Pique, pettiness, and parish politics

Published on the Sunday Times of Malta as part of an article "Pique, pettiness, and parish politics" by Castellian.

In Qala, Paul Buttigieg, a vociferous opponent of the development being proposed at Hondoq ir-Rummien, was elected straightaway on behalf of the Labour Party. Qala outgoing mayor, Paul Buttigieg, won a vote of confidence from the villagers with over two and half quotas. Here, Labour gained 5.02% at the expense of the PN, many of whom are angry at the tacit approval of the Hondoq project by their party peers. This approval is being given against the will of the majority of the villagers who, in a referendum, voted against the project.

The whole article can be viewed at http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=255457

Save Hondoq ir-Rummien – the continuing destruction of Gozo!

Published on The Malta Independent on the 20th of March, 2007 by Ms L. G. Kreupl

Please, will someone tell me why the inhabitants of this beautiful island and the Ministry of Gozo are allowing a few to rape and abuse what is left of it?

The last thing this island needs is another unsustainable concrete complex. The resources of this tiny island are already stretched to the limit.

Now, developers and speculators have, once again, their beady eyes on Hondoq ir-Rummien. A referendum was held in 2002 and 85 per cent of the Qala residents were against this “Qala creek development”. Now it appears that plans have again been presented to MEPA. Why have a referendum if the results are not adhered to or ignored. Hopefully this is not another ploy to get permits passed quickly in order to gain votes in the upcoming election.

For many years this cove has been a part of life for the people from the surrounding area, people who have taken advantage of the relatively easy access to the clear waters of the Mediterranean to take their children for an outing there – to paddle, swim and fish, or to collect snails, capers or whatever else was growing wild, as people still do today. Despite the fact that the area has been irrevocably damaged to a large extent by the quarry and the desalination plant, parts of it are, nevertheless, still relatively unspoilt and remain popular with the locals, and tourists who are lucky enough to find it. Unfortunately, it does need a lot of rehabilitation work carried out to try and undo some of the damage done in the past by unthinking or ignorant people. There are many options available, but they have to be very carefully considered in order to retain and enhance what is left of this beautiful cove.

Alas, this cove now appears to be in the process of being gang-raped by contractors/developers. Unless something is done to put a stop to this process now, the resulting “pregnancy” could become a “monster” comprising of a 170-room five- star hotel, 25 villas, 60 self-catering units and 200 multi-ownership residences (a smarter word for “time-share units”) plus a village core, a church and a yacht marina.

We are all aware that several hotels have recently been demolished to make way for apartments or re-classified as apartments blocks, an indication that there are sufficient hotels available. At present there are several thousand on-plan/shell/unfinished or empty apartments on this island. In addition, there are hundreds of old, derelict, empty buildings in the villages that could be renovated into the beautiful town or farm houses for which Gozo is famous. This means that another hotel and more apartments are really not sustainable or necessary.

As a pseudo village is already planned for Fort Chambray, I therefore humbly suggest that Gozo does not need another one. A chapel already exists in Hondoq and most people would agree that there are sufficient places of worship in Gozo without building a new fake one.

This leaves us with a marina; firstly, why destroy a beautiful natural cove to build a yacht marina when Mgarr, which is just around the corner, could conceivably be enlarged relatively easily?

Secondly, just think of the uncontrollable pollution: for example, boats cleaning their diesel and sewage tanks off shore, waste being dumped into the sea (unfortunately this does happen). At the weekends and during the holidays, one can already smell the diesel from the few visiting boats while swimming in the cove, and sometimes you can actually see it. It would mean the end of bathing in this area (nobody swims in Mgarr harbour do they?). It could also have a very negative effect on the environment of Comino as well.

I am certainly not against development, but the rule in Gozo seems to be “quickly, quickly, knock it down, cover it with concrete, build it back up, make a lot of money – and knock it down again, and make some more money”. It is far easier to destroy places of archaeological, historical or natural interest than to restore them again. The Gozo Stone Circle, Fort Chambray, various quarries, especially those near Qala and Dwejra and of course parts of Ta’Cenc and Sanap cliffs, are just a few examples of thoughtless “development”.

