Following the granting of the permit in Mistra, AD chairperson, Prof Arnold Cassola, said: “Alternattiva had registered its objections to this mega concrete jungle project as from 2008. Unfortunately, apart from the residents, public opinion was quite absent at that time. Unfortunately, the approval of such projects proves that whether it is a Nationalist or a Labour administration there is no political will to give the Maltese a better quality of life regarding noise pollution, air quality and traffic management. With projects of this kind, Minister Joe Mizzi’s traffic management plans are already dead before they are even announced and Malta’s inhabitants are destined to live the rest of their lives three hours daily jammed in traffic congestion.”
Carmel Cacopardo, AD Deputy Chairman and Spokesperson on Sustainable Development and Home Affairs, stated that the writing has been on the wall for some time. AD has always been outspoken on this type of mega-development. Unfortunately the political parties elected to Parliament are not sensitive to this type of development. We expect to have many more of these decisions as the current government like its predecessor considers that the building industry requires its support. The rights of residents to be protected from the impacts of over-development have been discarded long ago.
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Wara l-ħrug tal-permess għall-proġett tal-Mistra, iċ-chairperson ta’ AD, Prof Arnold Cassola, qal: “Alternattiva kienet ressqet l-oġġezzjonijiet tagħha fuq din il-ġungla enormi ta’ konkrit sa mill-2008. Sfortunatament, apparti r-residenti fil-qrib, l-opinjoni pubblika ma tantx kienet evidenti dak iż-żmien. Hija ħasra li l-approvazzjoni ta’ proġetti bħal dawn turi biċ-ċar li jkun hemm min ikun hemm fil-gvern, m’hemmx rieda politika biex il-Maltin ikollhom kwalita’ ta’ ħajja aħjar fir-rigward ta’ tniggiż mill-ħsejjes, il-kwalita’ tal-arja u l-immaniġjar tat-traffiku. Bi proġetti ta’ dan it-tip, il-pjanijiet tal-immaniġjar tat-traffiku tal-Ministru Joe Mizzi huma diġa mejta qabel ma għadhom ġew imħabbra u l-Maltin huma destinati li jgħixu l-kumplament ta’ ħajjithom imwaħħlin fit-traffiku għal tliet siegħat kuljum.”
Carmel Cacopardo, id Deputat Chairperson ta’ AD u kelliem dwar l-Izvilupp sostenibbli u l-Intern, qal li l-problema ilna nafu x’inhi. AD dejjem tkellmet ċar u tond dwar dan it-tip żvilupp enormi. Sfortunatament, il-partiti politiċi eletti fil-Parlament m’huma sensittivi xejn għal dan it-tip ta’ żvilupp u għalhekk aħna qed nistennew ħafna aktar deċiżjonijiet ta’ dan it-tip billi l-Gvern preżenti, bħal dak ta’ qablu, jemmen li l-industrija tal-bini teħtieg l-appoġġ tal-Gvern. Il-Gvernijiet tal-lum u dawk ta’ qablu ilhom li abbandunaw id-dritt tar-residenti li jkunu protetti mill-impatt ta’ żvilupp eżagerat.
