SOS Hondoq News

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Stop the Qala Creek project

Published on The Times of Malta on 10th February, 2007 Mr Wilfred L. Camilleri, Pickering, Ontario, Canada.

Why is it that we have to develop every last piece of natural beauty left on the Maltese islands? It appears that there is a push to develop the unspoiled beauty at Hondoq ir-Rummien in Qala. This is a beautiful area of Gozo with spectacular views of the Blue Lagoon. The water is crystal-clear and the surrounding area is quiet and mostly unspoiled by man.

Although my parents were from Qala, I was born and grew up in Hamrun but spent many wonderful days in Qala while growing up. I try to visit the area whenever I come back to Malta as it reminds me of the warm, lazy days of summer.

Why not keep the natural beauty of the area and promote it as a place to get away from it all to enjoy the beauty and sounds of nature? The government can do this by fixing the road leading down to the beach, cleaning up the surrounding fields, and providing areas where people can picnic or simply sit to enjoy the scenery.

The Qala Creek Project will destroy the beauty of the valley. If this project goes forward, only those who can afford the buy the expensive villas and moor their expensive yachts will enjoy the area.

Enough of this uncontrolled and haphazard development that seems to be blanketing the islands and spoiling the natural beauty that attracts tourists in this day and age.

As people become more aware of the importance of protecting the environment eco tourism will become a major economic windfall for countries that can offer the beauty of nature as an attraction. Now is the time to take action and to preserve and protect the few remaining and unspoiled areas on the Maltese islands.

Thursday, February 08, 2007

X’ambjent, ambjent!!!

Pubblikata fuq l-Orizzont nhar l-Hamis 8 ta' Ottubru, 2007 minn Korrispondent Ghawdxi

Nistghu nghidu li l-ambjent f’Ghawdex ilu li spicca. Il-mod kif hallejna lill Ghawdex jizviluppa u gibnieh blokki kbar ta’ binjiet u konkos ma’ kullimkien jidher li ftit li xejn inghata kaz tal-ambjent.

Imma kif nghidu li min jikkmanda jghamel il-ligi, u min ghandu l-flus jista’ jaghmel triq fil-bahar! Dan rajnieh fl-imghoddi u qed narawh issa.

X’jiswew il-protesti tal-ambjentalisti. X’isarraf referendum biex juru x-xewqa tal-poplu. Ghalfejn il-hafna regolamenti dwar l-ambjent?

F’Ghawdex kollox lecitu. Ghalina r-regolamenti donnhom jiggebdu. Min ma jghaddix mill-bieb jipprova jghaddi mit-tieqa. Kif nghidu, minn hemm jew minn hawn ninfdu!

Insemmu zewg kazijiet. Il-kaz ta’ Hondoq ir-Rummien. Minkejja l-oppozizjoni kollha tan-nies tal-Qala, ta’ l-ambjentalisti, ta’ min ghandu dan il-post ghal qalbu, xorta l-affarijiet jidhru li ghadhom mexjin.

Qalu li gew sottomessi pjanti godda. Imma l-isfregju fil-bajja ta’ Hondoq ir-Rummien se jsir, tant li dan l-ahhar anke dehru nies fuq il-post u ghamlu diversi marki biz-zebgha b’konnessjoni mal-izvilupp ta’dawn l-inhawi.

Fuq kollox kien l-istess Prim Ministru li fuq il-Fosos kien qal li huwa jaqbel mal-progett kif qed jigi propost ghal din il-bajja. Din hija bajja li fl-istat naturali taghha tigbed lejha eluf ta’ Ghawdxin u Maltin. Ghan-nies tal-Qala hija l-isfog taghhom ghax-xhur tas-sajf. Kemm se ikomplu jgawduha ma nafux!

Issa faqqset ohra. F’Ta’ Lambert fix-Xewkija. Ghandna heliport, imma s-servizz tal-helikopter waqaf. Issa rridu naghmlu ‘air strip’ ghal ajruplani zghar ghax hekk qalilna li hemm bzonn naghmlu min hu nteressat li jkabbar butu. Dan ma jimpurtah xejn li f’dan il-post hemm affarijiet li ghandhom jigu preservati, li l-bdiewa li jahdmu r-raba fil-vicin se jigu zgumbrati, li se jikbru l-arja hazina u kontaminazzjoni.

