Damned signatures

I can't say I'm much of a tree-hugger or against all development. Just as trees are good for us and our lungs sometimes they have to be uprooted, trimmed or moved.

And let's all admit something. We do seem to be over-developing and raping this country of ours. But without the development that happened in these last few decades we'd have remained rooted to, yes, a more beautiful and pristine country, but maybe we'd have compromised our own betterment. A bit of spoiling gave us a lot of material gain which we all seem to enjoy.

That's my take on trees and buildings—I try to be practical and see everyone's point of view.

And seeing the point of view of others is exactly what we don't seem to cherish in this land of ours. Whatever a silly blogger or a few great minds think is hardly important but what about 25,000 people? Isn't that a huge number to stop and listen to and if you have any sense heed what they say?

I really can't get over how a petition with so many signatures was just disregarded by MEPA. I know I'm late with this blog piece as the newsworthiness of the tree-cutting appeal and subsequent approval of a development of apartments in a Mosta valley are rather long-gone from the public debate.

But the whole process of public debate is here put into the limelight—and terribly it seems that people power is sadly lacking. The only time the people are important, and their views held to be sacrosanct, is when there is a general election. Is this really right?

I would have thought that with all our petty wars and quixotic campaigns of being on the side of the citizen, a petition with so many signatures would have been given rather more weight.

I'm no great maths guy but isn't 25,000 like one-sixteenth of Malta's population? 400,000—our total population give and take a few scores—includes, I imagine, babes, kids with no vote and all those who are not fit to boot out a government every few years. So the signatories—unless the organisers included babes in arms too—form part of a bigger percentage of the enfranchised in Malta. And there were plenty of signatories—yet no one gave much of a hoot what they thought or believed. The developer won and Malta and its people lost their trees and part of their lifeline.

The needs of our country regarding trees and valleys is not the most relevant point—though I imagine our lungs will have a tougher time once we uproot the last tree and plant a few more flashy flats.

What is most upsetting in this scenario is that all those signatures, all those voices of the people were left unheeded. Is this people power?