Environment Minister Leo Brincat seems to have washed his hands of his responsibility to protect the countryside, according to Din l-Art Ħelwa president Simone Mizzi.

“The minister is like Pontius Pilate. He seems to have washed his hands of political responsibilities... the previous administration had a bad environmental conscience; this government has no conscience,” Ms Mizzi said.

The previous government, she said, did not seem to mind dishing out land when currying political favours and was willing to turn a blind eye. This government, on the other hand, simply did not seem to care, Ms Mizzi added.

When asked why developments were being approved in rural areas, this government simply replied: “Why not?”

She was speaking at the launch of DLĦ’s Save the Countryside campaign (Kampanja għall-Kampanja), which is inviting the public to submit proposals for the protection of the island’s biodiversity. These will be sent to the government next year.

Ms Mizzi said the government had yet to reply to a number of questions DLĦ had put on several new planning policies. It asked for appointments with the Planning Parliamentary Secretary, the planning authority head and the Prime Minister, all of whom had yet to reply. Suggestions and questions were also made during meetings of the House Environment Committee, particularly when the outside development zone policy was discussed. No feedback was forthcoming, Ms Mizzi said.

Asked whether she thought the government would be more forthcoming with replies to the campaign conclusions, she noted that would reflect the electorate’s wishes and could therefore not be ignored.

Architect Joanna Spiteri Staines said the sprawling development planned for the White Rocks area in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq was a perfect example of the NGO’s concerns. The project proposed to extend beyond the dilapidated compound’s current footprint, spreading into coastal areas of rich biodiversity.

Youth for the Environment spokeswoman Julia Farrugia said the legal framework in place was not providing an adequate shield from construction interests: “We are realistic, we know development can’t stop but it can’t keep going the way it is.”

Ms Farrugia said Malta was often listed on social media campaigns as being among the most beautiful places in the world. This could no longer be the case if the few parcels of unspoilt land were built upon.

Biologist Alan Deidun said the public had a very poor grasp of biodiversity, which, contrary to popular belief, was rich on the island.

A third of the Maltese had no idea what the term biodiversity meant and though 44 per cent had heard of it, they did not know what it meant.

Dr Deidun said promoting and protecting biodiversity was part of the island’s millennium development goals, something it was not doing. “We are facing the first major extinction since the end of the dinosaurs but people aren’t aware of it,” he said.

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