PR10/04/2010 Ikompli l-isfregju tal-pajjiz grazzi ghall-politika ta’ Lawrence Gonzi
Alternattiva Demokratika qed taghmel din il-konferenza stampa ghax inbeda l-process tal-ippjnar mill-ispekulaturi biex din iz-zona fit-tarf ta’ H’Attard tinbena (ara applikazzjoni PC/00066/09). Fl-2006, f’daqqa wahda, din iz-zona f’H’Attard, flimkien ma hafna zoni ohra madwar il-pajjiz kollu, iddahlet fiz-zona ta’ zvilupp mill-kabinett ta’ Lawrence Gonzi, bl-approvazzjoni tal-parlament.
Ralph Cassar, li huwa Kunsillier fuq il-Kunsill Lokali ta’ H’Attard qal:’Qeghdin hawn biex nuru li l-effett tal-politika hazina tal-gvern daqt tibda jinhass. Din il-medda kbira ta’ art zdiedet maz-zona ta’ zvilupp fl-2006. Mill-partiti kollha Alternattiva Demokratika biss sahqet li f’pajjiz mifqugh b’bini vojt ma kienx jaghmel sens li jizdiedu z-zoni ta’ zvilupp. Ftahna kawza l-qorti, ghamilna diversi attivitajiet biex inqajjmu kuxjenza dwar il-politika hazina tal-gvern izda l-Parlament iddecieda mod iehor. Hafna nies jahsbu li l-MEPA tiddeciedi dawn l-affarijiet minn jeddha, izda l-MEPA hija agenzija tal-Gvern u huwa l-Gvern direttament, immexxi minn Lawrence Gonzi li ta aktar art ghall-bini. Qed ikollna ukoll membri parlamentari, fosthom David Agius, anke f’dan il-kaz partikolari, li wara li vvutaw favur l-estensjoni taz-zoni ta’ zvilupp issa qed jaghmluha tad-difensuri tar-residenti – b’id wahda jaghmlu haga u bl-ohra jaghmlu ohra. Din m’hi xejn hlief
ipokrezija u opportunizmu politiku. Sakemm in-nies ma jindunawx li bil-vot taghhom qed iwasslu ghal din il-poltika li tiffavorixxi spekulazzjoni u tkompli taghlaq il-ftit spazji miftuha li fadal fit-truf tal-irhula u l-ibliet sa nibqghu naraw dan l-isfregju. Il-kliem ta’ Lawrence Gonzi u l-politika tieghu huma kontradittorji. Ghal darb’ohra nitlob ghar-revizjoni tal-pjan lokali biex jiehu in konsiderazzjoni l-bzonnijiet vera tal-komunita, fosthom aktar spazji miftuha.’
Carmel Cacopardo kelliemi ta’ AD ghall-Izvilupp Sostenibbli u l-Gvern Lokali qal li l-izvilupp esagerat li ghaddej go H’Attard ghandu jitqies fil-kuntest tan-numru ta’ residenzi vojta mxerrda mal-gzira. In-numruta’ residenzi vojta kien stabilit bhala ta’ 54,000 waqt ic-censiment tal-2005 u dan in-numru baqa’ jizdied minn dakinnhar sal-lum. Iz-zieda fiz-zoni identifikati ghall-izvilupp kienet determinata esklussivament fuq kriterji politici. Din hi r-raguni reali ghala qatt ma gie accettat li dan it-tibdil ikun soggett ghal assessjar strategiku ambjentali (SEA). Kien hemm zmien bizzejjed biex isir dan l-SEA ghax bejn l-2000 u l-2006 il-Pjani Lokali baqghu fil-forma ta’ abbozz. SEA kien jidentifika l-impatti taz-zoni kollha allokati ghall-izvilupp. In partikolari kien jikkonsidra l-impatt kumulattiv tal-izvilupp kollu ghaddej fuq il-gzira. ‘B’daqstant bini vojt ghal min qed jinbena dan il-bini kollu ?’, tenna Cacopardo.
