Opposition leader Simon Busuttil told a rally in Marsaxlokk's main square this morning that no decisions should be taken by Mepa on the gas-fired power station tomorrow before proper studies of all scenarios were made.
He reiterated his concerns about plans to moor a gas storage tanker in Marsaxlokk Bay and insisted that the studies should also consider what other countries had done. Indeed, Malta should do like Livorno and moor the tanker well offshore.
Dr Busuttil said the purpose of the PN activity was to show solidarity with the people and businesses of the south, a day before Mepa is due to decide on the environmental permit for the gas-fired power station Delimara.
This decision, he said, could impact the quality if life of the people, particularly if a large gas tanker was to be moored permanently in Marsaxlokk Bay.
Dr Busuttil praised those experts and residents who had had the courage to stand and express their concerns about this useless risk and danger.
91 per cent of the residents of Marsaxlokk and Birzebbuga had said they did not want the gas storage facility in Marsaxlokk and preferred it well offshore, he noted.
The PN, Dr Busuttil, had lost ground in the south in the general election a year ago. It had a lot of work to do to regain the people's confidence. Its presence there today was meant to show that the PN was the party for the south, as it was for other areas.
The prime minister, having won the general election, had a mandate to build the new power station and reduce the power tariffs, but he did not have a mandate to anchor a gas tanker in Marsaxlokk Bay. That was never mentioned before the election.
As some people in the south had said, Dr Muscat had used them, and betrayed them.
One only needed to remember how before the election, Labour called the power station a cancer factory, yet, a year on, the same fuel was still being used. And experts had reported how the BWSC plant was meeting the highest European air quality standards.
Therefore Dr Muscat had lied about the cancer factory.
Now the government was saying that the tanker would only be in Marsaxlokk for eight years until a gas pipeline was installed.
But the PN would continue to insist that the tanker could be berthed offshore.
SOLIDARITY WITH ENEMALTA WORKERS
Dr Busuttil said he also wished to express solidarity with Enemalta workers who were also being obscenely betrayed.
First they were told that the corporation would not be privatised, and now, last week, the first attempts started being made to get rid of them by offering them the choice of joining a Chinese company or working for its companies abroad. Some had also need their current working conditions reduced.
Dr Busuttil asked what had become of the Labour MPs from this district who had not spoken about the people's concerns, other than Marlene Farrugia. Dr Farrugia was now at odds with the PL on energy when, before the election, she was the party spokeswoman on energy.
It was disgraceful that the Labour-controlled councils of Birzebbuga and Marsaxlokk had not expressed concerns and the Committee for the South shamefully refused to even discuss the issue.
The government itself was scared of having the gas storage issue discussed with experts in a parliamentary committee. It had withheld publication of one report until just half an hour before last week's debate between MPs.
What was the government hiding? What was it scared of?
Indeed, what use was the report which said there were no risks, as long as there was no ignition source. But would would happen if their was an incident? How would it affect the residents?
Before the decision was taken by Mepa, more studies needed to be made, including a maritime study on the impact of the presence of the gas tanker, and its operations on Marsaxlokk and the freeport.
Dr Busuttil recalled how Dutch professor Hans Pasman had told The Sunday Times of Malta that a leakage would result in a gas cloud over all of Marsaxlokk which, if ignited, even by a cigarette, would kill those within it and demolish properties.
The gas tanker should be moored offshore and not in the bay not only for reasons of health and safety, but because an accident would also be devastating for the economy, knocking out the power station.
"Do not take undue risks, avoid the risk out of respect to the people," Dr Busuttil said.
Concluding, Dr Busuttil urged the prime minister to avoid risks. He also urged the members of the Mepa board to be aware of their responsibilities and act independently in a decision which could affect many people's health and safety. Their first loyalty, he said, was to the people, not the governemnt which put them there. The PN representative on the board, Ryan Callus, would vote in favour of the people and they should do likewise, he said.
If Mepa decided in favour of gas storage in Marsaxlokk, the PN would stand by the people and work unceasingly for their confidence, Dr Busuttil said.
This morning's rally was also addressed by PN council president Anne Fenech.