Kurt Sansone
'Stop Baħrija valley ruin'
A protest was held in Baħrija valley yesterday against the construction of a farmhouse. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi.
A couple of hundreds of people gathered in Baħrija's main square yesterday to protest against the construction of a farmhouse belonging to Nationalist Party president Victor Scerri, which they claimed destroyed the pristine valley below.
The protestors led by the Ramblers' Association, Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar and Nature Trust walked silently all the way down to the site where excava- tion works are in an advanced stage.
The construction is taking place in a scheduled area outside the development zone and barely two metres away from the watercourse at the bottom of the valley.
The environmental groups re-iterated their appeal to the Prime Minister to interveneand stop the permit, which they claimed was issued by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority in breach of its own policies.
The protest was attended also by Labour MEPs Edward Scicluna and Joseph Cuschieri, Nationalist MEP candidate Alan Deidun, various Labour MPs including environment spokesman Leo Brincat, Rabat mayor Sandro Craus and Azzjoni Nazzjonali spokesman John Spiteri Gingell.
Protestors carried various placards some of which read: "Where have the strong pair of hands gone?"; "Musumeci, Green Politician of the Year"; "Outrageous development zones"; "Do you want to build in the countryside? Phone Mepa now".
In a brief address, Astrid Vella for the FAA recalled the Prime Minister's commitment that the rationalisation of development zones undertaken in 2006 had to "seal" the areas where development could take place and that no more permits in ODZs would be issued.
She said what was happening in Baħrija was symptomatic of dev-elopment trends in other parts of the islands where developers were applying for permits in ODZ areas and getting them.
The president of the Ramblers' Association, Lino Bugeja said this was the "fourth summer of discontent" for his association in relation to the Baħrija valley after having fought for public access to the foreshore in the same area.
Without mentioning the Prime Minister by name, Mr Bugeja asked whether his "silence" meant that he approved of the project.
Similar to what happened during a press conference last Wednesday, the architect of the development, Robert Musumeci, also came under fire.
The case, first raised by the Labour Party during the European Parliament election campaign, was recommended for refusal four times by the planning authority's technical officers between 2000 and 2007 but different boards eventually approved it. The protestors said they could not understand Mepa's behaviour since every case officer's report had listed tens of reasons against the granting of the permit.
The project is a three-roomed farmhouse, for which Dr Scerri obtained permission to demolish and rebuild despite initial objections by Mepa for the partial demolition of the old farmhouse.
In a statement, Dr Scerri insisted that the work being carried out in Baħrija had all the necessary permits and had followed the normal process that went on for a number of years.
Throughout this period, no protests had been made according to procedures and these had only started now that the formal process had come to an end.
The place for protests, Dr Scerri said, was in the institutions that had the responsibility and authority to regulate matters and their time was during the evaluation and decision process.
It was an injustice to allow the process to end without saying anything and then to use the fact that he was involved in politics in order to reach particular aims. His case, he said, had been treated at a technical level and at no time was his involvement in politics been influential. The whole affair took a new twist on Monday when Dr Scerri wrote to the Police Commissioner and Mepa chairman asking them to investigate claims that he exerted undue pressure to be granted permits for his land in Baħrija.
Mepa chairman Austin Walker confirmed he would be investigating the claims made by Dr Scerri. He said: "It is within my competence to investigate the matter internally but it is too early to reach a conclusion. The outline development permit was issued in 2000, so I have to go back and look at all stages of the case".
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James A. Tyrrell
Jun 22nd 2009, 20:43
Very well said DAVID ALOISIO!
DAVID ALOISIO
Jun 21st 2009, 17:59
Just forget about politics, permissions, investigations and all kinds of crap and remember: what type of country are we going to leave for our children? Just look at the picture above. WE SHOULD RESPECT NATURE AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. Dear PM, in this case there are no arguments, even if this development has all the permissions. YOU HAVE THE DUTY TO INTERVENE AND REHABILITATE THIS AREA. JESUS ... IT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A VALLEY! WE R STILL DESTROYING THE ENVIRONMENT IN 2009!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS BY ALL MEANS UNACCEPTABLE.
