Hondoq – the new symbol

Published on the Malta Independent on Sunday 13th June, 2010 by Joe Falzon.

Hondoq has now become a symbol – it represents the few developers with money interests on the one hand, and the huge number of Gozitans, Maltese and foreigners whose only interest is to maintain the natural purity of Hondoq that attracts them to this place. One look at the blogs / newspaper letters will show the vast numbers of those who are against the project as opposed to those in favour. And this is not counting the thousands of names that have signed the petition against the project. Can the developers boast of any petition to okay the project?

If architect Mr Bencini, or Vince Farrugia, or anyone in favour of the project want to convert me to their cause, then there are questions that need to be answered and which, as far as I know, haven’t been. I will list them in a random order and hope I get an answer:

1) Why do you think a new hotel will succeed where others are failing?

2) Why was Hondoq not listed on Mepa’s list of possible yacht marina sights in its survey, and now it has become the chosen site?

3) Why was the area concerned originally ODZ and then listed as open to development when Mr Bajada bought the land in question? Why did he get special treatment?

4) What guarantee can there be that the project won’t set a precedent and open up adjacent land to speculation?

5) What guarantee that parts of the coast won’t become ‘residents only’, like what happened at the Mellieha hotel and ta’ Cenc?

6) What guarantee that the bay won’t become polluted?

7) Why does Mr Bencini want to hide the facts regarding the numbers that use Hondoq?

8) Why a yacht marina at Hondoq? If it is necessary, why not extend the existing one at Mgarr?

9) Are there any politicians or their children involved in the project?

10) If the coast belongs to the public, then who gives you the right to demolish part of the shore to create an opening to the creek?

I was swimming at Hondoq today in the late afternoon (7 June, the Sette Giugno, long weekend). The beach had quite a few people, mostly Maltese and foreigners. I counted over 40 cars; God knows how many more had already been there and left. Keep in mind that the swimming season has barely started. Once school is over, and especially in the month of August, bathers will be packed like sardines in a tin! Too crowded for my liking, which is why I prefer early morning! This project will reduce the area where people can relax since part of the jetty will be demolished for the ‘mouth’ to the yacht marina! But, the developers would hoodwink the public by having a picture of Hondoq published in The Times with a handful of cars!

In the Independent of 8 June, Francesca Vella in her article tells how after Hondoq it will be Ta’ Cenc’s turn. Hondoq has become the symbolic battleground – if the project succeeds then it will be death knell for all ‘green areas’ in Gozo; it will automatically kill the concept of an Eco-Gozo and it will turn Mepa even more into a Frankenstein monster that can make and bend laws at will for VIP clients at the expense of the public in general.

Lastly, I would like to remind the Qala local council that in the referendum on Hondoq 85 per cent voted against both yacht marina and housing project and we should not okay the latter if the marina is scratched! Let’s stick to our guns – it was planned as a natural park area and that’s what an Eco-Gozo needs!