Paola chopping of trees was 'brutal' - Graffitti

Michel Spiteri

Apr 25th, 08:09

Shame! Why do we have to destroy everything? What is this fixation with doing everything 'better'? Do we really believe the cold clinical atmosphere we are creating which destroys the character of every town and village is beautiful? What I cannot understand is the arrogance of the authorities who think they know it all. Don't they realise that to replace those trees with others the same age and size will cost us thousands and thousands of Euros! Or is it that they don't care because it's public money? Shame!

Julian Esposito

Nov 24th 2010, 14:25

Utterly disgusting!

Marlene F-Hills

Nov 24th 2010, 12:10

Lena Hahn's quotation of Victor Fenech's evocative poem Iz-Zabra sums up the tragedy of Malta's over - urbanisation. No trees no birds no birdsong to soothe the spirit.

Joan Nelson

Nov 24th 2010, 01:20

In Siggiewi, one fine morning - to the surprise and disappointment of everyone who saw, a large patch of land full of old trees was shamelessly flattened by the new owner/contractor overnight under the shroud of darkness. In time to be enclosed until people would start to see it as an eyesore. Once that sentiment is achieved, the contractor would safely excavate and move on with his building plans and come out looking like a saviour.

Sob! Sob! Paola's going down that same planned, brutal treatment - the grim beginnings of a new construction.

Despite the setting up of councils, there seems to be no prior knowledge of such intended action by the public at large and certainly no prior public opinion is ever considered. It's after the fact that people learn the fate of our trees and other willful actions. Who is this self appointed god of power and self gain? The government's head of departments know the answer. They are privy and possibly against such planned actions, yet scared to speak out or perhaps threatened. Newspaper editors can help - and so will 'flash' crowds. Can someone set up that wonderful system ???

Luke Gatt

Nov 23rd 2010, 20:31

The ELC is already landscaping the mentioned roundabout. They have built a reservoir and are now adding more top soil. I assume in the near future they will plant new trees. Hopefully endemic or indigenous ones.

C. Abela

Nov 23rd 2010, 20:28

Tal misthija x injoranza!!! Dawn in nies marru jittrimmjaw is sigar jew jaghmlu xi att vandalu??!!

Charles Falzon

Nov 23rd 2010, 19:18

To be expected from a mickey-mouse Authority. Were there ever any consultations with Agriculture Dept. or other entities? Whatever for? Arrogance always!

Steve Zammit

Nov 23rd 2010, 19:16

....and all this happening in the year dedicated to Biodiversity. What a sick joke Where is MEPA?Where are the authorities' explaination???May someone speak up and explain the reason why these trees really needed to be destoyed!. So far it seems that ELC cut the trees because Transport Malta said so and ''qisu xejn mhu xejn''! No tree in our urban areas is safe from the chainsaw:(

Stephen Vella

Nov 23rd 2010, 19:04

Today they were chopping down trees from Santa Lucia roundabout, it seems that firewood is in huge demand this year

Etienne Zammit Lupi

Nov 23rd 2010, 18:20

Wahda isbah mill-ohra! Who on earth took this decision? What's behind this? Explanation please? Probably silence will be the reply....

Daryl Curmi

Nov 23rd 2010, 18:00

I pass from that roundabout 3-4 times a day and till now I cannot understand why did they remove them ????

Steve Zammit

Nov 23rd 2010, 15:24

"It quoted ELC as having said that it was instructed by Transport Malta to uproot trees from a number of roundabouts. ''

Since when do Transport Malta understand in trees??? Can someone kindly elaborate what is exactly going on?Something doesn't seem right at all. Shame, shame and shame!!!

These people have no shame and respect :(

K Vella

Nov 23rd 2010, 14:41

Can ELC issue a statement for this???!!!

These nice mature trees.......thsi goes against the goverment startegy maybe there is another reason for this?

Camilleri Tarcisio

Nov 23rd 2010, 14:40

Probably this is to make way for proper traffic junctions to ease the traffic problems we in the south have to face every day.

Wishful thinking? Or just to make way for the bus lanes?

j gatt

Nov 23rd 2010, 13:17

It would be interesting to know, where is all the wood going??, where does it all end up?? Is there something fishy going on. Is the end user, getting free firewood? Is it being sold? If so, where is the profit going? Is there someone out there paying taxes, if this is a trade with profits, ie financial gain?
Who is directly resposible to address this question to?
Because after all, there may be an incentive here, to continuously destroy these trees.

