A number of years back, the then minister of tourism and culture, Francis Zammit Dimech, published an opinion piece entitled ‘Polishing the stone’. In a clear reference to Malta’s character as a rocky island, but yet a diamond, he laid out what had been done to improve the presentation of our island home as a destination of excellence for tourism, extolling its natural beauty, its historical treasures and its myriad cultural offerings.
I was struck in particular by one paragraph that I am reproducing for its increased relevance today.
“It is not enough, however, to assume that this precious stone of ours can just sell itself and like the proverbial goose regularly lay its golden egg without the lifting of a finger from those entrusted with its care. Like any other diamond in its natural state, the process of maximising the value of the finished product, from a rough diamond into a polished gemstone, is both an art and a science.”
What a far cry from the approach we have today. The government has prostrated itself at the foot of the altar of what they euphemistically call ‘development’. I ask: by what measure can we classify turning Malta and Gozo into one huge construction site sprouting a concrete jungle as development?
Development best describes taking the assets that are present and maximising on their potential through ‘polishing the stone’ and not by covering the land, obstructing the coastline and blotting out the sky with concrete structures. Every day we are regaled with stories of one new potential construction after the other, and the downward slope is getting steeper and slipperier.
There are a few individuals who insist on strangling our common goose, hoping to get to, and keep for themselves, the golden eggs
The Ħondoq construction proposal is circling round and round, waiting for the moment to strike, maybe in a sequence similar to the comedy of errors that saw the approval of the 38-storey Townsquare tower in Tigné, Sliema.
What will be left of the uniqueness of our islands once they come to look just like any other city built by oil or mob money in the middle of a desert?
In the course of looking up more information about the issue, I came across something from way back in November 2005. Arthur Muscat from Swieqi wrote a letter in this paper, which with hindsight has proven prophetic. Muscat applauded the “…news about the demolition of the derelict jumbo lido at Qui-si-Sana. An abused piece of coastline is being restored to its former unspoilt state and handed back for the enjoyment of the public. This event has filled me with hope and optimism”.
He went on to ask for the same to be done at Il-Fekruna peninsula in Xemxija.
His prayers were answered, and not only were the offending structures there knocked down, too, but the whole area was scheduled (although there is still a pending court case appealing against that scheduling). In the words of Arthur Muscat: “A process of reversal of environmental abuse and damage can actually occur in Malta.”
Wise words indeed!
That is why, as a member of the Marsascala local council, I presented a motion for the council to call upon the government to buy back the land upon which the former Jerma Palace Hotel once stood.
This derelict building, dating back to the late 1970s, blocks access to a peninsula that marks one of the tips of Marsascala Bay. The other tip is Żonqor Point, which has also been notoriously earmarked for construction.
Any building here will not only block access to the Żaqq it-Tajr peninsula once again, but will also mar the view afforded by the majestic St Thomas Tower.
Should the government heed this appeal, it will be one tiny step back from enveloping our islands in dust and concrete.
There are a few individuals who insist on strangling our common goose, hoping to get to, and keep for themselves, the massive store of golden eggs they believe it has inside its belly.
What they, and we, will get is stones, and not of the polishable variety. Our motion, and appeal, is for the goose to be resuscitated.
Restoring Żaqq it-Tajr (Fowl’s Belly), a suitable name given the goose analogy, would be a breath of much needed fresh air for all of us, but especially for the goose.
Charlot Cassar is a Nationalist Marsascala councillor and general election candidate.