Ramblers make fresh claims of illegalities at Bahrija site

Romano Cassar

Jan 24th 2010, 01:41

@Joe Camilleri. What does RAM funding have to do with this issue? RAM is run by volunteers, who dedicate their free time to the association in attempting to safeguard what little is left of our countryside.
Check out this link for some photos of the supposed dwelling that was in the area: http://ramblersassociation.blogspot.com/2010/01/pr-on-bahrija-17th-january-2010.html.
If every "dwelling" like this were to be replaced with a villa, our little remaining countryside would soon be chock⋅a⋅block with buildings.
Does Mr Camilleri know (or care) how many environmental and development regulations and policies were broken, with the blessing of the MEPA DCC board, in order to approve these four applications?
Has he ever visited the area to try to comprehend the magnitude of this sacrilege?
Will he ever realise that this sort of development actually means that something is being stolen, with the blessing of the government, from the general citizen?

Anthony Borg

Jan 23rd 2010, 16:00

At least one good thing has come out of this "Bahrija" issue: I will be enrolling as a member in Ramblers Association and Flimkien ghall Ambjent Ahjar, and will encourage others to give them their support. Mr. Lino Bugeja has no personal agenda to pick with Dr. Victor Scerri - he obviously loves this jewel of an Island and it hurts him to see it go to speculators!
Why is it always that the wrong people are in power??? If Mr Bugeja was in politics, he would be a prime example of a caring “Prime” Minister. “Mr. Bugeja, do not be intimidated: continue the good work; caring citizens of this generation will long remember your selfless dedication!”

GiovDeMartino

Jan 23rd 2010, 15:41

I hav another short comment, but I'm sure it will be censored!

Kurt Galea Pace

Jan 23rd 2010, 13:34

@ RA - SHAME on all of you. Haven't you caused this man enough trauma and ridicule. How dare you keep hounding Dr Scerri day after day after day. His permits are legal. Leave the man alone. If anyone had the privilage of just slightly knowing this man personally, you would realise what an honest, and true gentleman he is. RA's further attempts and menacing action really stinks of some kind of personal grudge and is a complete waste of time and energy to follow. Shame on you Mr Bugeja and your goon "yes men" that follow you. Pick on someone else and stop wasting our time. Keep well Dr Scerri. You are well within your rights and Law. Don't let RA's vile jealousy get the better of you

Stephen Borg Cardona

Jan 23rd 2010, 10:36

Rule of Law ?

alex vella secretary RAM

Jan 23rd 2010, 09:13

@Mat Said. All the evidence re the illegal dumping will be given when it is opportune because Ramblers intend to persue legally against Mepa if the Authority persists in disrespecting the laws of Malta, even disregarding the advice of its own legal advisor, to enhance the destruction of the valley. Just you wait for it.
@Joe Busuttil - one can join the Ramblers by filling the membership form which can be downloaded from our website: www.ramblersmalta.jointcomms.com/ and send it together with the subscription fee to the address thereon.
My Association takes the opportunity to thank the scores of people who joined the Association since we started defending Bahrija and the hundreds of others who heartedly expressed their support in our cause to persuade Mepa respect its own laws.
Ramblers has no axe to grind with nobody except Mepa who take flagrant decisions against rational concepts, the spirit of the law, and the precious limited protected ecologically sensitive areas that remain, and that it is meant to defend.
The Bahrija development and the sanctions granted at Ta' Baldu are extreme limits of abuse which go beyond legal tolerance. If RAM were to accept these it might as well accept anything.

Anthony Mizzi

Jan 23rd 2010, 09:06

Take out the P for planing from MEPA

Take out the E for environment from MEPA

Infact change MEPA.'s name the name to MasquErAde.

SHAME. Is there any Law enforcment around on the island or one has to applyat MEPA forLaw enforcment as well?

What proposed reforms for MEPA? Just jobs for the chosen to acomodate the untouchables.

Be at least transparent and issue calls for application for the jobs at MEPA and be transparent about it.

Y. Sammut

Jan 23rd 2010, 07:11

@mat said

When you are up against a big shot, reporting to the police gets you nowhere. During the upgrading works of the "telgha t'Alla w ommu" l/o Naxxar, I had personally filed 3 reports to the Naxxar police that all the excavated material was being dumped on private land (not belonging to Curia or Govt), to the extent of photographing the trucks in the act of dumping. Nothing ever came of it, save the 1.5 storey high mound of material next to the drainage pumping station in Wied Anglu, just off the Birguma Bypass,visible to all who have eyes but can't (or won't) see.

Go ahead Ramblers - Public Opinion is behind you in this fight.

