PL calls for deadlines for tackling soot problem

Daniel Goggi

Nov 8th 2009, 10:09

@Lewis Balzan

Where to start off with huh??? Maghtab is 5km away.... as for all those projects; I don’t think fish farms offshore bother you that much... We at St. Pauls bay and Mistra have the hub of all fish farms, as in Comino too. I never heard a swimmer/resident complain. As for recycling plant.. I often visit M'Scala and in the recent yrs since it upgrade, I never smell any foul smell. Petty Bay, Zurrieq promenads ring a bell? As for Mosta dome.. yes we are self sufficient tourists come to see the 3rd biggest dome in Europe a little help in infrastructure for the residents would still be much appreciated..

Ever heard Give and take???? think about it will you. AND STOP WEARING BLINKERS TOO.

Andrew Cumbo

Nov 7th 2009, 19:41

@Lewis Balzan

I don’t think the Prime Minister bother about the black dust, though he lives in M’Scala. But all of us that don’t afford to have a maid to clean our roofs, we are really worried about this matter, since rain water is polluting our wells and we have to clean our more the roofs regularly. I fully agree that the PN doesn't give a hoot for the people in the south of Malta. Just remember of Freeport, Airport, Recycle plant, 2 Industrial estates, and 2 power stations all in the entire south. And have to agree with the comments raised about this issue from former Minister Jesmond Mugliett and Back benchers Franco Debono are justified. Meanwhile I condemn comment on same issue expressed by Minister Dolores Christina that PL is enlarging this issue to win sympathy.

Lewis Balzan

Nov 7th 2009, 17:51

@Daniel Goggi
You forgot to mention the mother of all monstrosities - the power station at Delimara, the stinking Sant Antnin waste recycling plant, the gas depot at Qajjenza, the proposal to locate all fish farms in the area, the compete lack of any tourism projects, etc etc etc. As for Mosta I always thought you are happy enough with the third largest dome in the world!

Daniel Goggi

Nov 7th 2009, 17:01

@ Lewis Balzan

I think you got you geography wrong... all the major projects are being carried out in the south.. be it sports (Cottonera Sports Complex, Marsa Sports Grounds) be it industry (Smart City, Freeport et al.) be it tourism (Vittoriosa and Valletta Waterfront) be it leisure (again plenty or rehabilitated or newly created playing fields and gardens) be it schools (St. Benedict to start of with) you name it.. in the past 5-15 yrs all the major projects have been in the south!! I don’t recall anything in particular say in Mosta (were I live, and to my knowledge the 3rd or 4th biggest town on the island). The only ones I can think of is cirkewwa but that’s to up north (and Gozo… Gozo gets a lot of help thanks to better management of a smaller area).. a new secondary school in Mosta (still being built) and a very long time ago Bugibba front... WE should complain not you.... besides this north and south thing never makes sense on such a small island anyways. So stop grumbling and be grateful for once. Rome wasn't built in a day...

K. Spiteri

Nov 7th 2009, 16:32

We do find black dust even in Zurrieq. May be not as much as they find in Fgura but we still do. The first time I noticed it was around last August. I guess the authorities should take samples from more areas in Malta.

Alfred Baldacchino

Nov 7th 2009, 15:56

Could the soot be coming from nearby Mount Etna ? A recent photo from space shows the Maltese Islands being almost in the path of the volcano's wind borne eruption debris.

Lewis Balzan

Nov 7th 2009, 15:52

@ Alex Debono
One has to live in Malta in order to comment on such things. Fact: the history of implementing environment-unfriendly projects in the south of Malta by successive nationalists governments is a proven fact. The same cannot be said of any other part of Malta.

Mario Nicchia

Nov 7th 2009, 14:23

@Charles Miceli

I live further north and i experience the same problem you have. The source of the problem are usually fire places' chimneys. unluckily in malta these are not regulated and nobody knopws what ppl burn in their fireplaces.

I urge the authorities to tackle this problem, and the car exhausts as these are far worse than the power station chimneys, as at lease the latter are centralized and can be controlled in some way or another.

Charles Miceli

Nov 7th 2009, 13:32

This morning I found small patches of soot on our roof and we live at Naxxar. Are we the exception in the north?
One more thing. If this is a national problem and a real health hazard, when are we going to pass from words to action? Aren't 10 years long enough?

Alex Debono

Nov 7th 2009, 13:08

@lewis Balzan.

I donot think this is true. Rember that the PM lives in M'scala, which is south... and sliema/ st julians residents are also grumbling due to the car park that the gov wants .

Lewis Balzan

Nov 7th 2009, 12:04

Deadline? The PN doesn't give a hoot for the people in the south of Malta - never did and never will. If this problem was affecting the Sliema/St Julians voters the reaction would have been entirely different!

J Oatmon

Nov 7th 2009, 11:56

As this problem dust situation has dragged on for 10 years, it is obvious that there is either a cover up of the facts, and the source of the problem is known, or there has been no professional effort to find the source of the dust, and just the usual Maltese whitewash to save having to actually do something.
The credibility of this governement is crumbling with the many examples of bad/incompetent managment (or entrenched corruption) at the VAT dept, MEPA, ADT, as well as the chaotic incomprehensible Court/Legal nonsystem and decisions, and so on.