Xejn ma jimporta li l-ambjent se jiehu daqqa ta’ harta ohra. U dan ghaliex? Biex nibdew u ma nkomplux, kif gralna bil-helikopter? Imma l-hsara lill ambjent u lill bdiewa tal-lokal tkun saret.

Ma dawn wiehed isemmi l-kaz li jolqot lill tax-Xewkija li l-Wasteserve se taghmel fl-inhawi bil-barka tal-MEPA. Hawn ukoll l-ambjent se jiehu daqqa ta’ harta meta fl-istess inhawi l-Kunsill ta’dan ir-rahal flimkien ma dak ta’ Sannat kienu mbarkaw fuq progett approvat anke mill ewropa biex jissebbhu l-inhawi.

X’ambjent ambjent. Min jiflah ihawwel. Hekk sejrin f’pajjizna. Min ghandu l-hbieb tal-hbieb, min ghandu l-flus, min jista jiskapriccja, minn hemm jew minn hawn, jghaddi.

Imma l-ambjent ta’ Ghawdex li ntilef ma jigix lura. Issa se inkomplu fuq progetti li jkomplu jcahhduna u jkissru l-ftit ambjent li baqghalna. Lill ambjentalisti nghatuhom parir biex ma jahlux zmien izjed fuq l-ambjent ta’ Ghawdex. Morna l-bahar, ghax hekk ried u halla jsir min jikkmanda u suppost li razzan kull abbuz u tkissir tal-ambjent f’Ghawdex.

Xahar iehor nivvotaw

Iz-zmien jghaddi u wasalna ghal elezzjoni ohra tal-Kunsilli Lokali. Anke f’Ghawdex se jsiru dawn l-elezzjonijiet xahar iehor f’xejn anqas minn sitt irhula. L-Ghawdxin ta’ dawn l-irhula se jigu mitluba biex jaghzlu dawk in-nies li jidhrilhom li l-aktar jistghu jaqbzu u jahdmu fl-ahjar interessi ta’rahalhom.

F’Ghawdex mhux kollox mexa sew f’uhud minn dawn il-lokalitajiet. Dawn huma kollha kunsilli dominati min-Nazzjonalisti u ghalhekk kien mistenni hafna aktar minnhom.

Jekk kien hemm xi haga li ma konniex nistenenw hija li ghax ahna fil-Gvern u naghmlu li rridu. Naqbdu u niehdu r-riedni f’idejna u nidhlu ghal xoghlijiet minghajr permessi.

Ezempju hazin li m’ghandux jigi imitat. Fl-imghoddi kellna l-awtoritajiet jintervjenu b’sahha kollha fil-kaz tal-Kunsill ta’ Sannat fuq ftit ramel fil-bajja ta’ Mgarr ix-Xini. Issa kellna siment jintesa u jiksi trejqa fil-kampanja fil-Munxar, minghajr permessi ta’ xejn.

U dan, ghax kif qal is-Sindku, ghal xoghlijiet bhal dawn qatt ma talbu permess. Ara kemm kien ilna nimxu mal-ligijiet u r-regolamenti ta’ pajjizna!

F’rahal iehor fejn se ssir l-elezzjoni, dak ta’ Kercem, rajna kwistjoni tinbena bejn is-sindku Nazzjonalista u ta’ warajh. Jigifieri dawn lanqas bejniethom ma jaqblu, u dan ghax l-affarijiet ma sarux kif kellhomm isiru fl-okkazjoni tal-festa ta’ Santa Lucija li taghmel ma’ dan ir-rahal.

Elezzjoni ohra se jkollna fir-rahal taz-Zebbug fejn hawn is-Sindku spicca jaghmel cerimonja, mhux ghax sibna z-zejt, imma ghax haseb li sab nixxiegha ta’ l-ilma, biex wara nstab li kull ma kien gara kienet li nqasmet kanna ftit ’il boghod. Affarijiet tad-dahk li ma tistennihomx minn sindku intelligenti.

Ghandna l-Qala, rahal li jinsab f’nofs kontroversja minhabba l-izvilupp ta’ Hondoq ir-Rummien. Il-poplu tal-Qala dan l-izvilupp ma jridux imma l-Prim Ministru fuq il-Fosos qal li jaqbel mieghu u esponenti tal-PN f’Ghawdex qalu li huma favur dawk il-progetti li minnhom Ghawdex jista’ jaggwadanja xi haga.