I appeal to all Maltese and Gozitans, please, at least try and preserve what is left of Hondoq ir-Rummien and don’t let the politicians and developers use it as a “vote” weapon.

Lesley Gail Kreupl

Hondoq Ir-Rummien!!

Pubblikata fuq it-Torca nhar l-25 ta' Frar, 2007.

Kull darba li jkunu resqin l-elezzjoinijiet, kemm tal-Kunsilli Lokali jew dik generali f’pajjizna, l-awtoritajiet governattivi biex jikkuntentaw lil hbieb tal-hbieb jew biex jakkwistaw ftit voti, japprovaw kull xorta ta’ permess, fejn l-ambjent naturali f’pajjizna qieghed jinbidel ghal dak kummercjali.

Konna ahjar meta konna aghar, jghid qawl Malti. Figuri li ta’ spiss johorgu mic-centru Nazzjonali ta’ l-Istatistika ilhom jindikaw in-nizla fit-turizmu, jew mhux se jonqsu l-prezzijiet li l-gholi taghhom ghandu tort dan il-gvern, nistghu naghmlu l-angli jizfnu ghax xorta mhux gejjin.
Il-privat li nvesti flusu jistenna kull ghajnuna min-naha governattiva, izda jekk l-progetti jiehdu l-korsa bhal dak tac-cirkewwa u l-Imgarr zgur li mhux awgurju tajjeb. Permessi ghal certi progetti approvati qed ikunu ta’ skomdu kbir ghall-industrija turistika, specjalment fejn jidhlu toroq principali.

X’inhi r-realtà Minn din il-pagna gbidna diversi drabi l-attenzjoni ta’ l-awtoritajiet koncernati ghat-telqa kbira li ilha s-snin tezisti f’Ghawdex specjalment f’toroq li iwassluk lejn postijiet turistici. Uhud minnhom kien hemm fondi approvati biex jkunu up-graded, xoghol li kellu jibda sitt xhur ilu, izda sa llum ghadu ma sar xejn. Qed nirreferi ghat-Triq tax-Xlendi.

Ghaliex kellha tkun din il-pagna li tikkummenta dwar id-dizordni li tinsab fi Triq l-Imgarr hekk kif tasal hdejn l-istitut ta’ San Guzepp, triq li kull turist irid ta’ bilfors jaghmel uzu minnha, b’nuqqas kbir ta’ sinjali li jiggwidaw it-traffiku Illum hu ta’ sodisfazzjon ghalina li wara dan l-artiklu bdew jitwahhlu diversi tabelli tat-traffiku. It-turist hu bhal ghasfur tal-passa jekk jitgerrex ma jergax jigi u jekk jaghmel kritika dwar l-istat hazin ta’ pajjizna, jitkerrxu hafna iktar turisti. L-awtoritajiet jafu b’dan jafu wkoll kemm min dawk it-turisti li zaruna dawn l-ahhar snin, kemm minnhom regghu lura ghal btala ohra f’pajjizna ghat-tieni darba. Dan kien percentagg zghir wisq, ikkalkulat 10%. Rapporti u ittri li dehru f’bosta gurnali lokali jikkonfermaw dan. Il-kummenti dejjem kienu dwar id-dizordni fit-toroq u l-qerda ta’ l-ambjent naturali.