Francis Borg
Jun 21st 2009, 14:08
The NGO's might have missed their chance within the due process but how on earth did an application for development ODZ make it past the first form filling exercise. Surely this application should have been stopped at the door of MEPA at the moment of submission.
Malta and its inhabitants must realise once and for all that there is no more land to develop on the island and a total moratorium on new development across the island is implemented without exceptions apart form absolute national needs. One only has to look on Google Earth to realise the damage to this once wonderful island. Furthermore, re-development within existing built up areas also needs to re-dress some of the damage already done and more open spaces included within these areas. The island is being strangled by incessant building and unlimited ownership of motor vehicles; excesses which are beyond comprehension. Wake up Malta before you will all be buried long before climate change has its toll on the world.
A Zammit
Jun 21st 2009, 11:13
@ Oliver cini: Calling the owner 'victim' when the development is on an ODZ is out of order. It seems that for you, anything PN does is the bible, and any who oppose are wrong. Typical blue nose reasoning!
Ernest Vella
Jun 20th 2009, 12:23
a 9 years permit stopped by protestors....MEPA need an immediate close down or a reform....whoever is making this mess, I think has other purposes more than we earthly people think
pat camilleri
Jun 20th 2009, 12:01
Stop bahrija, stop Sliema, we too are choking here, not just with car fumes but with building dust.Stop the huge trucks further damaging our already dreadful pavements. Mr Primeminister many votes were lost during the european elections because of these problems. You are in a position to do something.Don't let us down.
oliver cini
Jun 20th 2009, 09:35
to all ngo's why you don't buy that piece of land off the owner.
Who is gonna pay the owner of the lost profits? why a person should suffer from this? do you agree if he had to make the land all with olive threes? then he should have the permit for a couple of room's.
find a solutions for all parties not just the one that suites NGO'S
Joseph Borg
Jun 20th 2009, 08:55
Just for the information for those who are saying that ngo's should have protested before the permit was granted. I informed mepa that an illegal structure was being erected in wied incita and nobody did anything. Now i am informed that it has no permit to date and that the developers have applied to mepa to sanction the development.
I was even informed to my bewilderment that it is ok to first build illegally and than apply to sanction but you will incur a fine.
Peter Gatt
Jun 20th 2009, 00:33
Mr Austin Walker, Chairman MEPA stated in an interview on TVM that MEPA is now paying more attention when approving residential permits within ODZ than was done in the past! Hello…..good morning!!! Do we need a protest to realise this!!
What about UCA’s ???? Will these areas be given their deserved attention too??
In my humble opinion a decent reform of MEPA could only be achieved by means of a total organisational re-engineering with across the board change in its officials !!
Ph. Micallef
Jun 19th 2009, 19:00
Just another replica of the St John's Cathedral's project, saga. Oh, Mr Prime Minister, where goest thou!!!!!!!
D Spiteri
Jun 19th 2009, 18:23
@Mario de Bono
Yesterday's civil protest had to be organized in the public sphere, because the official protest within MEPA - in the form of its own Case Officers' three dozen objections to the Wardija project - were simply ignored. Why? - because this MEPA you have such faith in, CAN. The DCC can overrule its own officers' advice - and they don't even need to justify their decisions.
Nothing can be further from the minds of the organizers of this protest that we dismantle organizations such as MEPA that cost thousands and thousands of euro to run; but it is foremost on our minds to question dubious decisions.
It seems that the environmentalists cannot win with you: you disapprove of our protest yesterday, but you ask where we were when those villas were built. Why don't you ask where MEPA was if you disapprove of those villas?
GiovDeMartino
Jun 19th 2009, 18:20
WITHOUT entering into the merit of this or any other case: I ask a simple question: Who is to decide whether I get a permit or not: THe Prime MInister? MEPA? the bloggers below or the mNGO's?
emanuel bajada
Jun 19th 2009, 17:56
Mr.Austin Walker refers to an outline development permit issued in 2000...Was there a such permit? Dera Mr. Walker, do not stay on what the DPA report for the Bahrija development, check that there was really one such permit. It is not new thing that a DPA refers to an non existent outline development permit. It happened at Mepa to facilitate an application to pass through a hurdle. Kollox Possibli fil-MEPA....imma mas-setghani biss..
