Stormy meeting over Hondoq Creek Mega-Project Proposal

Published on www.gozonews.com on Thursday 27th May, 2010.

Todays public consultation meeting about the proposed mega-development at Hondoq Creek started on an angry note this afternoon, after arriving protestors discovered that over half the seating had already been taken by members of the Gozo construction industry and their supporters.

The protestors reacted angrily when the lack of seating prevented them from entering the hall and Qala Local Councillor, Paul Buttigieg, called for the partitions at the back of the hall to be removed to make room for all of the protestors. However, some of the protestors took matters into their own hands and quickly moved all the partitioned seating to the front of the hall.

The meeting then opened with both those protesting against the development and those in favour presenting their opposing views to the gathered meeting, inevitably accompanied by some angry outbursts from both sides..

The Hondoq Creek mega-project proposes a development rising seven storeys high along the Qala hillside, including a hotel, 250 residences, shops, restaurants and a yacht marina. As an alternative, Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar (FAA), along with Qala Local Council, organised a competition for University architecture students to design a national park plan for the Hondoq Creek, as the area was originally designated.

While the developers have always inisisted that the project is going to be kept in the quarry area from their plans one can see that the yacht marina is going to spill over onto the area enjoyed by those who use Hondoq bay every summer, the developers own Environment Impact Assessment actually admitted that having a yacht marina only a few meters away will negatively impact the pristine waters of the bay.

Opponents of the proposal pointed out that here will also be an impact on the health of the residents of Qala, which has the second highest rate of air pollution in Gozo due to the passage of heavy vehicles to the nearby quarries. The project will further choke the narrow village streets with the the exhaust of thousands of daily car trips transporting tourists, staff and supplies to the hotel, restaurants, shops and housing units.

Those opposed to the development also said that Gozo’s tourism does not need a huge project destroying its characteristic bays and valleys, rising seven storeys up the hillside, and eventually employing foreigners at low wages, not Gozitans and such a project will only serve to kill off other establishments and ruin Gozo’s image, just like the over-development at Marsalforn and Xlendi.

They stressed that Gozo needs the promised national park with heritage trails to the Qala tower, organic farming and nature walks, a small amphitheatre and better beach facilities, saying that these are the things that attract more tourists to Gozo all the year round, not mega-projects.

The Gozo Business Chamber has said that the Chamber is in favour of the project, as long as MEPA can ensure that there is a balance between protecting the environment and creating jobs in Gozo. GRTU Director General, Vince Farrugia, has also expressed his support for the proposed development.

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