Juan Ameen
Dispute over environment rally 'drop out'
Two environmental groups behind Saturday's rally are insisting that Din l-Art Ħelwa was never involved in the organisation of the protest and was never going to take part.
Just three days before a protest against environmental abuse, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar and the Ramblers Association took exception to a statement by the heritage organisation that it had dropped out of the rally because it believed it was "sadly flawed" on its stand against the Valletta regeneration plans.
Alex Vella, from the Ramblers Association, and the FAA's Astrid Vella said DLĦ was never part of the original group that organised the protest. "They didn't drop out of the protest because they were never in it."
DLĦ executive president Petra Bianchi said on Tuesday the organisation was not taking part in Saturday's rally because it did not agree with the other eight organisations' stand that the new project for the entrance to Valletta was in violation of the Structure Plan.
Dr Bianchi stood by that statement yesterday and expressed her organisation's "disappointment" at the NGOs' reaction, insisting that it was invited to be part of the organising group from the early stages and had been in ongoing talks to determine its involvement before deciding not to take part.
She said DLĦ was disappointed the Valletta project was not removed from the list of issues and it had no option but to drop out.
"We could not commit because we had to see how things would develop. We made it clear we would not take part if this issue was one of the reasons for the rally but our request to have it removed was ignored.
"We cannot understand why they refused to remove it and why it was such a sticking point. It is a pity... On the one hand, they are saying they understand our position and, on the other, they are claiming we were never involved," Dr Bianchi said. The eight groups said they res-pected the organisation's decision and pointed out that the only point of disagreement was the issue of the Valletta plans. "Otherwise, Din l-Art Ħelwa fully supports our arguments," Mr Vella said.
The organisations behind the protest are Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, BirdLife Malta, Friends of the Earth, Greenhouse, Moviment Graffitti, Malta Organic and Agricultural Movement, Nature Trust and the Ramblers Association.
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11 Comments
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Joe Grech
Mar 11th 2010, 16:41
Din l-Art Helwa, it seems, can’t oppose the Piano Project now that their ex-Chairman was taken on the journalists’ trip to Paris!
DLH has sadly become just another Government agency. People see that D.L.H. are on each and every board, even where it is more the subject of other NGOs. How can they explain this?
Is it possible that all our Cabinet Ministers only know Din l-Art Helwa when they come to make appointments on heritage, MEPA DCC, MEPA Regulations Board, the Environment, St Elmo, Climate Change, Valletta Rehabilitation Project? Why this obsession, this ''Love Affair'', with D.L.H.?
Is there anything they’re not on? It's really strange how no one else seems to exist....people are wondering....and with good reason.
Or is there, perhaps, another reason for this? Din l-Art Helwa’s close ties with business people certainly doesn’t help to dispel citizens' justified concerns. Business people need contracts and contracts are drying up at the moment,….but then there is always the steady stream of Government projects. Need we say more?
Malcolm Borg
Mar 11th 2010, 16:00
I back the comments made by Edward Mallia and Astrid Vella. I, on behalf of Greenhouse, have attended all the rally meetings and at no point were DLH considered as one of the eNGOs taking part in the rally. Some contact was established with DLH but that was about it. We totally respect DLH's decision. The involvement in rallies is each organisation's decision and they have every right to decline from participating in next Saturday's rally. Greenhouse has no position on the Valletta project except that more consideration to public consultations should have been given. All other issues especially air pollution and ODZ building permits are very worrisome and in that spirit Greenhouse decided to participate in next Saturday's rally.
Henry J Bonett
Mar 11th 2010, 15:25
DLH supports many environmental issues of the other eight NGOs. For its own reasons, to which it has every right, it does not support the others in the case of the Valleta plan. For this reason or for any other, it was never part of the organisation of, or intended participation in, next Saturday's rally. Then, why does Petra Bianchi come out with a statement that is misleading and, on top of that, at such an inopportune time, right on the eve of the Rally? That is the issue.
Joe Azzopardi
Mar 11th 2010, 14:11
It seems to me that most of what is being said about this issue are empty words. DLH has its record to speak for itself. Most are happy with protesting and appearing on TV shows. DLH has proved its commitment on the field and that is something none can deny.
