Labour backs residents on air quality concerns

The Labour Party expressed "solidarity" with Sliema residents after an association representing them voiced concern about the government's request to extend an EU derogation on air quality beyond June 2011.

The Sliema Residents' Association had said Maltese authorities were failing to honour their EU commitment and this was to the detriment of residents' health and quality of life.

The island exceeds air quality limits imposed by EU legislation for particulate matter (PM10) - a sort of fine dust in the air - as well as nitrogen oxide and benzene. Malta has informally asked Brussels for more time to come in line with the EU's strict air quality benchmarks.

But the association said the request was worrying, pointing out that the derogation had already been extended from January 2010. It said Sliema was subjected to high levels of air pollution that frequently exceeded EU safeguard limits, to the detriment of residents' health and quality of life.

The PL said the government's request was clear proof it had not addressed air quality problems on the island over the years.

The party called on the government to assume its responsibilities and see to it that the targets were met, pointing out that residents were being made to pay for the bad planning that had gone on through the years.