Lena Hahn

Nov 23rd 2010, 13:10

IZ-ZABRA by VICTOR FENECH
''Is-sigra tal-misrah sa ilbierah kienet tfakkarni fir-riti antiki tal-mara fertili qed tonghos hedlija fuq hagra godlija Tfakkarni f'disinji ta'dell u ta'dija,ta' lwien fantasija. Tbenninni go nieqa ta' frieghi u friegh, twennisni go wejla ta'wens u mistrieh...

Imbaghad gewwa l-misrah ilbierah, bi srieraq u slielem armati gew erba' pirati. U dritt marru hdejha u lbiesha carrtulha/qacctulha idejha, u xagharha minn rasha, sa waslu sa nghasha. U s-sigra la tniffset, protesta la lissnet la karba t'ugigh.

U telqu l-pirati bis-srieraq u s-slielem. U s-sigra sserrata hallewha wahedha titniehed fl-ispazju ta' misrah li krieh. U gew filghaxija l-ghasafar u staghgbu b'dil-herba qatigh, u whud minnhom bkew. U telqu hosbiena fuq gwienah ic- comb f'kenn iehor ifittxu dil-herba jinsew. U ruhi, tithenna mdorrija b'ghanjiethom mis-sigra kennija, hassejtha ssehibhom f'titjir(a)gunija.

U baqa' go mohhi l-lejl kollu, bla frieghi bla weraq bla tjur u bla kenn, zokk ohxon go misrah iqattar id-demm.''

Dennis Zammit

Nov 23rd 2010, 12:30

Normally I totally do not agree with Grffitti but Minister Pullicino should publicly condemn this brutal act and inform the general public who was the irresponsible person who decided to cut down these trees and also who approved this massacre.

At least, the Minister would shown everyone that he means business and not approved the destruction of trees after all the money spent on the new 95000 trees allegedly planted. These way, we would believe him and now call him an irresponsible.

R. Saliba

Nov 23rd 2010, 11:56

It is obvious that something will replace the trees but Graffiti's reaction is totally natural. Why not inform Citizen Joe before-hand rather than just going about it as though they own the place?

A little diplomacy goes a long way. This smacks of a very paternalistic attitude where we're supposed to site nice and quiet and let daddy government do as he pleases. I grew out of that phase a long while ago and so have all other Maltese voters.

clint catania

Nov 23rd 2010, 11:52

the chainsaw massacre

Michael Mercieca

Nov 23rd 2010, 11:30

Please gentlemen and ladies, lets all be patient. We have all seen the progress that has been done all over the island in landscaping over the years. I'm sure that at the end we people of the south will all have landscaping to be proud of like in other parts of the islands. After all we always state that the Government treats the south worse than the north. Now we are being treated the same and we still grumble. Come on! After all trees also have a lifetime and 30/40 and 50 year old trees often need to be replaced before they die a natural death.

D Muscat

Nov 23rd 2010, 11:18

The works done by the ELC are generally misunderstood by such media articles, and the hard work and persistance of the ELC to bring our landscape into the modern world should be commended.
I have just been travelling around europe, with the persistant rains and poor conditions NO PLANTINGS of flowers and shrubs has been undertaken, areas are bear... Unlike Malta, they carried on regardless despite the massive rainfall we just recieved so we the public have a country to be somewhat proud of. They are just the contractor responsible for carrying out a request of that particular local council. I am sure they did not take the decision one day to go and just chop down trees. Also, if a particular tree/trees hav been requested for removal, there is no "nice" way of doing the task. Lets look at what they have done, and continue to do with the hundreds of thousands of plants, shrubs and trees they plant each year!