Joe Grech
Mar 11th 2010, 13:23
Din l-Art Helwa under its new executive President Dr. Petra Bianchi should no longer be called D.L.H. but P.B.D.L.H. Politically Blinkered Din l-Art Helwa.
Their ridiculous stand will long be remembered by posterity - after Freedom Square ceases to exist and a Parliamentary Building (two blocks actually) that is not really needed are built instead. Not to mention the ludicrous roofless ''development'' that will make Valletta the laughing stock of Europe. Petra Bianchi should resign.
N.Calleja
Mar 11th 2010, 16:35
In my opinion it is Astrid Vella and Co that should resign because since she tried to become champion of all that she surveys she has created a lot of animosity. Her superiority complex know no bounds.
Mario Tabone-Vassallo
Mar 11th 2010, 12:02
Jista’ jkun ta’ interess ghall-pubbliku li jkun jaf li, ftit snin ilu, il-kunsill ta’ Din l-Art Helwa kien approva progett li jaghti lill-Belt Valletta bieb kif jixirqilha flok toqba, sa qabbad perit biex ifassal progett. Ghalhekk, ma nafx kif u nistghageb kif hawn dan l-astju kollu kontra ghaqdiet ohra li jahdmu sfieq biex iharsu l-ambjent u l-wirt storiku u ambjentali taghna, waqt li bil-kontra l-istess DLH tidher li ghandha qbil ghami fuq u tfahhir bla razan ta’ progett li jmur kontra kull prassi ta’ restawr ta’ ambjent storiku.
Astrid Vella
Mar 11th 2010, 11:51
The NGOs have never said that DLH was never involved, simply that they had never committed to the rally and therefore never ‘dropped out’ as was claimed. As stated by Dr Bianchi, DLH was invited to take part in the rally by the other NGOs, but no talks were ever held between DLH and the eight other NGOs. Two email messages were received through one NGO requesting us to back down on the Valletta issue. That is the sum total of what was received from DLH and certainly does not constitute ‘talks’. In fact DLH was dropped from the email loop and did not attend a single of the approximately ten meetings that have been held on this matter.
The eight NGOs have no problem with DLH. It is not the first time that DLH has declined to take part in an ENGO initiative and we respect their decision. However we also expect them to respect ours, rather than putting pressure for an NGO to change its stand to suit DLH. It is regretted when any NGO succumbs to the ‘divide and rule’ approach; mutual respect can be maintained even when there are different viewpoints.
k.pace
Mar 11th 2010, 19:29
DLH stated that the reasoning behind FAA's argument is 'flawed'.
Joseph Cauchi
Mar 11th 2010, 11:35
.
I fully concur with the decision taken by Din l-Art Helwa as they are showing that no one can take a free ride on their backs.
One is bound to be suspicious on the honesty and integrity of certain NGOs when they try to put all the issues in one basket and treat all these issues on one level!
Aren’t certain issues more important than other and vice-versa less important than others?
The issue of the Valletta City Gate project should have never been included on the same level as that of bird-hunting; or was this done on purpose?
Does one smell a rat?
By the way, I fully support the project as proposed by the world international genius Mr. Renzo Piano!
JC.
Edward Mallia
Mar 11th 2010, 10:38
DLH was indeed invited to take part in the Saturday demonstration at an early but not the initial stage of the discussions. Their reaction was the standard and understandable one wanting to discuss the matter in the DLH board. By the time these board deliberations had taken place, the original four NGOs had decided on the list of issues of interest. DLH objected to one of these and so decided not to take part. As they had NOT previously decided to take part, they could not have 'dropped out'. They just refused to join in.
As for their 'being ignored', once again that is not the case. The organisers decided they did not want to drop the Valetta projet issue. Surely they were well within their rights to do so. This plaintive cry of bein 'ignored' by DLH is hardly credible, coming from past masters at 'ignoring' everybody else when it suits them. Take for example their actions over the so-called NGO representative on Minister Pullicino's Climate change Committee.