The dean of the Faculty of Law, Kevin Aquilina, architect Richard England and historian Henry Frendo are among 2,300 signatories to an open letter to the Prime Minister calling for environmental justice and sustainable development. (See pdf below)

The letter was signed by well known figures in law, commerce, architecture, medicine, arts and religion, as well as most NGOs operating on a national level in Malta.

“We, the undersigned, can no longer watch silently as short-sighted decisions and greed continue to undermine all that makes Malta special,” it reads.

“The health and quality of life of the residents of Malta have deteriorated over different governments as rampant construction has ruined our towns and villages while damaging policies have continued unabated to pave the way for more building in our threatened countryside, impacting agriculture and biodiversity.

“Our islands are paralysed by ever-increasing traffic which is costing the nation €274 million a year in terms of lost productivity and ill health due to toxic emissions - contributing to lung conditions, heart problems, cancer and strokes – as well as taking us ever further from our 2020 climate change targets.”

The letter also raises concern about the destruction of heritage buildings, lack of enforcement and diminishing green spaces.

Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar coordinator Astrid Vella, addressing a press conference outside Castille this morning, said the breadth of signatories put paid to the “hackneyed mantra” that development could not co-exist with environmental protection.

Referencing recent controversial high-rise developments in Mrieħel and Tigné, Ms Vella said the current situation had been created by successive administrations over 30 years, but added that the country was today facing an “unprecedented onslaught” due to recent changes in planning policy.

Organisation representatives read out several of the comments received during the drafting of the letter, both from experts and ordinary people, many voicing

concerns about congestion, health, and the effect on tourism of the destruction of Malta’s natural heritage.

“There must be a limit to individualistic capitalism in such small dimensions,” Prof Frendo said in one such comment.