T. Mallia

Nov 23rd 2010, 11:05

I live in Paola near one of the roundabouts that is due to be desyroyed in the next few days like the one near SARE. It is a shame that these things are allowed to happen. In the south, we have very few trees left, and the systematic extermination of the little greenery that is left has to be ended at once. This had been going on for ages. May I remind you of the trees in Zabbar road, the exagerated an unnatural trimming of the trees in Paola square, and many more.
Issa to add insult to injury, they should transfer the controversial Luqa monument in Luqa to this roundabout. I am sure someone will enjoy it's unobstructed view, while bragging about how much he has done to help our town

S Vella

Nov 23rd 2010, 11:04

Ma nafx kif ma wehlux il kaccaturi........
Fejn huma l-ambjentalisti, l-birdlife u dawk kollha li jqajmu kampanja shiha kull meta jkun wasal l-istagun tal-kacca.....ma gewx xi tuzzana mill EU biex jaraw dan l-isfregju ambjentali,
jew li toqtol ghasfur biss huwa qerda tal-ambjent fl-EU?

A. Calleja

Nov 23rd 2010, 10:57

Oh come on! Timesofmalta.com readers are always complaining about everything.... the brightly coloured gas cylinders in balconies are more pleasing on the eye than the boring green leaves of yesterday... obviously just being sarcastic!

n said

Nov 23rd 2010, 10:53

when is it that the government will realise the importance of trees especially in heavily polluted areas such as where this round about is situated?!

i ask myself what use is it to switch on the news and watch a minister planting a tree and posing for pictures while elsewhere another tree is chopped down on his orders? when are we going to learn? malta is already too grey with all the concrete and tarmac. the number of trees keep decreasing and replaced by buildings or monuments which some twisted minds seem to think look better than nature itself.

as usual we have to stand out and be unique. whilst everywhere in the world trees are planted in the effort of reversing damage already done by chopping down trees, we make sure that we have enough wood for our fireplaces stored at the elc......

B. Storace

Nov 23rd 2010, 10:34

when you started this ELC project it went like clockwork and to give credit where credit is due, indeed many previously ugly places were beautified considerably. NOW, the opposite is the case. Mayhem, wanton destruction and actions that are beyond comprehension are being carried out in the name of ELC and for what? The whims of bus and coach drivers so as not to scratch their coaches? Why, in heaven's name don't we have a law stating that for every tree that has to be uprooted or destroyed ten more have to be planted in an allocated place. Trees would have to be of a certain size and preferably indigineous. And, of course why are trees chopped and not uprooted and replanted elsewhere. It is unfortunate that our government speaks with forked tongue or with crossed fingers behind its back. One minister plants while the other destroys. Where's the boss in all of this? And MEPA meanwhile sleeps on and on and on zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.!!!

victor pulis

Nov 23rd 2010, 10:27

How much will ELC get for covering this roundabout with flowers? How much will we have to pay from our taxes so that some blue eyed boys make a profit?

victor pulis

Nov 23rd 2010, 10:24

Has any reason been given for this state sanctioned vandalism? My mind starts to wander and I come to the conclusion that because of the trees no flowers could be planted. I bet in a few weeks' time we will start seeing bushes and flowers in place of the trees...of course all with the courtesy of ELC.

R Bartolo

Nov 23rd 2010, 10:22

As much as I love trees (you don't know me - at all - so spare the comments) these were mostly alien species (Eucalyptus and Australian Pine) planted in a totally un-natural setting (a roundabout) purely for humans' "pleasure". As opposed to a native tree in it's natural habitat, where it is worth a hundred times as much. An honest non-lemminglike appraisal would be that the landscaping, with these trees, left a lot to be desired - subjective perhaps but Eucalypts have quite a straggly growth habit and the Australian pine similarly has little going for it (it is moderately invasive, too). It is apparent that they were removed so that something more pleasing be planted, and as aforementioned since that's what the previous trees' function was, hence their removal is no great loss.

But we do not expect the Graffiti movement to lose any opportunity to further it's agenda, be it trees that were removed *a month ago* or any other.

