BirdLife accuses minister of using hotel owner's report

BirdLife yesterday accused Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt of presenting a document commissioned by Seabank Hotel owner Silvio Debono to prove that the existing road in Għadira was contributing to the bay's erosion.

It said government officials and non-governmental organisations agreed this was not a scientific survey and proper studies focusing on the coastal geomorphology of the bay were needed.

BirdLife insisted that if erosion was taking place, this had be backed by scientific studies before the ministry decided whether or not it needed to eliminate the existing thoroughfare.

BirdLife president Joseph Mangion said: "It is very clear that Dr Gatt does not have any scientific evidence and is so desperate that he relies on a document that was paid for and prepared for the Seabank Hotel owner."

BirdLife executive director Tolga Temuge said that while an environment impact assessment would consider the impact of the ministry's proposal, it would not address the question of whether the project was necessary in the first place.

The ministry said BirdLife's stance that the Malta Environment and Planning Authority should reject the government's application without waiting for the EIA was "the height of arrogance".

The ministry maintained that BirdLife's statement was a hostile attempt at shooting the messenger and ignoring the message.

BirdLife's position was "particularly surprising", the ministry said, given that up to yesterday it had complained no studies had been conducted. The ministry said that when a study was produced, BirdLife shot the messenger, implying the research was wrong because it was commissioned by Seabank's owner.

Using the same reasoning, it said, BirdLife's own statements should also be questioned because it was a directly-interested party. The ministry reiterated it was willing to abandon its application should the EIA turn out to be against the development.

Meanwhile, Labour environment spokesman Leo Brincat said the government had clearly raised the issue to divert the public's attention from the higher water and electricity tariffs.

If this were a serious government it would have said whether studies had been made to indicate if the bay was eroding. Mr Brincat questioned how ethical it was for Dr Gatt to say the government would forge ahead with its plans in the presence of the environmental consultant who had prepared the strategic assessment for Seabank Hotel.