D Stellini

Jan 23rd 2010, 05:21

The ramblers have really picked on this particular dwelling. Where were the ramblers when the permit for Tas -Sellum project was issued - 150 "villa apartments" on 17,000 square metres of land, bang 5 stories high adjacent to Santa Maria Estate in Mellieha. On one side of the boundary wall , it was one villa per 1,000 square metres , and on the other side of the boundary wall its one "villa apartment" per 113 square metres. Perhaps Mr Bugeja can also hold a press conference in Santa Maria estate and see the scandal of 150 apartments , not one dwelling ....and whilst he is at it he calculates how much clay was removed. Shame on MEPA AND Mr Bugeja

apscerri

Jan 22nd 2010, 23:22

@Joseph Calleja:
I am surprised you are still asking if the building is legal! Yes it is. MEPA has repeatedly stated that there are valid permits for this site, and both MEPA Chairman, and MEPA Auditor have stated that the owner of this site has NOT broken any law. So going by your intervention: once it's legal, "let the man build his farmhouse".

apscerri

Jan 22nd 2010, 23:09

It is good to have Conventions protecting NGOs BUT at this stage we should know what Conventions protect the individual from harassment by NGOs. This building is covered by legal permits so better STOP harassing/stalking this citizen.

victor vella

Jan 22nd 2010, 23:04

I ask one thing if I may. Does Mr Bugeja have a bone to Pick with Dr Scerri? or someone else using Mr Bugeja for that matter?Why doesn't Mr Bugeja take on a building contractor for a change? Why doesn't Mr Bugeja with all the time he has at his disposal check on some building sites and see if they conform with health and safety regulations?Hallina Man Doesnt illegal hunting effect the ramblers?

Antoine Vella

Jan 22nd 2010, 21:22

Admiitedly, illegal tipping is wrong but it happens so many times all over malta, why have the Ramblers singled out Victor Scerri? This is looking more and more like a witch-hunt.

c. bartolo

Jan 22nd 2010, 20:58

@Joe camilleri
let me assure you, mr camilleri, that the members run in their hundreds, if not already in their thousands... a far cry from the half dozen which you allege!.. if it werent for the resistance of the ramblers and the other ngos, malta would be now buried under ugly concrete... carry on ramblers! citizens who have the goodwill of malta at heart are full square behind you....

J Spiteri

Jan 22nd 2010, 20:51

Ill xi dwejjaq !! Find something new to pick on RA !

I'm sure going round Malta cleaning beaches would prove much more productive.

".. ahna ma ghandna xejn personali ma hadd.." .. the video clearly shows otherwise !

alfred e. camilleri

Jan 22nd 2010, 20:35

@joe camilleri: If you think that there are only about half a dozen members you should join us on one of our walks and you would know that there are quite a few hundred members. I refer you to the Ramblers blog and one of the photos, which shows only a section of ramblers on that walk, you would see for yourself.
@mat said. Actually MEPA and its enforcement officers should have checked what was being done with the material excavated from the site. If only, MEPA and mat said had seen the photos (and TV coverage) which accompanied the report of the ramblers protest some months ago they would have seen that the material was indeed clay. If they had any doubts that should have inspected the site.This is the least that is expected of them.

We ramblers would prefer that the officials of our Association could spend more time on organsing activities for us ramblers, even though we already have a full programme BUT IF they do not try to protect the countryside, if a few years time we could end up with a concrete jungle and we could only "enjoy" sights of our countryside in "old" photos!!!!!!

Joe Busuttil

Jan 22nd 2010, 20:01

Good for you Mr Bugeja. Keep it up and don't take any notice of those PN people who are trying to discredit you. They should be ashamed of themselves and their masters. Information please on how one can join your association would be appreciated.

mat said

Jan 22nd 2010, 19:36

Could please ramblers tell us when the alleged irregular dumping took place? Since they followed the trucks, did they take note of registration number plates? Did they file a report with the police?

Lewis Ellul

Jan 22nd 2010, 19:14

Ramblers should be commended on their unstinting efforts to put things right. However they must have realised by now that they're dealing with the upper echelon of our two-tier society whose motto is "IL-GVERN TAGHNA U NAGHMLU LI RRIDU".

A. Borg

Jan 22nd 2010, 18:54

Thanks Ramblers for all the voluntary work that you do.

Joe Camilleri

Jan 22nd 2010, 18:38

It would be good to know from where this 'volontary' NGO gets its money. Please do not tell me from the half a dozen members.

