Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party listened to the complaints of Senglea residents (primarily those of Bastion Street) on the noise, primarily during the silent hours, resulting from the oil rig repairs at the Palumbo Shipyards.

AD Chairperson, Prof. Arnold Cassola, said: “Senglea residents of Bastion Street up to Senglea Point are being subjected to sleepless nights due to the noise which is primarily generated as a result of repair works on these oil rigs.”

“We ask: who decided that these works be taken in hand without first assessing the impacts on the residential community? Throughout its years of operation this is not the first time that the shipyard has been the cause of resident irritation both as a result of noise generated as well as a result of the impacts of grit blasting.”

AD Deputy Chairperson, Carmel Cacopardo, said: “The fact that the Palumbo shipyard borders a residential community should of itself be a sufficient reason for it to consider carefully its impacts before proceeding with such decisions.”

“We also query what the Environment Directorate at MEPA is doing to protect the quality of life of the residents of Senglea. The said Directirate should have monitored the situation and acted immediately as soon as it was necessary to provide protection from noise pollution.”

“Unfortunately it is obvious that the Environment Directorate within MEPA is insensitive when it comes to the needs of residents. This, clearly is a conclusion which one draws not just with reference to Senglea. Last week we witnessed how the same Environment Directorate recommended to the MEPA Board that the activity of oil rig maintenance be permitted at the Marsaxlokk Port, along the Freeport quays. Although the MEPA Board approved the permit for these activities at the Freeport it was with satisfaction that we noted the representative of environmental NGOs was supported by the representatives of Parliament in voting against the permit.”

Carmel Cacopardo concluded by stating : “Alternattiva Demokratika-The Green Party notes that last week the government dissociated itself from the permit issued to repair oil rigs at the Freeport. It would be desirable if government commits itself to ensure that this activity is not permitted next to any residential zone in Malta or Gozo. We await government’s position because residents in every locality of Malta and Gozo require this protection.”

…

Alternattiva Demokratika semgħet l-ilmenti tar-residenti tal-Isla (prinċipalment dawk fi Triq is-Sur) dwar l-istorbju kontinwu pero’ prinċipalment bil-lejl bħala riżultat tal-oil rigs li qed isirulhom tiswijiet fit-Tarżna ta’ Palumbo.

Ic-Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika, Prof. Arnold Cassola, qal: “Ir-residenti tal-Isla tul Triq is-Sur sal-Ponta tal-Isla qed jgħaddu iljieli sħaħ bla mistrieħ minħabba l-istorbju prinċipalment iġġenerat minn xogħolijiet fuq dawn l-oil rigs.”

“Nistaqsu : min ħa din id-deċiżjoni li jsir dan ix-xogħol mingħajr ma qabel eżamina l-konsegwenzi fuq ir-residenti? It-Tarżna tul l-istorja  tagħha mhux l-ewwel darba li irritat lir-residenti kemm bi storbju kif ukoll bl-impatt tal-grit blasting.”

Id-Deputat Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika, Carmel Cacopardo, qal : “Il-fatt li t-Tarżna ta’ Palumbo  tmiss ma żona residenzjali titfa fuqha l-obbligu li tqis sewwa qabel ma tieħu deċiżjonijiet ta’ dawn it-tip.”

“Nistaqsu ukoll dwar x’inhu jagħmel id-Direttorat tal-Ambjent tal-MEPA biex jipproteġi l-kwalita’ tal-ħajja tar-residenti tal-Isla. Kellu jkun id-Direttorat tal-Ambjent tal-MEPA li jissorvelja u jieħu passi immedjati hekk kif ikun meħtieġ biex ikun provdut ħarsien mit-tniġġiż akustiku.”

“Jidher, sfortunatament, li d-Direttorat tal-Ambjent tal-MEPA m’huwiex sensittiv għall-ħtieġijiet tar-residenti. Mhux biss għal dawk tal-Isla. Il-ġimgħa l-oħra rajna kif l-istess Direttorat tal-Ambjent irrakkomanda lill-Bord tal-MEPA biex l-istess attivita ta’ tiswijiet ta’ oil rigs tkun permessa fil-Port ta’ Marsaxlokk, mal-mollijiet tal-Port Ħieles. Għalkemm il-Bord tal-MEPA approva l-permess għal dawn l-attivitajiet fil-Port Ħieles kien ta’ sodisfazzjon li innutajna li ir-rapprezentant tal-għaqdiet ambjentali fuq il-Bord tal-MEPA ingħata l-appoġġ mir-rappreżentanti tal-Parlament fuq dan il-Bord fil-vot kontra dan il-permess.”

Carmel Cacopardo ikkonkluda billi qal: “Alternattiva Demokratika tinnota li l-ġimgħa l-oħra l-Gvern iddisassoċja ruħu mill-permess għat-tiswija tal-oil rigs fil-Port Ħieles. Ikun ferm għaqli kieku l-Gvern jikkommetti ruħu li din it-tip ta’ attivita’ ma issir ħdejn l-ebda żona residenzjali f’Malta jew Għawdex. Nistennew li l-Gvern jieħu posizzjoni ċara f’qasir żmien għax ir-residenti ta’ kull parti ta’ Malta jeħtieġu din il-protezzjoni.”