Elba is a Mediterranean island slightly smaller than Malta. The population of the latter is 14 times that of Elba, which is only 30,000. We found ourselves in Elba at the invitation of two great Italian naturalist friends of ours: Francesco and Franca, the latter the director of the Arcipelago Toscano National Park, which includes the seven main islands, namely Elba, Isola del Giglio, Capraia, Montecristo, Pianosa, Giannutri, Gorgona, and some of the minor islands and rock outcrops.
Every possible time, we roamed the national park, admiring the biodivesity, the organisation and the efforts being made to ensure its protection.
Along the winding paths of the park, despite not yet being the peak touristic season, we met a number of tourists from Germany, the United Kingdom, the USA, France, Russia and mainland Italy, walking or cycling, all admiring the biodiveristy, history and the scenary of the archipelago.
Elba is so green with vegetation. The bright yellow flowers of the Spanish broom were so beautiful against such a green background.
The last wild specimen of Spanish broom I can recall in the Maltese islands in the vicinity of Girgenti was burnt down to make way for a single vine.
The wild flora on Elba is so familiar to ours: mallow bindweed, poppies, mullein, rock rose, mallow, myrtle, lentisk, buckthorn, evergreen oak and others. The winding paths were dotted and adorned with the indigenous mallow bindweed; so beautiful.
In Elba, wild indigenous flowers are not sprayed by herbicides as happens in Malta, paid from public funds that are made available by the central and the local governments.
All around, the trees looked so different from those growing at home. They are so green, so naturally shaped, so healthy, so beautiful, so beholding.
These trees attract birds and their droppings but are not problematic to the residents; not a hindrance to the many restaurant tables laid out beneath them; no problem to the adjacent buildings with their roots; in no way obscuring views of the horizon or the village fireworks or affecting the vision of the papier mache statue of the patron saint during the village feast.
These trees are professionally managed and not regarded as lamp posts, not butchered, mutilated, decapitated or uprooted by public funds to politically accomodate somebody, despite the political promises made.
I had to constantly pinch myself into reality to remind myself I was not in Malta where such mismanagement of indigenous flora and decorative trees is approved by the minister responsible for landscaping or the parliamentary secretary responsible for local councils, with the help or lack of action by the now notorious seemingly politically-hijacked environmental watchdog: the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.
All around we could hear birds singing: goldfinches, greenfinches, siskins and chaffinches. My first reaction was to search for the cages to see the birds. Again, I forgot I was not in Malta. The birds were in the trees above us, in the bushes in front of us or flying around us. All were busy with their nests.
During our walks we could also see and hear collared doves and turtle doves cooing, busy with their nests too. I held my breath hoping that no shotgun would blast the turtle doves during such a difficult and delicate time.
I had to constantly pinch myself into reality to remind myself that I was not in Malta
Why did I have to constantly pull myself back to earth and adjust the imprinting from back home? A cultural shock perhaps. There was no politician trying to find loopholes to see how these could be shot or trapped.
In Pomonte, a remote silent small picturesque village, in the small square opposite the village church we stopped for a breather.
In two small adjacent restaurants, the rafters of the roofed terraces offered adequate habitat for three pairs of swallows that were busy brooding the eggs in their nest – two naturally built nests and an artificial one placed specifically to attract them.
We were only a maximum of three metres away from the nests but the parent swallows were not concerned at all.
They just carried on with their procreative business.
In 1981, two pairs of house martin did build a nest under a stone balcony in the square opposite the Rotunda, in Mosta. And they were the talk of the town. Neither the continuous traffic nor other activities in the square bothered them; except for the ground fireworks and petards of the village festa. The two pairs with their young abandoned the nests.
But who would dare think that measures could have been taken to ensure that the village festa would not disrupt two nesting pair of birds. Certianly not in Malta. Can Malta ever rise to its environmental obligations, both national and international Can the majority of the local politicians one day feel it is their duty and responsibility to educate the people to appreciate, protect and be proud of what not only belongs to all of us but also of what we have been entrusted to protect?
Can the majoirty of politicians one day realise the damage that they are doing, not only to the local society and environment but also internationally when they politically use such a natural heritage in exchange for political power?
It has often been said that together everything is possible. I ask: is there a political consensus and a will to ensure that together we can achieve such positive energy through which we can make a difference?
Sometimes I feel that all this is wishful thinking becasue, unfortunately, the present political movement in government is so blinded by a pro-business vision there is no concern for anything or anyone except speculators and investors, seemingly in the footsteps of a capitalist system.
Not only so, but it may take a generation or two to correct the damage and the mistakes that are being committed - if ever, that is.
In the meantime, the Maltese society and the environment will have to pay the unsurmountable price.
Harvard philosopher Michael Sandel, author of the new best seller What money can’t buy: the moral limits of markets, has for more than three decades been teaching why capitalism is undermining human morality... and why we keep denying this insanity. Why do we bargain away our moral soul?
Is Malta fast heading in this direction?
Elba and Malta both experienced the presence of Napoleon, albeit in different circumstances.
Borrowing a leaf from this renowned experienced French politician: “The world suffers a lot. Not because of the violence of bad people. But because of the silence of the good people.”
And this is why I cherish my pen.
aebaldacchino@gmail.com
http://alfredbaldacchino.wordpress.com
Alfred Baldacchino is a former assistant director at the Malta Environment and Planning Authority’s environment directorate.