From quarries to a golf course and some
Published on The Malta Independent on Sunday 3rd February, 2008 by Angelo Xerri.
In spring of 2007, in the early morning, I was hiking near Qala quarries in Gozo and walked east towards Qala Fort (Il- Fortin) or St Anthony’s Fort. This fort was built in 1732 and dominates Ras Il-Qala (Qala’s Head), a neglected tourist jewel.
Walking partly on uncultivated fields and along the seashore, I noticed that the ground, weeds and everything else was covered in dust from the quarries and so were my clothes. I looked like a plasterer after a day’s work. (Ramblers Association please take note.) The bottom of the sea was no better. I found out from some divers that the bottom of the sea near the shore was covered with all kinds of debris – steel mixed in with concrete from building sites, tyres and other garbage. Two cruise ships sailed by close to shore, you could see the people looking to catch the first glimpse of the Maltese Islands.
About 60 years ago this area was the show place of Gozo if not Malta. Rubble walls all in order, fruit trees of all kinds, fields of grape vines, clover, wheat and many other crops. Blue Rock thrushes singing everywhere, as some people made salt near the seashore. It gave you the feeling that the farmers had some kind of competition between them. They worked hard using primitive tools and donkey power. One of them was my grandfather. I think if you brought some of them out of their grave to look at this area today, there would be one answer. Please return me to my grave. How could this disaster be allowed to happen, when the Authorities and MEPA boast that they are protecting the environment? Is this progress? Somebody must be held accountable and clean it up.
This area could be kept clean by closing the quarries and replacing them with a golf course. It has all the assets that a super 18-hole golf course requires; it has many uncultivated fields with good soil to grow grass and trees, it also has some water. The summer sun is less fierce than in the south of Gozo. Big difference from a golf course built at Ta’ Cenc on barren rock, parched by a relentless sun summer and winter without water in the area. The beautiful sun rising out of the sea here is like no other place in the Maltese Islands especially in spring. It will also be a beautiful sight for many ships and cruise liners that sail close to this shore, whether they are stopping in Malta or not, when they catch the first glimpse of the Maltese Islands. This is the way to Brand Malta and Gozo.
The way it looks today is a huge eyesore, and resembles a war zone. The many species of birds that stop here during migration and Malta’s national bird the Rock Thrush will start nesting again in this area, for all the golfers and visitors to enjoy. Many golfers like to play early in the morning, others prefer afternoons. It is ideal for this. Golfers can be ferried to this area in a short time from mainland Malta, from places like Valletta, Sliema, Bugibba, St Paul’s Bay and others. A beautiful golf course requires a state-of-the-art clubhouse with all the facilities – an Olympic size swimming pool, a la carte restaurant. May be the clubhouse and restaurant could be built close to a restored St Anthony’s Fort. This is something to dream about. A golf course in this area would also mark the end of dump trucks that service these quarries. These trucks use all major roads that completely pollute this village, as they pass by schools, Qala Square, spewing diesel fumes and dust, making an unbearable noise and damaging people’s properties in the narrowest of roads, and making residents so sick that some of them died from cancer. The Occupational Health and Safety Authority has done nothing to control this unfolding tragedy, especially for the elderly. The final blow will be dealt to Qala and the whole east coast of Gozo if the Qala Creek Project is approved, as all Qala shores will be polluted including Comino. When the wind blows from the west, northwest, and north, there will be no beach to go to in Gozo, including Qala, Marsalforn, Ramla Bay and Comino for Gozitans and visiting Maltese and tourists alike. Gozo needs more beaches, not a ticket to destroy them. The two beaches of Hawlija and Zewwiqa have already been destroyed with the expansion of Mgarr Harbour. Since an election is looming, the new government and the Opposition must come clean, and listen and protect the people of these islands by keeping pollution and developers under control. There is no room for mistakes like Fort Chambray on this tiny island. Mistakes are irreversible. Pollution prevention is the best health policy, and costs less than clinics and new hospitals.