Illum se nitfghu harsitna lejn wiehed mill-gahwar ta’ ambjent naturali tagna – il-Bajja ta’ Hondoq ir-Rummien fil-lokalità tal-Qala. Il-privat kien xtara barriera qadima li minnha kien jinqata’ gebel tal-qawwi kbir u wara kien jinhadem bhala irham ta’ Ghawdex. Xtara wkoll l-art ta’ madwar il-bajja ta’ hondoq ir-Rummien minghand il-patrijiet ta’ Santu Wistin. Jidher li dawn il-patrijiet lanqas biss kienu jafu li fuq din l-art hemm mibnija kappella storika u antika ddedikata lil-Madonna tal-Blat. Illum grazzi ghal dawk kollha li taw is-sehem taghhom biex fil-prezent qed terga’ titgawdi min dawk li jzuruha. Fl-2002, l-izviluppaturi li xtraw din l-art tefghu applikazzjoni ghal progett monstruz li kien jikkonsisti fl-jott marina, lukanda, apartamenti, ristoranti u toroq godda iserpu fil-blat bl-isem ta’ Qala Creek. F’kelma ohra kienet se ssir stragi shiha lill-ambjent naturali f’dawn l-inhawi. Il-poplu tal-Qala ma qaghadx lura b’idu fuq zaqqu. Ma riedx li din il-bajja titkisser ma riedx li l-gzira Ghawdxija titlef wahda mill-isbah bajjiet naturali li sfortunatament fadlilha. Il-poplu mar kontra dan il-progett u sab ghajnuna kbira, sab l-appogg ta’ bosta ghaqdiet kemm religjuzi, ambjentali kif ukoll politici. Grupp ta’ zghazagh mil-lokal tal-Qala holqu ghaqda favur l-ambjent bl-isem Moviment Harsien Hondoq, li wiehed jista’ jzur il-website www.soshondoq.blogspot.com.

Il-Kunsill Lokali tal-Qala kien maqsum fuq dan il-progett, izda dawk favur x’hin indunaw li l-maggoranza tan-nies kienet kontra, kellhom bla ma jridu jbaxxu rashom. Madwar erba’ snin ilu kien sar referendum fost il-Qalin fejn hargu jivvotaw 75% elegibbli ghall-vot. Ir-rizultat kien 85% kontra li jitwettaq dan il-progett Qala Creek filwaqt kien hemm biss 15% favur.

Matul is-sena l-ohra l-istess zviluppaturi ta’ l-art regghu tefghu applikazzjoni ohra, din id-darba fuq skala izghar, s’intedni ghax kienet gejja l-elezzjoni. Ghalkemm jidher li l-kunsillieri u l-kanditati li se jikkontestaw ghall-elezzjoni tal-Kunsill Lokali tal-Qala huma kontra dan il-progett, uhud minnhom donhom ghandhom sarima ma halqhom. Ftit li xejn qieghdin jitkellmu favur jew kontra dan il-progett. Uhud minnhom qieghdin jibzghu jifthu halqhom, ghax hadd ma jrid jitlef is-siggu.

Kemm Lawrence Gonzi kif ukoll Giovanna Debono dan l-ahhar esprimew diversi drabi li huma favur il-progett Qala Creek. Mal-Qalin dan id-diskors mhux qed jinzel bil-hlewwa u dan deher car fejn fl-ahhar laqgha li attenda ghaliha il-prim ministru attendew biss 18-il persuna mil-lokal. Dan il-gvern biex jaqdu ftit hbieb tal-hbieb qieghed imorru kontra ir-rieda tal-maggoranza tal-poplu tal-Qala, li erba’ snin ilu vvotaw kontra dan il-progett.

Meta titwettaq xi haga kontra r-rieda ta’ l-poplu, dan tkun tfisser dittatura, ghax jien ghandi s-sahha.

Sfortunatament il-kunsill tal-Qala li b[al kull kunsill lokal iehor li huma mmexxi minn maggoranza Nazzjonalista f’dawn xhur ta’ qabel l-elezzjonijiet hadu l-hajja u ziedu l-hidma taghhom ghal aktar progetti, li uhud minnhom fil-lokalità tal-Qala tant qieghdin isiru b’ghaggla, li fi Triq l-10 ta’ Ottubru u Triq il-Virgi, minn taghrif li waslilna, l-ewwel saff ta’ tarmak f’certu partijiet ghandu xorti hemmx daqs pulzier tarmak. Jekk dan verament qed jitwettaq qieghdin nahlu flus il-poplu.

