Many who voted in favour of banning spring hunting in last month’s referendum did not do so merely to stop a cruel and outdated practice. They were determined to finally elevate environmental awareness to the top of the national agenda.
The referendum was lost by a whisker, thanks to the timely intervention of the Prime Minister, but there was victory in defeat. Thanks to the de-politicisation of the hunting referendum, the silent majority loosened their tongues and the environment finally found its voice.
Joseph Muscat said he had taken note of the close vote, so he should not be surprised by the chorus of disapproval which greeted the proposal to build a university at Żonqor.
There has been a seismic shift in public opinion about the environment and it can only grow. Yesterday we saw the creation of another movement, this time specifically to protect outside development zones.
Maltese society is finally waking up to the fact that we cannot keep stifling the few remaining open spaces. The environment cannot remain the realm of a construction industry which has exploited it at the expense of the majority. Society demands a planning authority which does not twist and turn policy to favour development, a Mepa that at least tries to be autonomous.
Society does not want the government to give away public land to private entities to make money. It does not want trees uprooted to make way for car parks. Are they unreasonable calls? Of course not!
Nobody is calling for a complete stop to the construction industry because that would impact the economy. But it is high time we take stock of the unseen costs of the construction industry. We cannot keep arguing that economic investment has to be the sole objective of every project in this country. Instead, efforts must be made to redirect the strategy towards restoration.
For the past 40 years, we have seen old buildings torn down to make way for tasteless apartment blocks we didn’t need, dwarfing the numerous architectural gems history has regaled us with.
We are still seeing the disastrous impacts of the 2006 rationalisation decision that paved the way for more construction. We are leaving behind a legacy of poor, haphazard designs. There will come a time soon when tourists will stop coming to Malta because they don’t want to go to a tacky resort they can find in cheaper destinations. Citizens have every reason to be worried. We have a government promising mega projects, land reclamation, even a possible bridge between Malta and Gozo.
The environment is no longer the territory of a few so-called ‘tree-huggers’ with scruffy hair who tie themselves to blocks of concrete in protest. Wonderful educational initiatives like Ekoskola is morphing a caring young society that sees the environment as essential to our well-being. In other words, we are indoctrinating a society in favour of the environment. And guess what – these youngsters will have a vote tomorrow!
The former Nationalist administration gave in to protests of civil society on a number of proposals – suffice it to say that the proposed golf course is now Majjistral Park. Likewise, Muscat’s government has to take a step back and listen to people’s concerns.
It is encouraging to see MPs like Marlene Farrugia, Godfrey Farrugia and Marsascala’s Labour deputy mayor Desiree Attard stand up to be counted. As much as they will be labelled ‘turncoats’ by many of the party faithful, a growing number of people are realising the environment is an apolitical battle worth fighting for.