In spring of 2007, in the early morning, I was hiking near Qala quarries in Gozo and walked east towards Qala Fort (Il- Fortin) or St Anthony’s Fort. This fort was built in 1732 and dominates Ras Il-Qala (Qala’s Head), a neglected tourist jewel.
Walking partly on uncultivated fields and along the seashore, I noticed that the ground, weeds and everything else was covered in dust from the quarries and so were my clothes. I looked like a plasterer after a day’s work. (Ramblers Association please take note.) The bottom of the sea was no better. I found out from some divers that the bottom of the sea near the shore was covered with all kinds of debris – steel mixed in with concrete from building sites, tyres and other garbage. Two cruise ships sailed by close to shore, you could see the people looking to catch the first glimpse of the Maltese Islands.
About 60 years ago this area was the show place of Gozo if not Malta. Rubble walls all in order, fruit trees of all kinds, fields of grape vines, clover, wheat and many other crops. Blue Rock thrushes singing everywhere, as some people made salt near the seashore. It gave you the feeling that the farmers had some kind of competition between them. They worked hard using primitive tools and donkey power. One of them was my grandfather. I think if you brought some of them out of their grave to look at this area today, there would be one answer. Please return me to my grave. How could this disaster be allowed to happen, when the Authorities and MEPA boast that they are protecting the environment? Is this progress? Somebody must be held accountable and clean it up.
This area could be kept clean by closing the quarries and replacing them with a golf course. It has all the assets that a super 18-hole golf course requires; it has many uncultivated fields with good soil to grow grass and trees, it also has some water. The summer sun is less fierce than in the south of Gozo. Big difference from a golf course built at Ta’ Cenc on barren rock, parched by a relentless sun summer and winter without water in the area. The beautiful sun rising out of the sea here is like no other place in the Maltese Islands especially in spring. It will also be a beautiful sight for many ships and cruise liners that sail close to this shore, whether they are stopping in Malta or not, when they catch the first glimpse of the Maltese Islands. This is the way to Brand Malta and Gozo.
The way it looks today is a huge eyesore, and resembles a war zone. The many species of birds that stop here during migration and Malta’s national bird the Rock Thrush will start nesting again in this area, for all the golfers and visitors to enjoy. Many golfers like to play early in the morning, others prefer afternoons. It is ideal for this. Golfers can be ferried to this area in a short time from mainland Malta, from places like Valletta, Sliema, Bugibba, St Paul’s Bay and others. A beautiful golf course requires a state-of-the-art clubhouse with all the facilities – an Olympic size swimming pool, a la carte restaurant. May be the clubhouse and restaurant could be built close to a restored St Anthony’s Fort. This is something to dream about. A golf course in this area would also mark the end of dump trucks that service these quarries. These trucks use all major roads that completely pollute this village, as they pass by schools, Qala Square, spewing diesel fumes and dust, making an unbearable noise and damaging people’s properties in the narrowest of roads, and making residents so sick that some of them died from cancer. The Occupational Health and Safety Authority has done nothing to control this unfolding tragedy, especially for the elderly. The final blow will be dealt to Qala and the whole east coast of Gozo if the Qala Creek Project is approved, as all Qala shores will be polluted including Comino. When the wind blows from the west, northwest, and north, there will be no beach to go to in Gozo, including Qala, Marsalforn, Ramla Bay and Comino for Gozitans and visiting Maltese and tourists alike. Gozo needs more beaches, not a ticket to destroy them. The two beaches of Hawlija and Zewwiqa have already been destroyed with the expansion of Mgarr Harbour. Since an election is looming, the new government and the Opposition must come clean, and listen and protect the people of these islands by keeping pollution and developers under control. There is no room for mistakes like Fort Chambray on this tiny island. Mistakes are irreversible. Pollution prevention is the best health policy, and costs less than clinics and new hospitals.
posted by Hondoq at
1:42 PM