Il-Qalin mhux hekk jirragunaw. U issa huwa l-mument li ghal darb’ohra juru lill-Gvern li l-interessi ta’ rahalhom, il-Qala, ma jafhom hadd aktar minnhom.

Dawn huma ftit ezempji li hargu fil-berah. Hemm ohrajn li baqghu mistura. Hemm fejn zammejna lura u ma tkellimniex. L-indifferenza f’xi kunsillieri kienet evidenti. Dan deher mill-giri li ghamlu ufficjali tal-PN f’Ghawdex biex jikkonvincu l-kandidati li jikkontestaw.

L-Ghawdxin ghandhom imorru jivvotaw. Minkejja dak kollu li gara fir-rahal taghhom jista’ jerga‘ jigri ’l quddiem. Ghandhom inehhu l-bruda u jmorru jaghtu l-vot taghhom.

Il-Partit Laburista f’dawn il-lokalitajiet se johrog jikkontestaw nies minghajr l-ebda nteress ta’ xejn, hlief li jaghmlu gid lir-rahal. Lesti li jahdmu u jgibu r-rahal ’il quddiem. Lesti li jsemmghu lehinhom ghal dak li hemm bzonn isir.

Anke fejn il-Laburisti huma f’minoranza l-vuci taghhom isemmuha. Araw kemm hadmu Kunsilli Laburisti f’Malta u ghadna niehdu dan l-ezempju. Ilhom hafna jisservew bina l-Ghawdxin u issa hemm bzonn ma ninsewx kemm ghadna nuqqasijiet li ma sarux.

Dan l-ahhar f’irhula fejn isiru dawn l-elezzjonijiet f’Ghawdex qeghdin naraw lil tal-Partit Nazzjonalista jaghmlu minn kollox biex jaljenaw. Qeghdin jipprovaw jaghmlu l-ilma jizfen. Iduru ma’ kulhadd. Itaptpu fuq spallet kulhadd. Kull min jitwebbel b’xi haga qed tinghatalu jew jithalla jaghmilha.

Ghalhekk l-Ghawdxin ghandhom joqoghdu attenti meta jmorru jitfghu l-vot taghhom.Ma nharsux biss lejn l-ucuh imma ghandna nafdaw lil min lest li jahdem ghall-interessi tar-rahal.

Huwa importanti li wiehed jivvota. Ma nibqghux bierda. Ma nirragunawx li l-Kunsilli qeghdin hemm ghalxejn, ghax il-Ministru jaghmel li jrid. Bl-indifferenza ma nirrangawx dak li huwa hazin jew li mhux sejjer sewwa.

Ghalhekk inheggu lill-Ghawdxin f’dawn l-irhula biex xahar iehor imorru jivvotaw ghal dawk il-kandidati li se johorgu jikkontestaw taht il-bandiera Laburista ghax dawn zgur li se jkunu ta’ garanzija tal-hidma shiha favuir ir-rahal taghhom.

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Progetti ghal Ghawdex fl-arja

Pubblikata fuq l-Kullhadd nhar l-4 ta' Frar, 2007.

Sur Editur

Nhar il-Hadd 21 ta' Jannar, 2007 rega gie izurna il-prim ministru Lawrence Gonzi.

Jiena bhas-soltu kont hemm, halli nisma l-kelma tal-mexxej taghna u nara xi progetti ghandu ghall-Ghawdex forsi ninvesti xi haga fihom. Izda, hallieni b'xiber imnieher, ghax ghalkemm qal li ghandu hafna progetti ghall-Ghawdex, ma semma l-ebda wiehed, lanqas dak il-progett il-kbir ta' Hondoq ir-Rummien.

Ghall-mument thawwadt ftit ghaliex hsibtu gie wara li rebah l-elezzjoni imma imbaghad ftakart li l-elezzjoni qieghda wara l-bieb.

Ghedt bejni u bejn ruhi : jekk ghandu bosta progetti ghall-Ghawdex, ghaliex ma varahomx halli l-Ghawdxin isibu fejn jahdmu u mhux hawn qaghad ma Ghawdex kollu?

Waqt li kont aljenat nahseb fuq il-progetti tajt harsa madwari biex nara min hemm hdejja u jekk nafhom nistaqsihom jekk jafux x'inhuma dawn il-progetti.

