Eco-Gozo stands or falls at Ħondoq ir-Rummien

Published on The Malta Independent on Sunday 4th September, 2011 by James A. Tyrrell.

Not so long ago, Minister for Gozo Giovanna Debono declared her support for the marina, villas, apartments and a hotel project at Ħondoq. Now that Mepa’s Environmental Directorate has voted against the idea of a marina, villas and so on, she seems to have changed her mind and is now against the idea. My question therefore is, will the minister be using her position to bring pressure to bear in order to reinstate the local plan for Ħondoq that was changed behind the local council’s back, to the original plan as it was before 2006?

To come to the right decision on this matter, she really needs to refer to the EIS and decide whether or not a marina, villas, apartments and a hotel will fit in with the proposed and much talked about Eco-Gozo plan. The area, as it stands at present, is one of the safest and cleanest for bathing in Gozo. Any form of major construction in the area would totally destroy that and it has been estimated that during the excavation period alone, which would last approximately 18 months (who knows how long it will actually take), there would be one truckload passing through Qala every four minutes!

If the Ministry for Gozo and the Maltese government are truly serious about standing behind this Eco-Gozo proposal then Ħondoq ir-Rummien is where they have to dig their heels in and say enough is enough. The time has come to put environment ahead of profit. The time has come to put the little guy ahead of the millionaire developer. The time has come to stop talking the talk and start walking the walk.