‘Save Hondoq’ condemns attitude at public hearing

Published on the Times of Malta on Saturday 29th May, 2010.

The ‘Save Hondoq` movement has condemned the attitude of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority and the developers at the public hearing of the environmental impact assessment of Hondoq on Thursday.

The movement criticised the “attitude and arrogance” of numerous individuals and Mepa on the way foreigners were dealt with during the hearing.

A number of foreigners who reside in Qala turned up for the hearing and they were insulted by people in favour of the development to the extent that some of them walked out, the movement said.

Mepa’s attitude that the law stated that the meeting had to be held in Maltese was not sufficient as the foreign residents who turned up for the meeting had the right to know and participate in the hearing about the project.

‘Save Hondoq’ thanked Astrid Vella for Flimkien Ghall Ambjent, Alex Vella on behalf of Ramblers, other non-governmental organisations and numerous individuals.

It also thanked the Qala council and its consultants, two of whom spoke during the hearing.

The movement said Alan Deidun put a strong argument against the marina. Making reference to official policies, not cited in the EIA, he argued that the project was not acceptable from a marine environment point of view.

Environment planning consultant Lino Bianco questioned how different the EIA, which was meant to be a scientific study of the impacts of the project, would read if it were a document intended to sell the project.

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