Imma inzerta li magembi kelli nies li ma nafhomx ghax ma kinux mill-Qala bhali, u jien mill-Qala ftit li xejn nohrog. Fettilli nghodd dawk li kienu mill-Qala ma kienx hemm aktar minn tuzzana u nofs.

Kif kont qieghed nahseb ghaliex il-Qalin m'attendewx ghal din il-konferenza, f'daqqa wahda nhsadt meta smajt lil Dr. Gonzi isemmi il-bahar.

Hsibtu qieghed isemmi l-progett ta' Hondoq ir-Rummien imma kien qieghed jghid xi haga ohra. M'inhiex cert jekk qalx li pajjizna mar il-bahar.

Fid-diskorsi li saru, hadd ma semma l-progett ta' Hondoq ir-Rummien.

Meta spicca d-diskors tieghu, lil Gonzi kulhadd beda jcapcaplu. Jien dlonk qomt minn posti u mort fejn is-Sindku Pawlu u l-vici Sindku Victor li flimkien ma Lorne marru jifirhu lil Gonzi.

Jien stennejthom li pubblikament jghidulu li huma ma jaqblux mal-progett ta' Hondoq ir-Rummien, bhalma wara kollox kitbu fil-gazzetta Lehen il-Kunsill, li tqassmet fid-djar kollha tal-Qala.

Dan kien it-tieni cans, fi ftit gimghat, li kellhom biex jghidu lil Prim Ministru u lil Ministru ghal Ghawdex Giovanna Debono li verament ma jaqblux mal-progett u jitolbuhom jghinuhom forsi nsalvaw lil din il-gawhra taghna.

Izda minn dak li hsibt, ma sar xejn.

Il-Prim ministru u l-Ministru ta' Ghawdex, it-tnejn esprimew ruhhom li huma favur il-progett.

Ghalekk ta` min jistaqsi lill-kunsilliera Nazzjonalisti tal Qala jekk hux qeghdin juzaw il-forza taghhom kollha kontra l-progett, jew jekk hux qeghdin jippruvaw jinhabbu m' Alla u max-xitan?

Bil-haqq, insejt li l-elezzjoni tal-Kunsill fadlilha ftit gimghat biss. Tghid ghalhekk li l-kunsilliera Nazzjonalisti qeghdin jghidu li intom kontra l-progett?

Tghid is-Sindku u l-kunsilliera Nazzjonalisti qeghdin jghidu li huma kontra l-progett biex ma jitilfux il-voti tal-Qalin li ghandhom ghall-qalbhom il-bajja ta` Hondoq ir-Rummien?

Ex-Pn
Qala

Respect the Qala referendum

Published on The Sunday Times of Malta on 4th February, 2007 by Mr Angelo Xerri, Qala.


The Qala Creek Project consists of a five-star hotel, apartments, villas, time share units, yacht marina, restaurants and other buildings. This beautiful area of Gozo, with its crystal clear waters (right), has been enjoyed by Qala and Gozo residents, many Maltese, and tourists long before bathing suits were invented.

It was promised that this area was to be refurbished and designated as a park, with a barbecue pit and trees planted in the old quarry and surrounding area. It would be the first bathing and leisure park in Gozo.

If permits to build Qala Creek are issued this will be gone forever. Qala residents were against this project from the start. The opposition to the project was so intense among the residents, that Qala council decided to hold a referendum on this issue. The result was 85 per cent against and 15 per cent in favour; 75 per cent of residents participated. This overwhelming result should have been more than enough for this project to be considered dead by the authorities.
Now, four years later, the Qala Creek project has come to life again. The plans have been slightly changed but it is the same magnitude and size. Some politicians have gone on record as saying that the project is good for Qala and Gozo.

The referendum result and the will of the people of Qala have to be respected, and not trampled upon as if nothing ever happened.

Today all Qala councillors claim that in their hearts they are 100 per cent against this project. This is not good enough. First, Qala councillors should ask the political parties they belong to whether they are in favour of the project - before the looming local and national elections. If their parties are in favour of the project, then their councillors should take action, follow their hearts and resign. They should stand up and be counted: nobody can sit on both sides of the fence. Then they should run independently or for a party that is against this project.

The Qala referendum must be honoured and respected by all political parties. Otherwise democracy has been slapped in the face. If this is allowed to go on we are nothing short of a caper republic.