In his column (The Sunday Times, March 15) Mark Anthony Falzon referred to "ramblers" in the context of Smart City. It is not altogether clear whether he was addressing any casual walker or, more probably, targeting the committee of the Ramblers' Association of Malta (RAM). In either case, while appreciating Dr Falzon's overall stance that "place matters", some more facts may help give a clearer picture of our involvement in this context.
Despite having doubts about the scale of the Smart City project and the energy it will consume, RAM views the regeneration of a defunct and dilapidated industrial zone to create job opportunities as positive.
RAM participated in all the consultations held by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority before the project was approved. Dr Falzon will appreciate, however, that participating is one thing and having a real say in the final decisions is another.
In those sessions we insisted, and were every time guaranteed, that the project was to leave public access to and along the shoreline free and unencumbered, that all construction would be erected at a reasonable distance from the coast.
Public access to the streets and other public spaces all over Smart City was never put in any doubt.
We also insisted that historical buildings within the City (Fort St Rocco and Fort St Peter) were to be at all times safeguarded. Indeed we are on record saying, at the Bighi consultation meeting, that such heritage sites falling within modern city concepts are usually taken as a godsend.
They are unique and precious features around which open spaces can be designed to enhance the site and provide an agreeable diversion from routine blocks and high rises.
There could indeed be truth in Dr Falzon's comment that "no one seems to have bothered to give plans a second glance"; he will concede, we hope, that it is not up to RAM to see that Mepa adheres to the original plans. Are we to suspect that plans presented to NGOs were a far cry from what is now agitating Dr Falzon? In this case a clarification from Mepa is in order. This will guarantee that another unpleasant surprise like Tigné Point will not materialise.
We cannot say that we appreciated Dr Falzon's dry humour in the closing paragraph but, in the final analysis, his article was in effect most welcome to RAM. It was the first time an NGO has been accused of not saying 'no' to an important development, or not having said it loudly enough.
RAM of course refutes the charge, circulated mostly by speculators, that NGOs promote an unreasonable culture of 'no' to all developments.
We hold that it would be much truer to say that those who wield the real power have oppressed our landscape with their culture of 'yes' even to wild development, leaving NGOs no alternative but to say 'no'. Hence our sincere appreciation of Dr Falzon's column.
It is not within RAM's remit to rebut his criticism of the 'Minto Road' concept of Smart City and his comments on the job opportunities it will create for us Maltese.