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Jun 19th 2009, 17:37
Whether this development has the required permit or not is not the issue.
The point is that this development is in an OUTSIDE DEVELOPMENT ZONE.
How or why such a permit was issued is to be investigated. Whoever issued it should be prosecuted.
This is what people call justice.
laurence schembri
Jun 19th 2009, 17:35
@ Mario Debono
Victor Scerri is not a nonentity, he is the president of the Nationalist Party, a learned Lawyer and if I remember rightly also conntested an election. By the tone of your scribblings he could also be a relation or a close friend, for, no man can justify what is happening to this valley.
There has been objections towards this construction from MEPA itself, it has been on and off the shelfs since the year 2000. The only other reason as to why you are reasoning this way is that like many others you are politically blind.
paul galea
Jun 19th 2009, 16:43
Since Dr Gonzi promised us to reform MEPA and so we (or at least I) voted for him, it should be for him and not the chairman to investigate and then report to us!
Astrid Vella
Jun 19th 2009, 16:41
@ Michael Pace: I'm afraid NGO incompetence does not come into it. NGOs simply have no resources and are being expected to do MEPA's work in protecting the environment, even for years before they came into existence! This case started in 2000 while Ramblers and FAA were set up in 2005 and 2006 respectively.
We simply do not have the personnel to monitor over 300 applications a week in addition to our many ongoing ones; should you or anyone else reading these comments be interested in helping out, please contact us at contact@ambjentahjar.org, ram205@gmail.com or info@naturetrustmalta.org Even a couple of hours a week would be a big help to Malta's environment.
M Callus
Jun 19th 2009, 16:40
I do not agree with this development. But could someone enlighten me how there are a lot of farmhouses with pools which are advertised on real estate agencies' websites and are located in the middle of the countryside?
Astrid Vella
Jun 19th 2009, 16:24
So Mario Debono has resurfaced, as charming as usual. People like Mario Debono attribute jealously because it can't penetrate their phyche that people should go to such lengths, driven only by the wish to see respect for laws, regulations and ethics. Obviously he does not share these values in spite of grand talk of 'social mores'.
Apparently we are destroying this country's will to live. How, by campaigning for the essentials of life, like clean air, water resources and healthy living? Or is it truer that we are shaking the systems that have for years worked very nicely for certain people to get away with environmental murder.
edward Mallia
Jun 19th 2009, 16:07
Ducking under the general cross fire, can I remind people of the Transfiguration Avenue, Lija case, where the ODZ superman Musumeci was in possession of a bona fides, uncontested MEPA permit to increase dwelling height and had actually started work before he was stopped by Lija council. After the general election, contested for the same side by the Lija mayor and by Musumeci, the permit was withdrawn. Ian Castaldi Paris could not be safely ignored. What the Prime Minister, Victor Scerri and possibly Mr. Austin Walker are telling us is that in this case we can be ignored. Let's hope they are mistaken.
B Sant
Jun 19th 2009, 15:42
MEPA is no different from arrogant ministers we had in the past -
on behalf o my son i wish to thank the prminister , Mepa and all the guys for not allowing him to have an ODZ AREA in this country until he grows up
Mario De Bono
Jun 19th 2009, 15:35
@D Spiteri. Yes, its jealousy, because you people are acting now, after due process has been performed. Like willing lambs, you allow yourselves to be led by people whose only aim is self-aggrandizement and whose agenda will eventually destroy this country's will to live. I dont agee with this development, but due process has been done. If we allow the people to be led trustingly by one eyed men, then all of our social mores collapse. There is a system called MEPA. It has been set up by law. It has taken a decision on this project. Why this project and not others? What about the big villas at the head of Wardija Valley, under the Wardija Church for example? If we abrogate decisions to unelected satraps, then we have lost the plot. The place for protests was MEPA and its board meetings. WHy werent they done then? What next, is Astrid going to lead kangaroo courts to decide which buildings should be constructed and which should not? Its so easy to be swayed by oratory. Last time it happened in the 30's we had WWII
Michael Pace
Jun 19th 2009, 15:23
Incompetence of NGOs doesn´t justify government incompetence or malice. ODZ is Outside development zones, and should not be developed, with or without permission. Applicants for development outside development zones should face a hefty fine for losing precious - even if ill-used - MEPA time.
