In June of last year I penned anarticle for this newspaper entitled ‘More talk of South’ and took totask Leo Brincat, Minister for Sustainable Development, Environment and Climate Change, on his government’s ideas for regenerating the south of Malta.
At the time I argued that the environment had dropped down several notches in the government’s priority list and quoted as examples the decision to place a holding tanker in the middle of Marsaxlokk Bay and the building of a higher education institution on land in an outside development zone in Żonqor, Marsascala.
Both projects in the south of Malta, the very same districts where Labour promised to shoulder responsibility for a better quality of life and well-being for the residents there. In the same opinion article I insinuated that what the south needs by way of regeneration is some badly-needed upgrade and embellishment of basic infrastructure.
This would go a long way towards attracting tourists to this part of the island without resorting to suspicious-sounding deals in the name of ‘investment’.
The environment and the economy must stop clashing head-on and there are ways of merging the two without the massacre of the former
I specifically referred to three popular beaches, one of them being Xrobb l-Għaġin. Together with St Peter’s Pool and Delimara, Xrobb l-Għaġin is a breathtakingly beautiful, unspoilt beach popular in summer with people living in the south of Malta. Unfortunately for us, the neglect of these beaches in the past summers has been appalling and certainly is not a reflection of any commitment on the part of the government to improve these coastal areas and market them for the unspoilt gems that they are/were.
It was therefore with abject horror that I read just a few days ago about a proposal intended to develop Xrobb l-Għaġin’s (Munxar) virgin land into a hotel area.
The proposal is of course disguised as agro-tourism, although I have yet to see a development which includes offices, tourist accommodation, pontoons, swimming pool, a beauty salon and fitness centre, restaurant and wine bar and a fully- equipped conference hall which cannot be safely described as a hotel.
Environmental NGOs were quick to voice their concern at this proposal and the grave possibility of losing another stretch of unspoilt coastline. Which beggars the question – where and when will it all end?
Haven’t we raped and pillaged our countryside enough? Have no lessons been learnt? When will this government walk the talk on pre-electoral pledges made to safeguard national benefit for future generations? The timing of the statement on this indecent proposal by no less than 14 environmental organisations is aptly timed. The NGOs believe that outside development zones should not be expendable for tourism projects.
This is perfectly in line with what the leader of the Nationalist Party Simon Busuttil declared during his closing speech at the recent convention organised by the PN Idea Ambjent.
Outside development zones (ODZ) should be just that, strictly out of bounds for development. Such an injunction will not only preserve our natural heritage but will also coerce our political leaders to creativity when it comes to regeneration and attraction of investment.
The PN has understood that the environment is high on the priority list of many people and is determined to commit to pledges to safeguard areas of ecological value. Add to this the increasing need to address a healthier way of life. For how can we honestly expect to live in harmony with Mother Nature when we are constantly finding ways and means of violating our environment in the name of progress?
As Busuttil pointed out in his speech at the convention, our future does not materialise out of thin air but is the result of decisions being taken here and now. The environment and the economy must stop clashing head-on and there are ways of merging the two without the massacre of the former.
Before cynics accuse the PN leader of harbouring idealistic notions, they should first stop to consider whether his commitments to improve our environment make sense and are in fact doable.
Environmental experts attending the convention agreed that the proposals brought forward by the PN leader are the way forward to ensuring the sustainability of our rural and urban environment.
Some of the incentives suggested include the regeneration of empty buildings, empowering farmers as protectorsof the countryside and ensuring that the state is a mere guardian of public property rather than assuming that it can act asa landowner.
Haven’t these thoughts all at some point crossed our minds? Can wishful thinking be translated into fast action before it is too late?
The answer is yes. Back to Xrobb l-Għaġin. One hopesthat common sense prevails, althoughthe very audacity of submitting sucha brazen proposal leads one to believethat assurances may already havebeen granted. I trust that our Prime Minister, as is his current approach, does not call a media conference in the near future on Xrobb l-Għaġin with a fait accompli, a cunning grin and a half-baked apology.
Hands off our ODZs Mr Prime Minister.
info@carolinegalea.com
Caroline Galea is a PN candidate for the general election on the 4th district.