On Tuesday, Parliament debated the government’s proposal to permanently anchor a floating gas storage tanker in Marsaxlokk. The relevant planning application is set to be decided by the planning authority early next week.

Once Mepa grants its approval, the project can technically go ahead which means that within a number of months we can expect to see a 300-metre long vessel, loaded with gas, berthed at Marsaxlokk. It will be there to stay.

The vast majority of residents of Marsaxlokk, Marsascala and Birzebbugia do not wish this to happen. These residents already live in the shadow of large industrial and storage operations. These residents are neighbours to a power station, to the Freeport, to oil storage facilities and to other industries.

The residents have to endure daily the risks and other negative effects of living in and around an industrial zone.

This is not a case of egoistic Not In My Back Yard. Their backyard is already literally packed with things that others do not wish in their backyard.

We – and by we I mean the country – owe it to the residents of these villages to listen to their plea and place the tanker outside the bay. This is what was done successfully in Livorno. Safety there ranked higher than convenience.

The government, however, is refusing to budge on its plans. The reluctance on the part of government stems from an ill-thought electoral commitment. Government pledged to have the gas-fired power station up and running within 24 months and is determined to stick to this unrealistic deadline.

Corners are being cut. For instance, no maritime impact study was carried out even though this was promised. One of the Occupational Health and Safety Authority’s consultants called for an integrated risk assessment study that considers the combined risks of having the simultaneous presence of hazardous facilities in close proximity. This was not carried out. Haste, under these circumstances, is not a virtue.

It is a pity that the government is not willing to stop and listen. There is common ground between the government and the Opposition.

Both parties agree that we should convert our power generation from one that runs on heavy fuel oil to a gas-fired system. Both parties agree that a reduction in energy rates is necessary and beneficial to households and the industries. And of late, the government seems to have come round to agreeing with the Opposition that our country should go for a gas pipeline.

Our energy policies in this regard have converged to a great extent. Our divergence is limited to how we should bridge the gap until the gas pipeline project becomes operational. Contrary to the impression the government is trying to give, there are a number of solutions. One of these solutions could be having a floating storage and re-gasification unit placed outside the harbour.

We politicians have a golden opportunity to show the residents that their message of enough is enough has been received loud and clears

Those who are opposing this project are asking the government to carefully study all options. We are asking for a more informative and transparent process. We are asking for due consideration to the valid points being raised.

The government is belittling these considerations, saying they are simply diversionary tactics of an Opposition bent on opposing at all costs. In so doing, the government is belittling the residents of Marsaxlokk, Marsascala and Birzebbugia.

The government is belittling the Fishermen’s Cooperative. Government is belittling Din L-Art Ħelwa. Government is belittling Alternattiva Demokratika.

This government promised to be a government that listens. Should it not listen to the fishermen when they speak of the unpredictable, dangerous nature of the sea in Marsaxlokk harbour? Should it not listen to Din L-Art Ħelwa when it calls for the storage tanker to be located outside the bay?

Should it not listen to 91 per cent of the residents, many of who trusted government with their vote?

Should it not listen to a world expert who is saying that a gas leak from the tanker will result in a disaster of unthinkable proportions? Government is choosing to ignore everyone and rest on the advice of one expert. This expert’s report is well written but comes with a caveat – what we lawyers call small print. George Papdakis states that his projections hold water as long as the area around the gas storage is an ignition free zone.

This technical term basically means that within this zone there will be a total absence of any source of an ignition which includes lighting strikes, open flames, mechanically-generated impact sparks – for example sparks generated when a hammer strikes a steel surface, mechanically generated friction sparks which happen when metals meet at high speeds, electric sparks and high surface temperatures.

In other words his reassurances do not count if the gas tanker had to be involved in some collision with another vessel, resulting in sparks from friction.

One has to acknowledge that we politicians have little credibility with the residents of the villages around the southern harbours. Successive governments from both sides of the political divide have shoved industrial operations towards the south. Conversely both parties when in Opposition have sided with the residents in resisting further industrial operations. This needs to change.

We politicians – irrespective of whether we are in government or in opposition – have a golden opportunity to show the residents that their message of enough is enough has been received loud and clear.

Mario de Marco is Nationalist Party deputy leader