The Mepa board has given the green light to the rehabilitation project of the former Magħtab landfill, the very same landfill where, up to six years ago, we dumped all our waste, unhindered by regulations and without reference to any plan.
The decision is another fundamental step in the fulfilment of an electoral promise to transform the monstrosity of Magħtab into an open space for people to enjoy. Only a few years back, Magħtab symbolised the environmental lethargy our country languished in. We now have the tools to continue to build on what has been achieved in the past six years.
During this period, since the landfill's closing down in April 2004, work included the provision of alternative facilities of engineered landfills, the movement of thousands of tons of materials, the installation of some 400 wells and a system for burning gases at temperatures reaching 900°C to treat and remove toxic gases from the atmosphere. All this at a cost of €9 million.
With the permits approved following an international campaign for best design, we may now proceed to the next phase involving an expense of €24 million, financed through EU cohesion funds. Magħtab should be an eye-opener for us: We ignore investment in waste management at our peril because the cost of inaction is immense. This government's commitment is that, in a few years' time, a climb up Magħtab hill will be repaid not only by exquisite views out to sea but also by the sight of the planned modern facilities for waste management at that site.
Unconquered
In the aftermath of apartheid, following his release from prison after serving 27 years, Nelson Mandela has just been elected South Africa's President. This is the historic backdrop to the film Invictus. In 1994, Mr Mandela's challenge (interpreted by Morgan Freeman) is to "balance black aspirations with white fears".
We get a glimpse of his uphill struggle when his pleas for reconciliation are opposed even by his inner circle as his security personnel wrestle to accept their white colleagues. Racial tensions were still running high but Mr Mandela attempts to disarm his adversaries by surprising them with a forward-looking attitude rather than being bogged down by the past.
As he strives to win the battle against the main problems that were bringing the country to its knees - unemployment and criminality - he also attempts to win another battle: rugby. The South African rugby union team, the Springboks, was as beloved by whites as it was despised by the black population, to whom it had become a symbol of oppression. Mandela not only takes a huge political risk when he refuses to give in to his supporters' demand that the team be dismantled and renamed but is inspired to achieve the impossible by using sports as a bridge to unite a nation across the racial divide.
This film, directed by Clint Eastwood, speaks about the silent revolution which Mr Mandela undertook during the rugby world cup, played in South Africa in 1995. It is an inspiring documentary of a personality whose remarkable intelligence and perseverance wins over the hearts and minds of supporters and opponents alike - March 10.
Flat out brilliance
I was yesterday invited to attend the launch of a product by a group of 12 students from De La Salle College's sixth form as part of their participation in the Young Enterprise competition. They came up with an innovative product, producing platters from used glass bottles. The process involves collecting glass bottles, washing them and taking them to a glass factory where the glass is heated to be pressed. Quite an original idea!
They named their company reWINEd. On their website they present their product as "the epitome of ecological, friendly dining. ...in its essence, a modern, stylish environmentally-friendly, multi-purpose product".
These youngsters are clearly making the best of their experience in the Young Enterprise competition. Their enthusiasm, teamwork and energy are palpable.
Now in its 20th year, the Young Enterprise experience enables participants to explore their creativity and offers the opportunity to think and work as a team. It teaches basic principles of commerce - how to set up a company, how to finance it, how to sell company shares, how to promote a product, how best to sell it, the best packaging to use, etc. It is a rewarding experience that unlocks young people's potential. Good luck reWINEd! - March 6.
A new look for a quality product
The new packaging of fresh milk products and the introduction of a number of new products by the Malta Dairy Products (MDP) have hit our shelves. A new look, which reinforces the upgrading of the local fresh milk industry and reflects the massive investment carried out by dairy producers and MDP during the past five years using government and EU funds.
The upgrade has enabled milk produced by MDP to meet the criteria for the quality certification known as the Oval Mark. I commend the management of MDP for their foresight, which I am sure will lead to further efforts to improve and adapt to customers' needs in the coming years. The viability of the local milk-producing industry was never in question for this government, notwithstanding the misgivings which Labour had voiced prior to EU accession.
Once again, let me laud the sound management of the heads of the milk producers cooperative (KPĦ) as well as the people heading the MDP who recognised the challenges to be faced and transformed them into opportunities for further development. Today, it is a delight to visit modern cow farms with their state-of-the-art machinery, allowing for more efficiency in the production of milk, improved animal welfare and better quality for consumers.
Undoubtedly, the market for milk products is a competitive one but the new products and the clearer packaging will further equip the local industry to vie for a leading position. The promotion of local produce is high on our agenda and for this reason the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs is organising the Festa tal-Ħalib in Għargħur on Sunday. I invite you to join us in celebrating the impressive expansion of the local milk industry. - March 4.
Mr Pullicino is Minister for Resources and Rural Affairs.
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