‘Controversial’ projects for Gozo?

Published on the Times of Malta on Sunday, 30th October, 2011 by Alan Deidun.

Pulling wool over eyes

The fact that the proposer of the Qala Creek (Ħondoq ir-Rummien) project has abandoned the yacht marina concept and replaced it with a proposed swimming lagoon may seem, prima facie, a victory for the environmental movement.

But delving further into the matter, one realises that the move is symptomatic of a developer who has read the writing on the wall and has opted for confounding, delaying tactics.

The Qala Creek project proposals have in recent months been given the thumbs down by Mepa’s Environment Directorate, Transport Malta and the NGO Wirt Għawdex, among a long list of other detractors. In fact, the publication of the case officer’s report for the project was imminent and the odds were stacked against the developer.

So by popping such a fundamentally different proposal out of the hat, the developer is wasting the precious time of Mepa staff. The application was originally submitted some nine years ago.

With Ħondoq ir-Rummien’s excellent bathing water quality, the need for a swimming lagoon there is hardly urgent.

To view the whole article and the comments, go tohttp://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111030/environment/-Controversial-projects-for-Gozo-.391339