Residents outraged as Freeport gets terminal extension permit

James Schembri

Jan 23rd 2010, 10:19

Il-Freeport BLA XOGHOL u jridu jzidu l-art!!! X ironija!!!! Jekk hemm 2 vapuri dalghodu hafna!!! Gvern tal-mickey mouse is soltu ax ma tridx balla gherf biex tinduna bil-hsara li ssir fuq Birzebbuga u r-residenti mill-Freeport. Dejjem ahna nibilawh l-imbarazz tal-pajjiz, impjanti taz-zejt, freeport, il-gass u darba anki l-mizbla riedu jgibu! Ax ma jitfawomx fin-naha ta fuq ha jaraw jsibux xi oggezzjoni!!! Jew jibzaw???

John Scicluna

Jan 23rd 2010, 09:58

I would like to voice my utter disgust at this government's modus operandi. How did it ever get to this? We will not forget.

Joe Vella

Jan 22nd 2010, 19:05

What amuses me is that new dwellings, if not whole neighborhoods, keep sprawling up in Birzebbuga so close to the Freeport and other industry mentioned below.

Patrick Zahra

Jan 22nd 2010, 18:23

A permit that in february was refused because of "0verriding public interest" has now been granted! Public interests tend to be forgotten easily by this administration! This isn't really surprising considering the disregard to public health shown by enemalta when it decided to fuel the Delimara plant with heavy fuel oil (apparently emissions are 40% higher than if they had to use diesel).

J.Pace

Jan 22nd 2010, 17:59

Mr. Seychell, I live close to the Freeport so much so that its pretty much in my face even if there is a small amount of sea separating me from it . With the extension put in place there won't even be a stretch of sea to separate me from the mess cranes and their horrid sound during the night. As for your comments about the people's short mindedness about further extensions of the Freeport most of us have been living in this area have for years, predating the inception of the Freeport itself.

Galea. L

Jan 22nd 2010, 17:55

2. Apart from that, as long as we are still members one has every right to take his case anywhere to stop this arrogant government from riding roughshod over them. That's why higher authorities are there. That's why the Government has been taken to court on many issues.

Galea. L

Jan 22nd 2010, 17:53

Joseph Cachia
If that is so how about the Birzebbuga residents taking a class action and then we'll see whether my arguments are like a sieve? How about the class action on the VAT on cars issue? Is it also like a sieve?

Michael Seychell How could they know that he project would expand? So can anyone buy anywhere in Malta because expansion is going on everywhere. The issue is whether anyone would want to have containers, cranes and people peeping through their balconies and windows. Remember what hell was raised when Mintoff used the free space in Blata l-Bajda to put containers in? So if it was not good to place containers there where they were not obstructing anyone's houses is it ok if they and other equipment such as cranes are placed next door to residents in Birzebbuga?

When they voted in favour it was still subject to scrutiny and compliance with relevant regulations and that MEPA will take into consideration the residents objections which it did not. As regards faith in the eu, do you think that there are only one Galea? Not that I favour it mind you.

Michael Seychell

Jan 22nd 2010, 16:41

Mr. Joe Bartolo - If what you say is true, and I take your word for it, one must ask a simple question to the residence in the vicinity of the Freeport, and this is "When they bought the land to build their premises, or when they bought their house, flat or any type of residence, where they aware that not very far from them there was a project which was bound to expand in future years.",

I sincerly hope that the answer will not be "We did not know that such project will expand that much", because if this will be the answer it confirms how naive anmd short sighted they were.

This is similar to the time when years ago, buuilding permits were given nearly next door to the Gas Filling Tanks in Qajjenza, and than years later after 1987, they started claiming that the Gas Tanks are a health hazard and a tragedy may happen on any day!

We the tax payers are now forced by the politicians to pay from our taxes the removal of these Tanks to avoid such possibilty, but it would have been wiser and cheaper if buildings were not issued.


Michael Seychell

Joseph Cachia

Jan 22nd 2010, 15:32

J FARRUGIA you are right to the POINT & PLUS.

