Tourism and Environment Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco has asked for an “independent review” into the process used to consider applications for filming in sensitive areas.
This follows a public outcry over the controversial permit granted to filmmakers to cover an area of the EU-protected site in Dwejra with a sand-like substance.
A number of permit conditions were breached by Fire and Blood Productions but the Malta Environment and Planning Authority said sand was only strewn over the buffer area of the protected zone. It also insisted that, although some damage could have been done to the rock, the habitat and ecosystem would be fully restored, contradicting environmental management expert Alfred E. Baldacchino who said there had been a “total elimination of the ecosystem” at Dwejra.
Contacted yesterday, Dr de Marco said he visited the site together with Mepa’s environment director Martin Seychell. He said the manual clean-up process, which has entered into its third week, was progressing well and Mepa would soon be able to assess the damage with more certainty.
Mepa’s auditor, Joseph Falzon, is looking into the incident following a complaint by Alternattiva Demokratika.
Dr de Marco said an independent review should help point to any changes that might need to be made to the system.
In an interview with The Times, Mr Seychell said the legislative framework was quite limited in this regard and admitted that a full environmental impact assessment was not carried out.
Responding to claims by the opposition that the permit was granted following political pressure, Dr de Marco categorically denied interfering during any stage of the consideration of the application. In fact, he added, he was not even aware of the application until after the incident took place.
“For clarity’s sake, the Malta Film Commission does not even fall under Dr de Marco’s portfolio of responsibilities,” his spokesman pointed out. Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Gozo Minister said: “Although one has to deplore such incidents, the ministry feels each application should be considered on its own merits. At the same time, adherence to strict permit conditions must be ensured at all times.
This will facilitate the attainment of the right balance between environmental issues and initiatives that generate economic activity and work.”
This was an issue first brought up by Mr Seychell who argued Mepa should not take on an anti-economy attitude because if the economy did well, the environment usually did better.
But his reasoning irked Labour’s environment spokesman Leo Brincat who accused Mepa of raping Dwejra and said it was shameful for Mr Seychell, responsible for safeguarding the environment, to make such arguments. Quoting a comment on timesofmalta.com, Mr Brincat said Cuba had a weak economy and a strong environment while Brazil had a strong economy but an environment in poor shape.
“No real link exists between economic growth and the state of the environment,” he said, adding that the environment director of Mepa should be more concerned with ensuring development is done “at the service of the environment”.
Mr Brincat asked who would take political responsibility for any irreparable damage that occurred. “The government seems to have an interest to let this case die and silence the discussion about damage to biodiversity.”
The Gaia Foundation responded to the “Dwejra fiasco” saying it was deeply concerned about forces at work that were threatening Malta’s treasured coastal landscape.
It said it was shocked by the extent of the damage done to Dwejra and bewildered at the fact that “insufficient” inspections and monitoring were being carried out as well as Mepa’s risky move of allowing sand extraneous to the site in the protected area.
In its experience of managing Ramla Bay and Għajn Tuffieħa, where numerous films were shot, Gaia said its rangers were always present to monitor activities from beginning to end.