Coca-Cola: AD queries donation to Government

AD has noted that Government has accepted a donation of €560,000 by General Soft Drinks Co Limited representatives of Coca-Cola in Malta on behalf of the Coca-Cola Foundation. These funds are to be used on water project in Gozo within the context of eco-Gozo.

Carmel Cacopardo, AD Spokesman on Sustainable Development and Home Affairs said: “AD queries whether it would have been better for the Coca-Cola representatives in Malta to cease making use of boreholes in Qormi to supply water for their factory in Marsa. Their help would be much more effective in the national effort to protect the water table as less water would be extracted”.

Michael Briguglio, AD Chairman said: “The acceptance by Government of donations from an interested party, on the eve of a decision on the control of extraction of water from the water table through the use of boreholes, conveys a very wrong message. The government would have been more credible if it had postponed acceptance of the donation until such time as it had formulated and published a clear policy on the use of boreholes to extract water from the water table. At present General Soft Drinks and other companies extract water from the public aquifer to use it to produce mineral water and soft drinks.  If this unsustainable practice is redressed, AD would not query the involvement of Coca Cola in a water project in Gozo.  But as long as this unsustainable practice persists the donation sounds more like a public relations exercise to cover up this misuse of water resources. At least three Government officials (namely the Prime Minister Dr Gonzi, the MEPA Chairman Austin Walker and the MRA Chairman Reuben Balzan) have held or still hold high ranking positions within Mizzi Group – which owns General Soft Drinks Co. Ltd”.

 
Coca-Cola: AD ssaqsi dwar donazzjoni lill-Gvern

Alternattiva Demokratika innotat illi l-Gvern accetta donazzjoni ta’ €560,000 permezz tal-kumpanija General Soft Drinks Co Limited rapprezentanti tal-Coca Cola f’Malta  f’isem il-Coca-Cola Foundation. Dawn il-fondi ser ikunu uzati fuq progett tal-ilma f’Ghawdex fil-kuntest ta’ eko-Ghawdex.

Carmel Cacopardo, kelliemi ta’ AD ghall-Izvilupp Sostenibbli u l-Intern qal: “AD issaqsi jekk kienx ikun ahjar kieku r-rapprezentanti tal-Coca Cola f’Malta jieqfu jaghmlu uzu minn boreholes f’Hal-Qormi biex jissupplixxu l-fabbrika taghhom fil-Marsa. L-ghajnuna taghhom kienet tkun iktar effettiva u fl-interess nazzjonali biex ikun imhares l-ilma tal-pjan u dan billi jittella’ inqas ilma”.   
 
Michael Briguglio Chairperson ta’ AD, qal: “Hekk kif Malta qed tersaq lejn decizjoni fuq il-konroll tal-ilma li jittela mill-pjan permezz ta’ boreholes, l-accettazzjoni mill-Gvern ta’ donazzjoniiet bhal dawn, minn kumpanija li ttella l-ilma mill-boreholes, jaghti messagg negattiv.  Il-Gvern kien ikun ferm iktar kredibbli kieku ippospona l-accettazzjoni tad-donazzjoni sa wara l-formolazzjoni tal-politika dwar l-uzu tal-boreholes biex jittella l-ilma tal-pjan. Presentment il-General Soft Drinks u kumpaniji ohra qed itellu l-ilma tal-pjan biex jipproducu ilma fil-fliexken u minerali. Jekk din l-prattika li mhux sostenibli tkun indirizzata, AD ma tibqax toggezzjona ghall-involviment tal-Coca Cola fill-progett tal-ilma f’Ghawdex. Izda sakemm din il-prattika mhux sostenibbli tibqa’ fis-sehh id-donazzjoni hi biss esercizzju ta’ relazzjonijiet pubblici intenzjonat biex jghatti l-uzu hazin tar-rizorsi tal-ilma. Ta’ l-inqas tlett ufficjali tal-Gvern (cjoe l-Prim Ministru Dr Gonzi, ic-Chairman tal-MEPA Austin Walker u ic-Chairman tal-MRA Reuben Balzan) kellhom jew ghandhom pozizzjonijiet gholja fil-Mizzi Grouo, sid il-kumpanija General Soft Drinks”.      

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