Joseph Calleja

Jan 22nd 2010, 18:33

One thing for sure, this contractor works harder and faster than any other contractor in all of Malta. I have to admit that this construction, legal or not is happening awfully fast. I still have the same question for MEPA. Is this construction legal or not? I think Mepa should come out in the open and issue a statement one way or the other because this is turning into a big joke. Somebody has to be man enough (Mepa) to make a decision soon, before the building is all finished and done with. If it's legal let the man build his farmhouse, if not stop the construction right now. Mepa has to make that decision NOW. Dr Gonzi, I guess this is falling into your hands and demands your leadership to decide, cause Mepa is undecided.

Joseph A Borg

Jan 22nd 2010, 18:30

prosit to the ramblers for their work. That's what makes a functioning and healthy democracy. C camilleri and n saliba should be ashamed of their simple minded comments…

Kevin Zammit

Jan 22nd 2010, 18:29

@ c. camilleri and Noel saliba People like yourself is what is wrong with this rock. This is blatant abuse and environmental destruction, polution is just way beyond decent proportions. I feel sad to see so few the likes of Mr Bugeja. If there were more like him politicians would be more ready and willing to listen to people. Instead they do whatever they like because they know it is easier work to fill the ears of the masses with a few slogans that the majority from both sides seem to swallow only too easily.

Mark Anthony Vella

Jan 22nd 2010, 18:24

Keep it up Mr Bugeja, those of us who do not have a way to make their cries to stop this abuse need people like you to defend our country from such illegal practices! Most of us are behind you!

J. Borg

Jan 22nd 2010, 18:18

This is a crusade to save what is left of the once pristine Bahrija fresh water stream.... however with MEPA reluctance to protect this unique site - it is inevitably exposing a political autogoal and the more the PN apologists try to discredit NGO's ... the more they expose their political party!

lesley kreupl

Jan 22nd 2010, 18:06

Both the government and the opposition should be ashamed of themselves for doing nothing to stop the obvious 'abuse-factory' that MEPA has become! Don't they CARE about the environment? Don't they CARE about the country their grandchildren will inherit? Don't they even CARE about their own health and wellness? Well done Ramblers Association for trying to do something, but I am afraid the powers-that-be simply don't care. As long as their own pockets are well lined they have an "I'm alright Jack attitude" and stuff the rest of the population. I hope they sleep well at night!

D.Calleja

Jan 22nd 2010, 17:46

UFF XI DWEJJAQ - DEJJEM L-ISTESS DISKA!! Tkellmu fuq xi haga ohra . . . . veru fissasjoni kbira din! Alla hares kulhadd bhalkom - kull meta tridu tghidu kelma ma tistawx tghiduha bejnitkom u bejn l-awtoritajiet???? LE - irid bilfors jismaghha in-nazzjon kollu!! Mela tahsbu li ahna m'ghandniex x'naghmlu jew, dejjem nistennew lilkom turuna it-triq it-tajba ghax m'ahniex kapaci nimxu wahedna???? GET A LIFE!!!

Claudia Pecorella

Jan 22nd 2010, 17:31

so what i gathered is that Mr. Bugeja stayed at the plot waiting for a false move from the workers and followed the trucks to the dump place.....well at least someone is doing something but it would have been best if it was taped.....

monica vella

Jan 22nd 2010, 17:30

Dear Dr Gonzi, we are waiting for the outcome of this very important problem.We are also waiting to see if further destruction awaits Sliema in the form of Villa Degiorgo.Another two houses in Natalie poutiatine street have been reduced to rubble, and more flats being built.More inconvenience for residents and visitors alike. When will it stop Dr Gonzi?

g. scerri

Jan 22nd 2010, 17:29

We all know that it is up to the citizen to defend democracy. But the little man in Malta is to take grave risks in thwarting powerful forces from further despoliation of this island.

c. camilleri

Jan 22nd 2010, 17:12

Lino pls find something else to pass the time. The disc has been worn out now. Stop your persecution.

Noel saliba

Jan 22nd 2010, 17:05

Ara vera hawn min ma ghandux x'jaghmel

J.Borg

Jan 22nd 2010, 17:03

Can't we see that MEPA is deaf when one complaints on this project. If they didn't want to ruin the Bahrija Valley they should have stopped ALL permits......now permanent damage has already been done!

DUSTY WILLIAMS

Jan 22nd 2010, 16:58

U MHUX KOLLOX GHAL XEJN. MELA HUMA HALLEW LIL XI HADD MIN ISEMMI LEHNU? DAWN MA JAGHTU KAS TA HADD LA L GWU LA LMUT LA UHM LILL HADD, DAWN HUMA BISS JIFHMU F KOLLOX, ARROGANZA TOTALI, KOLONNJALIZMU TOTALI , DITTATORJAL MEMMX KELMA OHRA.

Keith Davis

Jan 22nd 2010, 16:44

Where is Mepa enforcement in all this?!

We are still waiting for a different attitude from Mepa.