D Spiteri
Jun 19th 2009, 15:18
@ Mario Debono and others of his ilk who think that such protests are driven by jealousy:
Those who protested are not driven by jealousy: if so, we might protest against a host of people: people with a huge salary; people who buy a new car every 3 years; people who go on holiday to exotic places; people who dine out at expensive restaurants every Saturday; people who have a gym, pool, and sauna at home etc. etc. etc. But we're not protesting against these people but against people who weasel their way around MEPA boards to carve up a slice of beautiful valley for their own selfish ends.
a attard
Jun 19th 2009, 14:41
Excavations of shame!
Joseph Agius
Jun 19th 2009, 14:36
Mr Walker, before beginning your investigations, I suggest you go walk the Bahrija walk; lit might help you talk the talk.
J Galea
Jun 19th 2009, 14:27
Doesn't Malta understand that these types of things will ruin its natural environment and once that happens no single tourist will want to visit our country? Tourism is Malta's best hope for the future of our kids but we need to keep something for the tourists to see.
M Formosa
Jun 19th 2009, 14:12
One has to log onto google earth and see how much countryside is left in Malta and Gozo. NOT MUCH. The beautiful countryside I remember as a child is nearly all gone. One would have to travel to Sicily to get a breath of fresh air, and most of you are doing it already.
J Brincat
Jun 19th 2009, 13:42
It is time for Dr Gonzi to step in and take this grevious matter in his hand!
Let us save this gem of a valley.
P.Cassar
Jun 19th 2009, 13:24
THE REALLY TRAGEDY IS NOT SOLELY WITH THIS PERMIT. WHAT IS BASICALLY HAPPENING IN ALL CASES IS THAT GOVT. PUTS A SEMBLANCE OF JUSTICE AND DEMOCRACY BY HAVING BOARDS AND COMMITTIES DECEIDING SENSITIVE ISSUES, BUT THEN YOU PUT A SIMPLE MAJIORITY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SERVILE TO GOVT. AND PRESTO YOU HAVE AN ACCEPTABLE DESPOTIC DEMOCRACY. IFRAH POPLU.
D Spiteri
Jun 19th 2009, 13:02
Dr Scerri opines that objections to his development in Bahrija should have been made by individuals and organizations earlier, and through the proper channels. He conveniently forgets that case officers in MEPA raised three dozen objections to his development. Don't these count for anything? Why is he ignoring these? Why does he expect us, mere individuals, to raise objections when there are officials within MEPA paid to do so out of public funds?
The Ramblers Association, Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar and Nature Trust use their private time and energy to highlight this case and others because the machinations of certain boards in MEPA can stifle the chorus of objections raised by its own officers.
J.Spiteri
Jun 19th 2009, 12:52
Are we to believe that the extensive excavation works being carried out are for a THREE - ROOMED farmhouse? In that case, it will have quite large rooms! My guess is that it will come complete with a basement, garage, and,why not, a swimming pool!
Galea. L
Jun 19th 2009, 12:43
i.cilia
As one of the protesters posters yesterday said, ODZ = Outrageous Developers Zone
James A. Tyrrell
Jun 19th 2009, 12:36
@ i.cilia.You appear to be accusing the Ramblers' Association of using situations like this as some sort of recruitment drive. I for one sincerely hope that situations like this do indeed result in good Maltese people who believe in their country joining organisations such as the Ramblers' Association and FAA.
People like Lino Bugeja and Astrid Vella are voluntary workers. What they do is out of a love for Malta’s environment and history not so they can clock off at 5pm and pick up a pay cheque. The dedication of these people goes without question and you should be offering your support to them rather than nit picking everything they do.
You also need to be reminded that Malta has a Government authority called Mepa who are paid millions every year to precisely stop this sort of thing taking place. If Mepa were doing their jobs properly for the good of Malta and its people then organisations like the Ramblers' Association and FAA wouldn’t be required, and their members who give so generously of their time could return to living normal life’s like everyone else.