Vincent Scerri

Nov 23rd 2010, 10:22

Issa li hemm hemm. Inutli noqghodu niktbu. Seta, pero, il-kunsill tar-Rahal Gdid, jekk inhu mdahhal fiha, javza r-residenti b'dan il-hsieb qabel ma halla l-istragi ssir.

victor pulis

Nov 23rd 2010, 10:20

And since when is Transport Malta in charge of the island's limited greenery? If Transport Malta wants to be useful in this respect it had better instruct local councils about the placing of huge plants at the end of centre strips and the care of overgrown hedges where vision of oncoming traffic is hampered. A case in point is at the end of triq ic Cawsli as one is coming from the direction of Zejtun towards Zabbar. As they say, common sence is the rarest thing.

j.schembri

Nov 23rd 2010, 10:19

qeda fil-perjodu tas-sena meta jintuza hafna injam ghal fireplaces. Sabiex nalqu il-gap ta bejn l-import u l-export qed jizaw is-sigra taghna minflok nimpurtaw iz-zkuk.

m.zammit

Nov 23rd 2010, 10:15

L_ECL ilhom jaghmlu hnizriet. Fil-Hamrun pjazza Kappillan Muscat zabru is-sigar meta iz-zebbug kien bil-frott u ghamlu herba. Halli li dawn is-sigra mhux posthom f'din il-pjazza ghax jekk wiehed imur f'dan il-mument jara il-hmieg li halla fuq il-paviment iz-zebbug li kien thalla fuq is-sigra u issa waqa. Local Council please take note and clean the area. Thanks

Stephen Lungaro-mifsud

Nov 23rd 2010, 10:10

Instead of the ELC people working around the trees and their roots to embellish the roundabout, they destroyed them to make way for 'designer' trees and expensive landscaping. We are far away from balancing the love of money with the love for our environment! Hang on Hang on! Is it possible they're about to install indigenous plants and trees instead? Hmmm!

v saliba

Nov 23rd 2010, 10:08

Yes I Fully agree roundabouts are not for trees

colin stanley

Nov 23rd 2010, 09:58

EIC, just gave me a good excuse to chop down two old olive trees that are blocking the seaview,from my living room,according to what they do !!!!!it is ok for us to follow their footsteps, thanks for your example,ELC.

joe micallef

Nov 23rd 2010, 09:54

What wrong with the Maltese people really the Maltese who want to control the country they are not ashamed into day age where every body try to save trees and where everbody around the world can read this brutal news no wonder you see a lot of vandalism around because they are giveing them the example, shame shame

Carmel Garcia

Nov 23rd 2010, 09:52

Hey Minister of Agriculture, what is happening to such trees? Take action so that this cruelty to trees stop. Where is EU or other international organisation? Or the Eu only talks about bird killing?

Marlene F-Hills

Nov 23rd 2010, 09:50

This brutal act on the environment needs challenging. I hope Graffiti will ask questions of the government about this act and an investigation on its legality made.These trees were the habitat of sparrows (ghasafar tal-bejt) . How can the ELC explain this brutality and what is going to be put on this roundabout instead of the trees. ...some tasteless monstrosity like that statue near the Qormi roundabout on the way to Luqa?? How can those people in the flats near the area have witnessed this and not stopped it??

Dennis Zammit

Nov 23rd 2010, 09:45

The trees where NOT uprooted but chopped down to pieces.

Even the very large healthy tree just in front of the Sarre showroom passed through the same fate. Pity!!

Maybe someone has installed a new log fireplace at home and needed FREE logs!!!!!

M Cutajar

Nov 23rd 2010, 09:38

At first I honestly thought that it was another case of vandalism!!! I thank the (in) competent authorities for making me feel so proud to be Maltese!!!

Adrian Wirth

Nov 23rd 2010, 09:37

Is it true that all non national environmetal and horticultural experts in the employ of ELC have either resigned or not renewed their contracts?
Why have they voted with their feet not to associate themselves with ELC?
Is it because ELC are solely and exclusively a profit orientated co-operative where the focus is on maximising profitability rather than being of service to the community?
Public gardens ought to be in the management and control of 'the people' in other words local voters. In practical terms means the local councils but local councils need to consult with local residents about the management and requirements of local gardens and reflect the desires of local residents. Creating opportunities for encouraging an awareness of 'local ownership' enhances pride in the community as well as protection of the environment. A gain gain for all.
As to what authority Transport Malta has in dictating to the local council what and how to facilitate the movement of the 'bendi-bus's' that London refused to have on their roads is another matter altogether.

K.Anastasi

Nov 23rd 2010, 09:35

In this Banana republic we really do not like nature.... couldn't some of these trees stayed and the rest saved!!!

Ian Micallef

Nov 23rd 2010, 09:27

Just ridiculous ! I remember seeing them being chopped down and thinking - They cant be serious .... I would not call this uprooting but complete and utter destruction. Those trees must have been at least 100 years old.