GALEA L. Sir with all due respect to your short memory or as perhaps you were born in the
80's, pls note
To cut a better figure please do refrain from your suggestions, as legally they are a sieve with
inch holes.
Up to 1970 no progress in structures ever made in Kalafrana. Only plans and court cases with land owners were going on.
In 1972 The Hon D. MINTOFF had the GUTS to start the project and achieved a lump sum plus a crane from SAUDI ARABIA for a share in the project.
We built up the crane opposite where today stands the offices.
Then KALAXLOKK was set up to built the jetties from Kalafrana to San Gorg ,
around Qajjenza, finishing just round San Lucian where the Oil Tank's (M'XLOKK) are situated.
Kalaxlokk was mentioned and intended to be the future FREE PORT operator as a security to our future jobs.
To solve the inconvenience to residence from the PROJECT a housing estate was created but was occupied by new comers to BIRZEBBUGIA
J. Cachia BIRZEBBUGIA

Joe Vella

Jan 22nd 2010, 15:25

@ Joe Bartolo

Thanks for attributing such an important project towards the development of Malta to the PN. Can you now tell us with all Authority how the PL Voted in Parliament on the issue of the Freeport Extension. I bet you would, cause it will only bring to light the Hypocrisy of Joseph Muscat and the PL.

Joe Vella

Jan 22nd 2010, 15:20

@ M. Camilleri

I am sure that Franco Debono feels the same as Joseph Muscat, the PL and in particular as the PL MPs. from the South. After all, they all voted the same way. The only difference is that Franco Debono is not a hypocrite as Joseph Muscat and the whole PL is.

Joe Vella

Jan 22nd 2010, 15:15

@ Galea L.

It is refreshing to see your new found faith in the EU. The only thing that you forget to include in your advice to the residents to start a class action suit was to include Joseph Muscat and the PL. After all, both Joseph Muscat and the Pl voted for the extension in Parliament.

J Farrugia

Jan 22nd 2010, 14:21

@ J Bartolo - but the nationalist government of Borg Olivier never set it up. It was under Dom Mintoff who requisitioned all the land there, and made the platform for the freeport and given it another name MACONTE, or have you forgotten Malta's history?
@ Charles Zammit - What is this light pollution? What is this noise pollution? Some politically correct versions of NIMBYs? What do you know about these types of "pollutions"? If you were to live near aerdromes you will stop writing in this manner!
@ M Debono - we dont want vulgar work, Malta needs decent work so that our workers will be better than you are. klandestini - who rents his property to these klandestini? who built his property near the Gas tank, who issued the permits for this dangerous practice?
I stand up to hypocrisy and will never accept it. So I dont need no one's advice. Aint Hooting in cars noise pollution also? Aint shooting birds noise pollution also? Aint using the drainage pollution also? Doesn't everyone use the toilets? Aint that pollution? So let's not be holier than the pope.

Tim Ripard

Jan 22nd 2010, 13:53

@ GaleaL. You seem to have changed your tune about the EU. Are they defenders of justice now or, as you frequently call them, dictators? Decide please. Pinnur int!

Christian Abdilla

Jan 22nd 2010, 13:24

@ Mr J Farrugia
Your altruism makes me hang my head in shame. I am sure that if you lived next to the Freeport (and truly...people DO live just in front) you will gladly suffer from sleepless nights brought about by sirens wailing and containers banging on each other as long as your sacrifice will generate the Freeport some more profit and employ more workers (while at the moment work is at a bare minimum there).

The Freeport is there to stay, however it needs to mitigate the damage it is causing in a spirit of good neighbourliness - right now, it is behaving more like the rowdy neighbour who as soon as he is told to turn down the volume of his stereo, goes out and buys a bigger one !

Nimbys exist only in the south ! Shame on us who dare to dream of a restful night !

P.Cassar

Jan 22nd 2010, 13:11

Dear Franco Debono
I realy admire you for standing up for your principles BUT NOW IT'S TIME TO DO SOMETHING RADICALFOR THESE POOR PEOPLE because all that is being said and done by all sides is simply being PUSHED ASIDE ARROGANLTY. This applies to the South in particular and to the environment in general.

Malcolm Cutajar

Jan 22nd 2010, 13:07

@Mr. J Farrugia

Quote "Work First & Foremost" - ask the workers working there if work has increased? Obviously I don't think you are from B'Bugia, your way of writing it seems that you live in some kind of Beverly Hills in Malta....ohh come on. We are already suffering loads of Inconvenience in the southern area, especially B'Bugia.
Do you know that people living just in front ( and not only ) hear workers talking during the night , from speakers of cranes & other machinery!!!! Most probably this will increase more with this extansion!!! Ovjament on the same day we issue a permit for the regeneration of Qui-si Sana....mhux hekk ghax SLiema is Sliema & the goverment is not getting his electoral call from the southern area, but from those surroundings. One last thing...may I say that we are the only village in Malta that we do not have any sport amnities for the youths...complete Neglect .. ( waterpolo pitch a total scrap...Proper Football pitch, non existent, a WOULD BE Skate Area - Totaly dismentelled....someone else can help me mention more.....)