Forti Sant’Antnin maghrufa fost il-Qalin bhala it-Trunciera, post storiku ta’ zmien il-Kavallieri, li ilu abbandunat ghal ghexieren ta’ snin, insterqu minnu xi armi li kien hemm fil-faccata, fejn biex sar dan twettaq vandalizmu fl-entratura tal-bieb. Issa ghax waslet l-elezzjoni, jinghad li se jkun restawrat bi spiza ta’ Lm35,000. Jidher li l-Kunsill Lokali tal-Qala ghandu f’idejh Lm29,500. Nistaqsu x’qed jistenna l-Kunsill la darba hu kkalkulat li x-xoghol se jiehu madwar sentejn Tghid bhal kull progett iehor governattiv, l-ispiza fuq dan ir-restawr sa dak iz-zmien ghanda mnejn tkun id-doppja

Hawn inheggu l-poplu tal-Qala biex fl-elezzjoni tal-Kunsill Lokali fl-10 ta’ Marzu johrog jivvota bi hgaru. Jerga’ jaqdi dmiru u jirrepeti l-istess rizultat ta’ erba’ snin ilu, din id-darba kontra dawk il-kandidati li t-twemmin politiku li huwa favur il-progett ta’ Hondoq ir-Rummien u l-qerda ta’ l-ambjent. Jivvota biss ghall-kanditati Laburisti li bil-provi u mhux bil-paroli huma kontra dan il-progett.

Qala Creek development opponents lodge complaint with EU

Published on the Malta Independent on Sunday on 4th March 2007 by David Lindsay

The Moviment Harsien Hondoq (Hondoq Protection Movement) announced yesterday that it has petitioned the European Environment Commissioner over the fact that a referendum among Qala residents, which overwhelming voted against the proposed Qala Creek development, is being ignored as plans for the mega tourism development push forward.

The letter of protest, Paul Buttigieg of the Movement explained yesterday, has been sent through Maltese European parliamentarian Joseph Muscat and joins other official correspondence forwarded to the Commission from Alternattiva Demokratika, Nature Trust and Flimkien ghall-Ambjent Ahjar.

The referendum in question was held back in 2002, when the multi-million pound tourism development in the coastal area known as Hondoq ir-Rummien had first been proposed. No fewer than 85 per cent of Qala residents had voted against the development, which had been temporarily shelved shortly afterwards.The so-called Qala Creek project was then rehashed in December 2005 and presented to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa) in January 2006. At the moment, the development is at the Project Description Statement stage and is said to be awaiting an Environmental Impact Assessment.

The development, which is envisaged to be concluded by 2010, is impressive on paper and will comprise a 170-room five-star hotel, 25 villas, 60 self-catering units, 200 multi-ownership residences, a “village centre” with a small church, administration offices, small-scale shops and restaurants and the 100-150 vessel marina.

There is one thing upon which both the prospective developers and their opponents agree – that the eyesore that is the disused quarry and garigue area requires urgent rehabilitation. But while the opponents would like to see it rehabilitated to its natural state, the developers propose further excavating the quarry and developing it into a yacht marina at the basin with the development itself rising up its sides and extending along the cliff edge.

The tourist village itself, according to the developer’s plans, will assimilate the style and character of a traditional Gozitan village that had developed organically over a century or more.

The developers, meanwhile, insist they will take all mitigating measures necessary to prevent environmental degradation and to promote sustainability. Such measures include the rooftops of the steeply terraced buildings being soft and hard landscaped, with endemic plants being planted throughout, and the creation of heritage and nature trails. It is planned that the project will have its own sewage treatment and reverse osmosis plants and the main air-conditioning plant will be cooled by seawater.

But such considerations have not quelled opposition from Qala and environmental lobbies, which intend to fight off the development, come what may. They argue that the development stands to destroy one of Gozo’s most popular beaches, contaminate the coastline with marine fuel from the marina traffic and give rise to multiple developments in the area.

