Illum kelliema ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika tkellmu dwar l-iżvilupp massiċċ li se jsir fil-Bajja ta’ San Ġorġ f’San Ġiljan – fejn art pubblika ngħatat bil-karawett għal skop ta’ spekulazzjoni.

Ftit iktar minn ġimgħa oħra jiġi fi tmiemu l-perjodu ta’ konsultazzjoni pubblika dwar l-art fuq is-sit tal-Istitut għall-iStudji tat-Turistiċi li hu ippjanat li tkun żviluppata f’taħlita ta’ bini residenzjali u għat-turiżmu, b’torri residenzjali ta’ 37 sular, lukanda ta’ 17-il sular, Casino u kumpless kummerċjali.

Danika Formosa, kelliema ta’ AD għat-Turiżmu u l-Ambjent Marittimu qalet:”M’aħniex konvinti li kollox miexi sewwa għax diġa nafu, minn dokumenti uffiċjali li l-Gvern u wieħed mill-iżviluppaturi ftehmu li l-perjodu ta’ konsultazzjoni pubblika jinżammu għall-minimu stabilit mill-liġi.”

“Meta nikkunsidraw dan l-iżvilupp irridu nqiesu ukoll li f’din iż-żona hawn ippjanati numru ta’proġetti mdaqqsa. Anke jekk nillimitaw ruħna għal dawk ta’ madwar il-bajja, skont il-Master Plan li għadu kif ġie skartat fi ftit taż-żmien ser ikun hawn  total ta’ ħames proġetti massiċċi u ċioe tal-ITS, Villa Rosa (inkluż Cresta Quay),l-Corinthia, Dragonara u St George’s Park.”

Dawn il-proġetti kollha ser tifgħu piż kbir fuq l-infrastruttura, fuq it-toroq u fuq is-servizzi.”

I-Chairperson ta’ AD Carmel Cacopardo qal:”Ftit iktar minn sena ilu ħadna sehem fil-konsulktazzjoni pubblika dwar il-Masterplan ta’ Paceville li kien imfassal biex jaqdi l-ħtiġijiet ta’ dawk li għandhom is-saħħa tal-flus u injora kompletament lin-nies u lin-negozjant iż-żgħir. Dakinnhar bosta semmgħu leħinhom dwar il-ħtieġa li nagħtu valur lil dawk li tul is-snin batew biex bnew lill-pajjiżna f’dak li hu illum. Għax il-Masterplan ta’ Paceville li fortunatment kien skartat, lil dawn kollha ippjana li jordomhom biex jagħmlu l-wisa’.”

“Illum irridu nwasslu żewġ osservazzjonijiet.

L-ewwel li l-konċessjonijiet li l-pajjiż jagħti kontinwament lill-industrija tat-turiżmu bħala pilastru tal-ekonomija qed jintużaw bħala front għall-ispekulazzjoni bid-diversi torrijiet residenzjali ippjanati madwar il-bajja li uħud minnhom bħal dak fuq is-sit tal-ITS diġa qed jiġu negożjati bil-miljuni meta għadu bilkemm beda l-proċess regolatorju.

It-tieni li dawn il-proġetti ser iwasslu għal impatti kumulattivi enormi fuq it-toroq, fuq ir-residenti li joqgħodu f’dawn l-inħawi, fuq l-aċċess għall-kosta li diġa hu limitat u fuq il-kwalità tal-ħajja ta’ kull min ser ikun f’dan l-inħawi.

Għad hawn partijiet żgħar mill-kosta li għadhom m’humiex żviluppati. Hi opportunita tad-deheb li tkun applikata l-liġi li approva l-Parlament dwar id-dimanju pubbliku u jħalli l-aħħar ftit kosta mhiex żviluppata għat-tgawdija ta’ kulħadd.

M’aħniex konvinti li kollox miexi sewwa għax diġa nafu, minn dokumenti uffiċjali li l-Gvern u wieħed mill-iżviluppaturi ftehmu li l-perjodu ta’ konsultazzjoni pubblika jinżammu għall-minimu stabilit mill-liġi.”

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In the interests of the favourite few

Today spokespersons from Alternattiva Demokratika addressed a press conference in Saint George’s Bay in Saint Julians about the massive development which will take place. Here public land was given away for peanuts for savage land speculation.

Slightly more than week from today the public consultation time-frame relative to the development proposed for the Institute for Tourism Studies site comes to an end. That development envisages a mix of tourism and residential development within a 37 floor residential tower, a 17 floor hotel, a Casino and a commercial complex.

Danika Formosa, AD spokesperson for Tourism and the Maritime Environment said:”Official documents indicate that there is an understanding between government and the developers that the consultation period will be kept to a minimum. This is not a good sign.”

“In this zone a number of other large development projects are being planned. If we limit our consideration to the Bay’s perimeter in a short space of time, according to the discarded Master Plan  a total of five large projects will be in hand, namely ITS, Villa Rosa (including Cresta Quay), Corinthia, Dragonara and  St George’s Park.”

“This signifies a strained infrastructure, with roads bursting at the seams and servces unable to cope.”

AD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said:”Around one year ago we participated in the public consultation on the Paceville Masterplan which addressed the interests if the developers and ignored completely existing residents and SMEs.  The public consultation saw many voice their concerns on the need to protect past achievements which should not be discarded. The Paceville Masterplan has fortunately gone back to the drawingboard.”

“Two particular concerns have to be addressed.

The first regards the fact that the concessions which the country continuously grants the tourism industry, as an economic priority are being used as a camouflage for land speculation through the development of a considerable number of residential high risers around the bay, some of which like the ITS development are already being sold and fetching millions when the planning process has barely started.

The second concern is around the substantial cumulative impacts on the road infrastructure, on residents in the area, on access to the coast which is already substantially limited and on the quality of life of all those visiting this area.”

“Given that small stretches of the coastline in this area are still undeveloped we point out that this is a unique opportunity to implement the Public Domain legislation approved recently by Parliament. It is an opportunity to ensure access to all to the coast.”