D.MANGION

Jan 22nd 2010, 13:04

Now is the time for Dr. FRANCO DEBONO to show us where he really stands.

Now is his time to show the "south of the south" whether he is really the man, or just the spineless puppet.

It did not take long for your GonziPN to call your bluff. So now Dr. Debono must somehow take a stand. Yes or No.
Loyalty to the voters or loyalty to the party ? You have already made your talking. Now you must show your actions.

Silence is not an option for a man who has declared that he is the stalwart within the government, for the people of the south.

As far as MEPA is concerned...any comment would be superflous.

Galea. L

Jan 22nd 2010, 12:54

J Farrugia
I am sure that you do not live in Birzebbuga because you would reason otherwise.
As for arrogance, I I will give just one example. Which government has defied two court judgments where it was decided that the residential parking schemes are discriminatory and ye issue another legal notice to approve further residential parking schemes indirect defiance of a court order?

Joe Bartolo

Jan 22nd 2010, 12:02

@Mr J Farrugia

I have in front of me as I type a copy of the "Malta Today" publication dated January 1967 (volume 2 Number 1)

On pages 6 - 8 there is a full description of the plans by Government to set up a Malta Free Port in Marsaxlokk. I quote: "The Chairman of the Malta Industrial Development Study Company Limited, Mr. Nicholas Lawrie, on the 19th November, presented to the Hon. Dr. J. Spiteri, Minister of Trade, Industry and Agriculture, in the presence of the Acting Prime Minister, the Hon. Dr. Giovanni Felice, the proposal for the setting up of a FREE TRADE ZONE project for Malta, that will be operated under the title - MEDPORT."

In brackets there is then stated " This project has up to now been called the Malta Free Port or the Free Port Zone." And yes, Marsaxlokk is mentioned by name too.. "The project is based at Marsaxlokk in the South of Malta. The first phase entails the enclosing of the natural deep harbour by two breakwaters ..." There is lots more, but insufficient space here.

As far as I know, in 1967, a Nationalist Government was in office.

J.Tonna

Jan 22nd 2010, 11:58

@ Galea L. - ". Such ARROGANCE by the authorities was never seen in Malta".

How old are you?? If you are 40 years old or over you should remember similar 'arrogance'.

Charles Zammit

Jan 22nd 2010, 11:58

@ Galea
Agree with you , bar for your " arrogance " statement I wonder where you were in the 70"s & 80's , not in Malta for sure .
@ Farrugia
Obviously you do not live in Birzebbuga and get disturbed by Noise & Light pollution.

M Debono

Jan 22nd 2010, 11:31

@ J Farrugia
Can u please tell us where you live? You want work? How about developing the north of Malta like amsterdam red district??!!! Tghidx kemm ikollok kummerc! Am furious right now..... you sure don't live in our area..... klandestini freeport tal-gas powerstation!!! How about you have all these on your doorstep. If you want to help Puttinu, do it from your pocket not using our village. Some samaritan you are!!!

M Calleja

Jan 22nd 2010, 11:30

@J Farrugia

Shame on you....

I wonder what Franco Debono thinks now....ghax sa fejn naf jien dan is South Tas South !!!!

J Farrugia

Jan 22nd 2010, 11:07

and may I also suggest to the malta freeport not to give money to the Birzebbugia Local Council or it will continue to harass our freeport for more. It would be better and much productive if such money goes to the Puttinu Cares for Children Fund and other such lijke charities. Dont give money to the Local Councils. They will spend them on thrivialities.

J Farrugia

Jan 22nd 2010, 11:04

Much ado about nothing. for only this piece of land. All these nimbyS should shut their mouths. Business first pleasure afterwards. And dont come telling us about the misery that the freeport is making in your life. We have more than you have ever dreamed of. So stop all this hogwash and come down to earth. Work first and foremost. And if anyone thinks that he can stop progress or get some money from our pockets he is wrong and has better think it out again. This is important for our economy and for Malta. It was the Labour Government who wanted this freeport there and no one will stop progress.

Galea. L

Jan 22nd 2010, 10:48

I strongly suggest to the Local Council and the residents to get together and file a class action against MEPA, The Prime Minister and the Freeport company for damages and request a warrant of prohibitory injunction to prevent the Freeport company from going ahead with the extension. I also suggest that they write to the EU Representation about their case and request that it be presented to the Commission. Such ARROGANCE by the authorities was never seen in Malta.