Everyone – red, blue or green – should attend Saturday’s national protest organised by Front Ħarsien ODZ, a non-partisan citizens’ evironmental move­ment, held in the wake of the proposed development at Żonqor Point.

Irrespective of whether the proposed ‘American Univesity of Malta’ is a welcome investment for Malta, the suggested ODZ site for this project will further rob us of the little virgin land that is left in this country.

It is up to the government, and nobody else, to come up with alternative sites for this development, failing which the project should be scrapped.

There will, without doubt, be spillover effects on our economy as a result of this university, but the project has no social function for Maltese society which could possibly justify its ODZ location.

The opposition to the siting of this university at Żonqor Point has been massive and includes numerous NGOs, environmental groups, academics, the Nationalist Party, the Church, Alternattiva Demokratika, local councillors, and significantly, at least two Labour MPs.

The proposed site of this pro­ject even led to the creation of the Front Ħarsien ODZ, as concerns over the development of further ODZ land reached new heights.

There is widespread agreement among impartial observers that the protection and safeguarding of our environment has been one of this government’s major failures.

Sadly we have an Environment Minister who is conspicuous by his absence. We have a Prime Minister who has shown disregard for environmental issues.

Joseph Muscat is showing worrying signs of consistently favouring the construction lobby and over-development, irrespective of the negative effects on people’s quality of life.

The two towers to be built in the crowded Tigné peninsula, one at Fort Cambridge and the other at Town Square, are cases in point.

Such projects will no doubt make life even more difficult for residents, but Dr Muscat’s Labour government has so far failed to place the concerns of residents above those of the construction industry and big business – which seem to have a disproportionate level of influence on the Prime Minister.

There are very worrying changes taking place at the planning authority which should concern every citizen who does not want the island covered in conrete. Likewise, as much as some of the projects earmarked for Valletta are positive, we surely cannot disregard the quality of life of the city’s residents. The government should not embark on a drive to turn such a historic city into a non-stop entertainment hub, with all its negative implications.

Dr Muscat ignores people’s concerns about their quality of life and the environment at his own peril.

The wafer-thin majority in favour of spring hunting in April’s referendum should have served as a wake-up call to the Prime Minister, as should the huge opposition to the Żonqor project, namely that people have become more environ­mentally conscious and are willing to speak out – and vote – for a better quality of life and environment.

What this country needs is a long-term vision for economic and environmental sustainability, one that balances economic development with a quality of life.

At the moment we have no balance at all, but a short-sighted focus on making a ‘quick buck’ with no regard whatever for the long-term environmental implications.

This newspaper has been at the forefront of highlighting environmental ills for years, irrespective who was in government.

And that is because the environment belongs to us all, which is why Saturday’s protest should appeal to people of all political beliefs.

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