Hondoq ir-Rummien EIA (2)
Published on The Times of Malta on Sunday 24th June, 2007 by Dr J.A. Consiglio, Ph.D.
The rapes of Tigné, Manoel Island and practically the whole of formerly beautiful Sliema - ditto all of Xlendi in Gozo, the ghettoisation of Bugibba, and soon the rest of Qawra, the coming Pendergardens, the ghastliness of Xemxija Hill... the list is endless - simply confirms that as much as MEPA's board may have done in the past, or is hell bent on continuing to do now, it has long lost its credibility as an institution that can command respect.
That it does not realise that, in a small country 17 miles by nine, it should really be in the business of saying 'no' many more times than 'yes', is symptomatic of the extent it has become the lapdog of (in order) politicians, speculators/developers/builders/architects' lobbying power, and finally the moneyed classes.
And its ridiculous procedures, which allow a land- or property-owner to keep applying again, and again, and again, for building structures in areas where a permit is repeatedly refused, is yet another example of why it is now, in most uncommitted and sensible people's perceptions, a perfect example of "a state within a state".
To quote just another example, Dr Alan Deidun (The Sunday Times, June 10) refers to permit application PA04286/99 which is about an obscene attempt to build in St Paul's Bay on (a) a coastal cliff, (b) an area which is of proven archaeological value, (c) includes a cave of geological importance, (d) where MEPA recently approved an ADT application for a needed close-by road enhancement in what is essentially a very narrow area and cannot absorb any development at all without encroaching on the close-by garigue.
MEPA only need to bow to this application and accept it to confirm, yet again, the general people's perception. After that, then the raping of the whole of the opposite side of the bay, the yacht marina in Xemxija, and nature can as much as go to hell on the altar of... as named.
The rapes of Tigné, Manoel Island and practically the whole of formerly beautiful Sliema - ditto all of Xlendi in Gozo, the ghettoisation of Bugibba, and soon the rest of Qawra, the coming Pendergardens, the ghastliness of Xemxija Hill... the list is endless - simply confirms that as much as MEPA's board may have done in the past, or is hell bent on continuing to do now, it has long lost its credibility as an institution that can command respect.
That it does not realise that, in a small country 17 miles by nine, it should really be in the business of saying 'no' many more times than 'yes', is symptomatic of the extent it has become the lapdog of (in order) politicians, speculators/developers/builders/architects' lobbying power, and finally the moneyed classes.
And its ridiculous procedures, which allow a land- or property-owner to keep applying again, and again, and again, for building structures in areas where a permit is repeatedly refused, is yet another example of why it is now, in most uncommitted and sensible people's perceptions, a perfect example of "a state within a state".
To quote just another example, Dr Alan Deidun (The Sunday Times, June 10) refers to permit application PA04286/99 which is about an obscene attempt to build in St Paul's Bay on (a) a coastal cliff, (b) an area which is of proven archaeological value, (c) includes a cave of geological importance, (d) where MEPA recently approved an ADT application for a needed close-by road enhancement in what is essentially a very narrow area and cannot absorb any development at all without encroaching on the close-by garigue.
MEPA only need to bow to this application and accept it to confirm, yet again, the general people's perception. After that, then the raping of the whole of the opposite side of the bay, the yacht marina in Xemxija, and nature can as much as go to hell on the altar of... as named.
posted by Hondoq at
1:47 PM