Il-Progett ta' Hondoq ir-Rummien

Pubblikata nhar it-Torca nhar l-4 ta' Marzu 2007.

Hsara li se jbati minnha kulhadd

F`konferenza ta` l-ahbarijiet li saret fil-Mellieha l-bierah wara nofs inhar, il-Moviment Harsien Hondoq (MHH) , qal li jekk l-awtoritajiet se jkomplu bil-progett kif ippjanat mhux biss se jeqirdu l-bajja ta' Hondoq ir-rummien izda wkoll lir-rahal tal-Qala f'Ghawdex.

Paul buttigieg, f'isem l-MHH qal li dan il-progett jikkonsisti f'lukanda, vilel, ristoranti, appartamenti lussuzi u jott marina. Ghalkemm saru xi modifikazzjonijeit u tnehha l-breakwater minhabba l-alka, kif ukoll saru certi reservi mill-Kunsill tal-qala, xorta jqisu li dan il-progett se jkun ir-rovina tal-bajja ta' Hondoq ir-Rummien kif ukoll tar-rahal kwiet u pittoresk tal-Qala.

Buttigieg qal li ufficjal tal-MEPA stess iddikjara li ma hemm l-ebda garanzija li fil-gejjieni dan il-progett ma jitkabbarx aktar milli hemm fil-pjanta. Huwa qal li dan se johloq inkonvenjent kbir ghar-rahal tal-Qala minhabba l-ammont kbir tat-traffiku li se jghaddi mill-qalba tieghu. Huwa sahaq li l-bajja ta' Hondoq ir-rummien, bin-naturalezza u l-ambjent mhux mittiefes taghha, hija l-unika bajja li ghadha fi stat naturali. Jekk tintilef mhux biss il-qalin ikunu tilfu, izda ukoll l-Ghawdxin u l-Maltin kif ukoll il-barranin li jzuru l-gzira Ghawdxija. B'hekk jitlef ukoll it-turizmu. Buttigieg qal li l-moviment sab koperazzjoni u ghajnuna shiha min ghand l-ghaqdiet ambjentalisti kollha kif ukoll mill-partit Laburista u mill-Alternattiva Demokratika. Huwa kompla jghid li r-rieda tal-poplu tal-Qala, espressa f'referendum, fejn 85% qalu LE ghall-progett giet injorata mill-awtoritajiet kompetenti Maltin. Ghaldaqstant il-MHH irrikorra lejn il-Kummissjoni Ewropea dwar l-Ambjent permezz ta' korrispondenza li bghatu mal-Membru Parlamentari Ewropew Joseph Muscat. Din l-ittra sabet l-appogg ukoll ta' diversi ghaqdiet fosthom Flimkien ghall-Ambjent Ahjar, alternattiva Demokratika u Nature Trust. Il-kelliem radd hajr ukoll lill-dawk l-ghaqdiet kollha li qieghdin jghinu.

Paul Buttigieg qal li jekk l-Awtoritajiet mhumiex se jisimghu ghal dawn l-ilmenti gustifikati, allura ma jeskludux li jistghu jigu organizzati protesti.

Indirizzaw ukoll il-konferenza ta' l-ahbarijiet rapprezentanti ta' Ghaqdiet mhux governattivi u l-kandidat Laburista Jesmond Borg. F'isem l-ghaqda Ghal Ambjent Ahjar, Astrid Vella qalet li din mhix kwistjoni politika ghax mill-qerda ta' Hondoq ir-rummien se jbati kulhadd. Hija qalet li l-gvern mhux jaghti kaz sahhet il-poplu u bhal ma gara F'Tas-sliema se jigri fil-Qala. Hija semmiet kif fil-Qala hemm rata gholja ta' persuni jbatu mill-kancer u dan il-progett se jkompli jiggrava s-sitwazzjoni.