Michael Briguglio, ic-Chairperson ta’ AD qal: ‘Sfortunatament, kemm il-Partit Nazzjonalista kif ukoll il-Partit Laburista huma karatterizzati minn ideologija li tpoggi l-izvilupp bla razan qabel il-kwalita’ tal-hajja tan-nies u qabel il-protezzjoni ta’ l-ambjent. Din m’hijiex sorpriza meta wiehed jikkonsidra l-fatt li z-zewg partiti l-ohra jiddependu mill-iffinanzjar ta’ kumpaniji kbar, u t-tnejn li huma m’humiex lesti jintroducu ligijet trasparenti dwar l-iffinanzjar tal-partiti. L-ambjent hi kwistjoni politika u n-nies ghandhom is-sahha jgibu l-bidla permess tal-vot taghhom. Fil-parlament, AD taghti prijorita lill-izvilupp sostenibbli, il-kwalita’ tal-hajja u l-protezzjoni ambjentali, u mhux l-interessi ta’ min jispekula fuq l-art’.
Safrattant il-Kunsillier ta’ AD f’H’Attard Ralph Cassar filwaqt li qal li baghat sottomissjonijiet kontra l-izvilupp propost baghat ukoll sottomissjoni lill-MEPA li titlob li kemm-il darba l-izvilupp isehh ikun hemm spazji miftuha ghall pubbliku bhal pjazza u zona ta’ rikreazzjoni ghat-tfal u r-residenti tal-vicin. Fi kliemu:’Mill-mitluf ta’ l-inqas nippruvaw niehdu li nistghu ghall-komunita’, ikkonkluda Cassar.
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PR10/04/2010 Lawrence Gonzi policies favour speculators
Alternattiva Demokratika held a press conference together with residents in Attard to highlight the effects of the 2006 rationalisation scheme, approved by Lawrence Gonzi’s cabinet and parliament. Then planning process for development of land in Attard has in fact started (see application PC/00066/09). This is just one area in Malta and Gozo given over to speculators by Lawrence Gonzi.
Ralph Cassar, who is an AD councillor in Attard said:’We are here to highlight the effects of government’s bad policies. This large tract of land has been given for development thanks to the 2006 ‘rationalisation’ scheme. It was government and parliament which has decided this – favouring speculators over residents. From all other parties Alternattiva Demokratika was and is the only one which has consistently that the rationalization scheme does not make any sense in a country full of empty property. We started a court case and held various meetings with residents to raise awareness – but Lawrence Gonzi and his MPs in parliament decided otherwise. MEPA only follows government policy – the blame for this state of affairs lies squarely with the Prime Minister and his government. Some residents are being approached by government MPs (including by Government whip David Agius)– the same ones who voted in favour of extending the development zones – promising to help them.
This is pure opportunism and hypocrisy for when these MPs could do something they went along and voted in favour of government’s bad policies. On the one hand these MPs say one thing, then when it really matters they approved Lawrence Gonzi’s government’s policies. Once again AD asks for a revision of the local plans to make them more community friendly. One very important aspect would be to increase public open spaces.’
Carmel Cacopardo, AD Spokesman on Sustainable Development and Local Government said that overdevelopment at Attard has to be seen within the context of an ever increasing number of vacant dwellings spread all over the island. The number of such dwellings was identified at 54,000 during the 2005 Census and it has been on the increase ever since. The increase of the zones earmarked for development has been decided exclusively on political criteria. This is the real reason for the refusal to submit these changes to a Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA). There was more than sufficient time to carry out an SEA during the period between 2000 and 2006 when the Local Plans remained in draft form. An SEA would have assessed all the impacts of areas allocated to development. In particular it would have considered the cumulative impacts of the large scale development going on all over the island.’With so many vacant dwellings who are the new dwellings being built for ?’, asked Cacopardo.
Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson, said: ‘Unfortunately both the Nationalist and Labour Parties are characterised by an ideology which puts endless development at the expense of people’s quality of life and environmental protection. This is hardly surprising considering the fact that both parties depend on financing from big business are not ready to introduce transparent legislation on the financing of political parties. The environment is a political issue and people have the power to change things through their vote. With AD in parliament, sustainable development, quality of life and environmental protection will be given priority, and not the interests of development speculators’.
Photos: www.flickr.com/alternattiva
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