Joe Galea
Jun 19th 2009, 12:29
So we can wave goodbye to another pristine part of nature, just to accomodate an untouchable. Well done to Gonzi and those who think that there is no wrongdoing in this case and/or those who are in favour of ODZ's. GonziPN is the worse thing that could ever happen to Malta. There is only one way...resign asap!!!
J.Pace
Jun 19th 2009, 12:24
Tal Misthija !!!!!!! To make a person happy with his new Villa in a GREEN AREA, you will make 1000s of more people unhappy !!! Not everyone could attend to this protest....
Mepa shoud revew its permits two or three times before giving permits, not only for Villas in Green Area,
But even for Shops (take note of the neighbourhood, not only for the person appling for a shop) especially in residential Blocks of appartments were people live and sleep, having a Garage, Store or even Flat in a Block of residents, converted in a shop and Mepa just give out permits, without consulting the residents is not a good thing.
Also for Flat sizes, remember that people have to live in, take note to have good room sizes.
Alexandra Borg
Jun 19th 2009, 12:06
It seems that a bad case of mass hysteria is taking place here......
A permit has been issued for works to take place, if there is any wrong doing I believe MEPA should not have issued the permit.
Sarah Camilleri
Jun 19th 2009, 11:56
@ i Cilia: "Personally I am not contrary to any ODZ development as long as it is regulated correctly and it would be congruent with the ambience of the area."
Outside Development Zone should be a strictly enforced legal concept. Not something that can be interpreted in varying ways according to personal opinions. ODZ should mean ODZ - nothing else.
laurence schembri
Jun 19th 2009, 11:50
The thing is, that by the time Mr.Austin Walker goes back to 2000 to investigate the Rustic Villa will be built. Then what?
Mario De Bono
Jun 19th 2009, 11:47
I Cilia is right. Jealousy comes into this. Pure AND UNADULTERATED maltese creme de menthe'........
J.Bonnici
Jun 19th 2009, 11:46
@David Grech
N 35 53 42.36"
E 14 20 19.5"
Mario De Bono
Jun 19th 2009, 11:38
Who is Victor Scerri ? He is a figurehead in the PN, but is basically a nonentity. So why are the Ramblers and the FAA people picking on him, after being prodded to do so by the MLP? Lets just take a look at this development, covered by no less than three PA applications. Thats THREE occasions where the tree huggers had all the chance they liked to voice their concerns at MEPA. They DID NOT DO SO on three occassions. The permits are now out. What do they expect? That the PM will step in and tell Victor Scerri..Listen here Victor, this is not on . Just forget the whole thing, will you. Its akin to jailing someone who has been declared by a jury as innocent . The applicatins were processed legally my MEPA. Now the RAMFAA are trying to influence public opinion by means of this so called "battle" and are implying that there was some kind of corruption by the applicant and the architect. This is not fair, its not right, and its not on. We already had someone in this country who threw mud without saying all the truth. What is the truth Astrid/Lino?
g. scerri
Jun 19th 2009, 11:34
It is sad to hear Dr. Scerri's protestations. It reminds one of the allowances scandal involving many MPs in Westminster. Their defence too was that they were abiding by the rules. I remember an article in the Telegraph which claimed that the worst feature of that scandal was that MPs did not seem to have any ethical considerations. A sad lot to govern a nation.
Charles Micallef
Jun 19th 2009, 11:19
Questions? questions?
Why is this pillar of The PN causing so much harm to his party?
Does he not know how many voters he is alienated against his own party?
Is this project more important than his party?
Is a farmhouse in Bahrija more important than for his party to win the next General Election?
Does he think that the voters will forget this and the Mistra Disco by the next General Election?
Did it never occur to Dr Scerri that after his application was turned down 4 times, he should have know better and did what others in similar situation did before him and give up?
Does he think that if this land belonged to our Prime Minister he would have acted in the same manner? So why didn’t he not follow the leader's behavioral and ethical example?
Does he realise how many members of his own party are against this project?
Answers? Answers?
