Expensive car

Published on the Malta Independent on Sunday 4th July, 2010 by Joe Falzon.

In his “expensive car’’ interview, Mr Walker said that there was a surplus of empty homes but, according to law, Mepa cannot deny permits to those who are legally within their rights. Fine, granted, but can Mr Walker explain the granting of permits to extend / develop existing property that is illegal? And, regarding the Hondoq Creek project, why was the area conveniently delisted as ODZ to open up the way for housing, which you are saying is superfluous and contradicts your claim that ODZ areas should not be built – ah, I forgot, we just issue a directive and voila’! ODZ is no longer ODZ and that makes it right!

The Hondoq quarry in question has been described as an eyesore dump – then why doesn’t Mepa apply its laws and have the owners clean it up? Its present state should not be an excuse for superfluous housing that will end up mostly unoccupied.

And didn’t Mepa turn down a permit to build a quay for cruise liners at Mgarr because it would endanger poseidonia beds? Well, Hondoq has its own poseidonia meadows – you set the precedent, stick to it: No yacht marina for Hondoq

One last thing: I read online in the Irish Independent (national news) an article dated 4 July 2006 in which the EU rebuked Ireland for turning its coasts into ‘a concrete jungle’. Is this what’s in store for Malta and Gozo which already have 70 per cent of their shores inaccessible! Keep in mind that many questions were raised regarding the Hondoq project and, as far as I can tell, they have not been answered. The architect Mr Bencini seems awfully quiet. I know he claimed he saw an amberjack at Portomaso (just one? just your word for it?) What next, Mr Bencini – a mermaid?

So, Mr Walker, if you are sincere about what you said, then the case is closed – Hondoq should not even be considered for development! It should be kept ODZ. If it is given the green light – and many believe it already has been, and all these public discussions and appeals are just a sham show of democracy – then what one sees as an ‘expensive car’ is seen by many others as a gas-guzzling, overpriced car of low performance!