and issues on what you disagree with BL.
Justifying such a destructive road, just because BL (as other NGOs) have come out against it, does not give you or the illogical project any credit!
Joe Vella
Dec 2nd 2008, 13:21
If Tolga Temuge and Birdlife Malta really know how Ghadira Bay and The Nature Reserve looked in relationship to each prior to the present road being constructed they will be certainly in favour of the project.
Franco Farrugia
Dec 2nd 2008, 12:50
Well, unlike Joe Camilleri, I am not so politically-inspired and therefore do not trust our politicians. I don't think that when it comes to understanding the needs of the country, Ministers and MPs are the best people - experience has shown that.
M Ellul
Dec 2nd 2008, 11:58
It would be nice to know whether these new public car parks will be managed in the same way as those at Mater-Dei ?
Joe Camilleri
Dec 2nd 2008, 11:15
"Birdlife director Tolga Temuge said Minister Austin Gatt's statements show that his understanding of the area is that it simply involves tree planting ". But Minister Austin Gatt's statements also show that he understands the needs of our country and he knows how to prioritize them. Weren't Birdlife Malta given €1,175,000 with the blessing of our goverment.
Phil Humphries
Dec 2nd 2008, 10:34
Additional beach space at Ghadira should enable people to get near to the sea without falling over sunbeds, but I am sceptical about these plans. I strongly suspect that once the beach is enlarged and the car parks are situated, then plans for a brand new state-of-the-art beachfront hotel will be revealed. I wonder where that might be situated ? Any ideas ?