Malta has begun to make me sick !

R Abela

Nov 23rd 2010, 09:25

Some of the trees in both roundabouts were protected. I wonder whether there was a MEPA permit for their uprooting!

J.Debono

Nov 23rd 2010, 09:08

Excuse the expression - xi hniezrija! :(

Marius Zulgis

Nov 23rd 2010, 09:05

What is it with us Maltese and trees? It seems that wherever there are a few trees to lessen the impact of the concrete everywhere, we chop, uproot and simply kill them. Doesn't green go with grey? Or do we just want a nice, uniform grey everywhere...? Go to any recent "development" and you'll be lucky if you see a couple of stunted shrubs. Never any trees. Why is this?

jacqueline chircop

Nov 23rd 2010, 09:04

i cant believe it..........

F. Abela

Nov 23rd 2010, 08:59

Who, in his right senses would chop down trees in this way ? Seems like someone at the ELC is not giving specific instructions on how to trim trees - trees are just being chopped away like crazy. Wake up please whoever is responsible or accountable (that is a word that is not in the dictionary it seems) should be made to plant trees elsewhere. Whenever there is a real need for trees to be uprooted they can be planted elsewhere or at least plant a similar amount of trees to make up for the ones destroyed.

Mark Ciantar

Nov 23rd 2010, 08:55

Kemm ahna bravi, Proset. imbghad it-tfal ta' l-iskejjel joqghodu jiziraw il-pjanti ma kullimkien, u l-genituri ihallsi d-donazzjonijiet. Allura jekk jghadulkom aqalaw is-sigar ta' kullimkien taqalahom.

Mr. L. Thomas

Nov 23rd 2010, 08:55

It's such a shame that beautiful old trees are just being chopped down; and in a place like Paola where there are so few trees anyway. These trees didn't appear to harm anybody, except those who dislike something green amidst stone, traffic and polution. It should be remembered that it takes YEARS for trees to grow, and just seconds or minutes (as the case may be) for them to be cut down. Indeed, one hopes that these senseless actions will stop immediately - in reality they will not, of course. These islands do need as many trees as possible, especially in urban areas. There should be no excuse for chopping down old trees.

M Vella

Nov 23rd 2010, 08:50

This country is sick and needs help and soon.:(

Bertha Smith

Nov 23rd 2010, 08:46

We need MANY MORE trees and not less in this concrete island!!!!! Goodness me. Is noone held accountable here????? Paola is ugly enough as it is

m.cauchi

Nov 23rd 2010, 08:46

ejja nkunu onesti nies.. bil hafna sigar u pjanti li hawn mhawwlin fin nofs kultant aqas tara min hu gej mir roundabouts...kaz klassiku int u niezel min zabbar road l fgura quddiem Gallaria complex

C Bartolo

Nov 23rd 2010, 08:46

And I thought that the removal of the trees was related to the new road project which links this area with Menqa..what a mess for nothing.

I fully agree with J.Camilleri. These trees should have been replanted in another area and not chopped down.

Joe Grima Brussels

Nov 23rd 2010, 08:42

Winter is here, and can it be 'just possible' that someone found THIS to be an easy way to get FREE firewood for his fireplace? Looks more like the Belgian forests after the massive shelling in the First World War, than a roundabout!

J Brincat

Nov 23rd 2010, 08:38

How is it that in this country we never seem to get anything right?

Steve Compagno

Nov 23rd 2010, 08:37

When asked, all I got from the Local Council of Paola was a "We're going to beautify the roundabout like the one in Qormi". While agreeing with any form of improvement, the question 'why' the roundabout couldn't have been beautified by keeping the same trees and adding a few more touches to it still remains unanswered.

J.Camilleri

Nov 23rd 2010, 08:32

X'herba!
Dawk is-sigar imisshom inzabru mill-frieghi t'isfel li forsi kienu jtellfu lis-sewwieqa u jhalluhom joghlew il-fuq.
U tal-ELC imisshom tawh parir lil min ordna din l-istragi jekk hu ma jifhimx!

Joe Camilleri

Nov 23rd 2010, 08:10

U LE !!!

Simply Unbelivable. They should have planted them elsewhere.