SOS Hondoq News

Sunday, September 30, 2007

An open letter to the Malta Labour Party

Published on www.gozonews.com on Wednesday 26th September, 2007 by James A. Tyrrell.

I would like to express my deep disappointment at the recent U-turn performed by Dr. Alfred Sant with regard to the proposed Hondoq ir-Rummien marina development. I don’t think anyone should be surprised by the exploitation in modern day politics but Dr. Sant and the Labour Party has managed to surpass themselves.

Whilst people like myself the voting public and in this case in particular the voting public of Qala can expect nothing more than to be screwed by politicians, we must remember that there are others involved here. The other persons I’m referring to are the Labour councillors for Qala of whom one of them was very vociferous against the Hondoq Project.

Now call me cynical but I get the impression here that they have been used by the MLP in order to secure the votes of the people of Qala in the upcoming election. Obviously I don’t know them but I get the impression that they were and hopefully still are very respected members of the Qala community. I say hopefully because I’m assuming that the people of Qala realise that they are victims here too.

Mark Farrugia, Media Executive for the Malta Labour Party has through the press denied that Dr. Sant has made a U-turn in the matter of Hondoq, but he has adopted the classic political tool of semantics to do so. Given the fact that there is an election coming up I would suggest that the MLP for once in their life’s give a straight answer to a straight question. If elected to Government are you the MLP going to support the development of a marina at Hondoq ir-Rummien? Yes or No?

The MLP had a noticeable presence at the Save Gozo protest but this protest was not just about Ramla. It was also a protest against the proposed developments at Ta Cenc, Hondoq and Mgarr ix-Xini. Why have Labour committed themselves against the proposed development at Ramla yet not done so in the case of the other three? Dr. Sant in his interview said that the proposed marina development at Hondoq would only take place after consultation with the people of Qala. Surely the referendum in which 85% of Qala residents voted against the development should be enough of a consultation. After all he accepted a 52% majority to join the EU which he was against.

To Dr. Sant in particular and the MLP in general I say shame on you. To treat the people of Qala in this despicable manner is disgusting. But to treat your own members in this way is beyond words. To Moviment Harsien Hondoq and to the people of Qala, in particular the 85% who voted against this development I say to you the fight must go on. In the words of William Jennings Bryan, “Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.” You the people must make your voices heard.

To the councillors, again in the words of William Jennings Bryan I say, “The humblest citizen in all the land, when clad in the armour of a righteous cause, is stronger than all the hosts of error.” I wish you strength in your coming battles.