F Spiteri
Jun 19th 2009, 11:02
Victor Scerri probably assumed that being a 'big head' he would automatically be allowed to do what he wants to !! When Lawrence Gonzi said he was taking over Mepa i honestly and truly believed that he would fix things ! Sorry to admit i am very disappointed. This is exactly why many Nationalists - me included - did not bother voting in the election a couple of weeks ago.Complete let down..........
Ray Sultana
Jun 19th 2009, 10:57
Mr Walker, who are you trying to fool?
The probable scenario would be this: Mepa conveniently investigates the matter for months and months while the construction goes on. Probably after the whole valley is destroyed and it would be too late to reverse the damage, we would have a report from the Mepa auditor slamming the granting of the permit. Meanwhile the architect would have made his money and Mr Scerri would be enjoying his farmhouse to detriment of present and future generations.
This happened in the case of the supermarket in Safi. Despite the irregularites mentioned by the Mepa auditor, the supermarket is still standing.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister seems to have forgotten his pleas for sustainable development and his statements against development in ODZs.
i.cilia
Jun 19th 2009, 10:55
I would just like to remind everyone that it is the second time that the ramblers have voiced their protests after the allotted time period that is available to do so. Another time was the building of the visitor's centre in Hagar Qim...
is it purely a case of them not realising, which puts the credibility of such an organisation at stake, or else is it a case of raising a lot of ado in order for them to garner some more support and memberships?...
Personally I am not contrary to any ODZ development as long as it is regulated correctly and it would be congruent with the ambience of the area... say only a certain percentage of the land owned can be developed and within certain parameters.. so if someone wants to enjoy a holiday home in the countryside, in a land which he has paid for, one can do so. Of course I am not saying that once can build a multi level apartment block.
Ramblers and other organisations always protest about areas that are not owned by them. That is a bit unfair and maybe there is a hint of jealousy in it..
David Grech
Jun 19th 2009, 10:48
@ J Bonnici
Can you pls forward the google GPS co-ordinates
Thanks
Patrick Mercieca
Jun 19th 2009, 10:36
min jaf kieku kien cikku l-poplu li applika ghal permess! bhal ma jghidu l-huta z-zghira qatt ma kielet il-huta l-kbira!!
John Bull
Jun 19th 2009, 10:35
MEPA applications are sent to the Local Councils.
Where was the Rabat Local Council when they received the application/applications (since there were more than one application)?
Did they receive the notice of this development permit? What action was taken at evaluation stage?
Logical persons make logical questions.
victor caruana
Jun 19th 2009, 10:13
Nobody protested before because there was no permit yet. The ice has been broken now!!!!
M.Darmanin
Jun 19th 2009, 10:11
"Mepa chairman Austin Walker confirmed he would be investigating the claims made by Dr Scerri"
This is ridiculous by the Mepa that investigations are going to be indulged after the building construction is in process. They should submitted an investigation process over this harmfull development before the permit was acknowledged. Sometimes i can`t understand why such permits are submitted by people who are involved in politics. These things ruin politics in every extent.
J.Bonnici
Jun 19th 2009, 10:11
Victor, why did MEPA repeatedly refuse your applications? Because there were serious infringments. Watch the original farmhouse on Google Earth, it's still there. It's much smaller than your monstrosity.
a. sciberras
Jun 19th 2009, 10:04
this island is being ruined by the people who are supposed to be protecting it and giving it a direction! i would have attended the protest but i only got to know about it last night after it happened!
@ alfred baldacchino - i wonder if government would drag its feet on this one. my family had their land taken over for a government building and forty five years and various deferred court hearings later, they are still waiting for justice!
James Grech
Jun 19th 2009, 09:41
"The place for protests, Dr Scerri said, was in the institutions that had the responsibility and authority to regulate matters and their time was during the evaluation and decision process."
It is easy for Dr. Scerri to state this, knowing that in our country these same institutions are failing the people and the system. Only those that know how to ride over these inconsistencies boast the sanity of such failing systems.
Alfred Baldacchino
Jun 19th 2009, 09:35
In the circumstances the problem can be solved by the Government offering Dr Scerri an alternative acceptable site to build on.