The hall of shame of post-Independence Malta will undoubtedly include successive administrations that have been indicted by the eminent late Jeremy Boissevain for giving scant attention to the protection and preservation of the natural environment, coastal zones and our rich architectural heritage.

In an impassioned address entitled ‘Taking stock after 50 years. Where to now? during a business breakfast held in Sliema on March 22, 2006, Boissevain outlined to a petrified audience hanging their heads in shame the massive destruction of the environment since Malta became independent in 1964.

He blared out the stark realities endured by our island accusing us: “Your countryside, and architectural heritage, your coastal zone, the sea surrounding you, even your underground water supply and the air you breathe, quite literally, have been, and still are, being raped. To put it harshly, they are being exploited for private gain”.

Only people power can stop the rot

Faced with such words of wisdom from a recognised international anthropologist, I visualised honest citizens from the whole political spectrum wearing sackcloth holding penitential candles on a pious pilgrimage to our devastated natural environment. In fact, the immediate reaction of the Green NGOs was “fast and furious signifying nothing” as the protests fizzled out like a damp squib.

The writing was already on the wall before Boissevain’s stunning account because the state of the environment report for 2005 spelt out the evident travesties facing the environment. It underlined the current trend that “the landscape is threatened by increasing built-up area. Industrial and coastal development, taller buildings on urban fringes” obstructing views of historical centres and iconic village cores.

In view of this apocalyptic situation, the Ramblers’ Association, still in its infancy, took the initiative and presented to the House of Representatives in July 2005 a petition calling for adequate legislation to protect and control the countryside and for a definitive map of the Maltese islands showing which areas are private and which are public. This petition requesting a White Paper on the environment was, however, aborted for no apparent reason.

Ten years ago, the onslaught on the environment reached alarming proportions with the proposed development of a golf course and ‘support facilities at ix- Xagħra l-Ħamra in Manikata and tal-Qortin in Mellieħa. The Ramblers’ Association, in conjunction with Nature Trust, strongly objected to this development with petitions and demonstrations until the project was scrapped.

Once again, people power did the trick.

The Ramblers’ Association also took up the cudgel in defence of idyllic Ramla l-Ħamra, in Gozo when, on June 23, 2007, a night vigil was held at Calypso’s cave in Xagħra to mark Gozo’s classical connection with the greatest Homeric hero, Ulysses, and to protest strongly against the development of this historic area that is exceptionally rich in its natural beauty and unique archaeological heritage.

Thanks to the support of the Xagħra local council, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar and Din l-Art Ħelwa the project never saw the light of day.

Environmental NGOs were very vociferous in their protests against the proposal for the building of a new three-storey hotel , 67 villas and 49 bungalows in Ta’ Ċenċ within an ODZ. Again, people power stopped the rot facing aggressive opposition and saved the day for environmentalists to enjoy the interminable beauty of the Gozo garigue landscape and majestic cliffs.

Another authoritative historian, Quentin Hughes, in conjunction with Peter Richardson, writing in The Architectural Review (July 1969) sounded a word of warning when he underlined his beliefs that planning should be authoritarian allowing for no exceptions or any loopholes “if we want to preserve areas of natural beauty, controls are essential... because what Malta has now is its greatest value and quite unrepeatable. The unthinkable alternative is that Malta should choose to neglect her heritage and join the development rat-race. Yet, she is already trying to do this”.

He strongly urged our administrators not to accept laissez-faire development or the whole island would be obliterated by building and this would take very little time. He concluded that Malta should embark on a new era of environmental and cultural re-evaluation, otherwise it could “become just another blighted area of exploitation”.

Hughes’s prophetic vision is looming on the dark horizon of our blighted island home.

The above is just a brief review of the Ramblers’ Association’s saga during its 10 years of existence. We are the last of the Mohicans staging our final stand against the oncoming assault on the environment, not because these are isolated cases but because there is so little left to protect and preserve for future generations.

It is only people power that can stop the rot.

Lino Bugeja is honorary president of the Ramblers’ Association of Malta.

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