ADPD tirreferi għad-dikjarazzjoni tal-Ministru għat-Trasport Chris Bonett li servizz ta’ ferry minn Marsaskala għal Valletta mistenni jibda jopera lejn l-aħħar ta’ din is-sena jew fil-bidu tal-2027.
Il-PRO ta’ ADPD-The Green Party (u kandidat elettorali fit-Tielet Distrett, li jinkludi wkoll Marsaskala) Brian Decelis qal li l-ebda ferry jew proġett ieħor m’għandu jitwettaq mingħajr ma jiġu ppubblikati l-istudji meħtieġa. Bonett jinsab mgħaġġel biex jidher li qed jimbotta u jibda l-proġetti minħabba l-kampanja elettorali.
Diġà huwa ta’ diżappunt li l-Awtorità għall-Ambjent u r-Riżorsi (ERA), li xogħolha hu li tiżgura li l-ambjent tagħna jiġi mħares kif jixraq ċaħdet il-ħtieġa ta’ EIA.
Barra minn hekk, l-impatt li dan il-proġett se jħalli fuq iż-żona residenzjali għandu jqis in-numru stmat ta’ passiġġieri mistenni u ż-żieda fit-traffiku li inevitabbilment se jġib miegħu.
Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD–The Green Party Sandra Gauci qalet li l-proġetti għandhom ikunu akkumpanjati minn studji xierqa. “Nerġgħu ntennu li l-istudji meħtieġa għandhom isiru sabiex tiġi stabbilita l-fattibbiltà ta’ kwalunkwe proġett mhux biss mill-perspettiva ekonomika iżda wkoll f’dak li għandu x’jaqsam mal-impatt tiegħu fuq l-ambjent u r-residenti. Hekk titlob is-serjetà.”
“ADPD tikkundanna l-fatt li l-Ministru jidher determinat li jibqa’ għaddej b’dan il-proġett u proġetti oħra fil-lokalità mingħajr konsultazzjoni xierqa mar-residenti. Bħal fil-każ tal-proġetti l-oħra li għaddejjin f’Marsaskala, ADPD tinsisti li għandha dejjem issir konsultazzjoni sħiħa mar-residenti wara li jkunu saru l-istudji tekniċi dettaljati kollha meħtieġa, filwaqt li jitqiesu l-konsegwenzi kollha li dan il-proġett se jħalli fuq il-lokalità”
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No ferry without the necessary studies
ADPD refers to Transport Minister Chris Bonett’s declaration that a ferry service from Marsaskala to Valletta is expected to start operating at the end of this year or beginning of 2027.
ADPD-The Green Party PRO (and electoral candidate on the Third District, which also includes Marsaskala) Brian Decelis said that no ferry or other project must be carried out without the necessary studies being published. Bonett is in a frenzy to be seen pushing projects forward because of the election campaign.
It was already disappointing that the authority entrusted with the responsibility to ensure that our environment is properly safeguarded – the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) – has already waived the need for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
Moreover, the impact that this project will have on the surrounding residential zone has to take into consideration estimated passenger numbers and the traffic increase that will inevitably bring about.
ADPD-The Green Party Chairperson Sandra Gauci said that projects must be accompanied by proper studies. “We reiterate that the necessary studies must be carried out in order to ascertain the feasibility of any project not just from an economic perspective but also in terms of its impact on the environment and the residents. It’s called good governance.”
“ADPD deplores the fact that the Minister seems to be hell bent on going ahead with this and other projects in the locality without proper consultation with the residents. As in the case of all ongoing projects in Marsaskala, ADPD insists that there should always be full consultation with residents after all the necessary detailed technical studies have been conducted, taking into consideration the cumulative effects this project will have on the locality.”
