The proposal to develop virgin land at Żonqor Point to make way for the construction of a new private university was “unacceptable”, environmental NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa warned in a strongly-worded statement yesterday.
The choice of site was “a sham”, as was the “eleventh hour” consultation exercise with environment NGOs that took the form of a marketing exercise.
“The government seems hell-bent on developing the coastal area near Żonqor and Xgħajra, when the south of Malta is crying out for open spaces,” the NGO said.
An inadequately thought-out proposal to build three hotels was first encouraged, and now a university was being proposed to be built and managed by building contractors. Clearly, the government sees no value in the countryside except as a source for speculation.
The organisation joined the chorus of disapproval at the choice of the site in question, after that of the Ramblers’ Association, Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar, Malta Organic Agriculture Movement and Friends of the Earth.
Clearly, the government sees no value in the countryside except as a source for speculation
DLĦ and seven other environmental NGOs previously called for the American University of Malta to be sited across several historic forts in the Kalkara-Żonqor region. The government signed the agreement with the Jordanian Sadeen Group for the construction of the private ‘American University of Malta’. Its curriculum will be designed by the Chicago-based De Paul University.
“While proposals to entice educational institutions to open branches in Malta are to be encouraged, the most recent proposal to open a university is suspect, given that it is led by a developer rather than by an educational establishment,” Din l-Art Ħelwa said. “The land which government has put on the table will become worth millions to certain individuals as a commercial building site. However, it is worth far, far more to our future generations,” it said.
It added that at a stroke of a pen the value of the property would increase by some €100 million and “gifted” to a developer. The organisation called on the planning authority to release its full assessment and criteria used to see the ODZ countryside near Żonqor as “acceptable” for development.
The assertion that the project would only be viable if ODZ land is used “just shows that the government is disregarding the environmental cost of using up more countryside”.
Meanwhile, five other NGOs said they were given the impression that due consideration would be given to the option of re-siting the university away from the 90,000 square metres of ODZ land. They reiterated their position that more development in the countryside was unsustainable and unacceptable.
“In particular, the twisting of ODZ boundaries to accommodate large commercial developments makes a mockery of the concept of ODZ itself, whose purpose is to preserve the countryside and thus protect a common good.”
In another statement, the Gozo University Group expressed it disappointment that youths had not been consulted on the project.
While calling for further investment in the Gozo Campus of the University of Malta, it said the campus currently caters for a limited number of courses offered on a part-time basis but had the potential to be further developed into a campus which is active also during the day.