Government’s consultation processes a sham

Government’s public consultation exercises are often flawed, asking questions which it should answer itself. This was stated by Carmel Cacopardo, ADPD – The Green Party’s Chairperson during a press conference today.

ADPD – The Greens’ Secretary General Ralph Cassar spoke about ongoing consultation processes and emphasised that in following six weeks, more than 15 documents are up for public consultation. A number of these documents are about education, another on government’s economic vision and one on government’s zero carbon strategy. Instead of an extensive and in-depth consultation the government is publishing glossy documents, many of them without the accompanying studies on which the recommendations in the documents are based. It is insulting to expect stakeholders to study the documents and give informed views on the subject matter in a few weeks. The public consultation exercise is more often than not a sham.

An example of government’s attitude is the Transport Masterplan. Government is not even capable of implementing its own policy documents. Policies in the Transport Masterplan have been repeatedly ignored: actually government has embarked on the opposite of what the Transport Masterplan stipulates. The zero-carbon document issued this month for consultation is replete with long-overdue recommendations. Even when it comes to government’s economic vision – instead of offering a set of policies and an analysis of scenarios that can be discussed in detail, we have ended up with a vague document with a wishlist. The intention is clear: government does not want to commit itself to any policy and wants to continue with business as usual, to avoid upsetting anyone!

Carmel Cacopardo focused on the Green Paper Towards Cleaner Vehicles on our Roads. He said that although this consultation process was announced almost 4 years ago, in September 2017, the information in the consultation document is scarce. This makes this consultation a sham.

Carmel Cacopardo emphasised the following points:

– While the Green Paper acknowledges that air emissions as a result of cars and other vehicles increased by 86% over the period 1990-2018, it ignores the fact that it is government itself through the savage take up of land for more roads, that has caused an exponential increase in traffic and pollution.

– The transition to the eletrification of the vehicle fleet is a step forward. Emissions will however not decrease they will just be shifted from our roads to the source of generation of electricity in Malta and, through the interconnector to Sicily. The document is completely silent about both the source and the price we will pay for this electricity. Will it be a clean and renewable zero-emission source or not?

– While the use of petrol and diesel will decrease substantially as a result of the electrification of cars, on the other hand the government is reluctant to announce a moratorium on the development of new fuel stations, despite the fact that we do not need more of them. The Green Paper is silent on this issue.

– Government revenue through fuel duties from the sale of petrol and diesel is substantial. Government’s own financial estimates for 2021 indicate a revenue of €154 million. This revenue stream will fizzle out. What is the government proposing as alternative sources of revenue? On this important matter the consultation document is once again silent.

– Government does not have the courage to indicate which areas should be designated as low emission zones – that is, with limited vehicle traffic – to improve air quality. Minister Aaron Farrugia should tell us whether he really wants to protect the health of residents of Fgura, Ħamrun, Floriana, Msida and Gżira, among other polluted places.

In his closing remarks Carmel Cacopardo said that the Green Paper refers to two studies about vehicle electrification, but these documents have not been made public. There cannot be proper consultation if important documents are kept under wraps. The Green Paper fails in the most essential thing: it does not give the full information needed for detailed feedback. The consultation process is a sham.

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Il-konsultazzjoni pubblika f’pajjiżna hija finta

L-eżercizzji ta’ konsultazzjoni pubblika tal-gvern ħafna drabi huma mogħdija taż-żmien bin-nies. Dan qalu Carmel Cacopardo, Chairperson ta’ ADPD waqt konferenza stampa illum.

Is-Segretarju Ġenerali ta’ ADPD Ralph Cassar tkellem fuq il-proċessi ta’ konsultazzjoni li għaddejjin bħalissa u qal li propju fis-sitt ġimgħat li ġejjin, hemm aktar minn 15-il dokument għall-konsultazzjoni pubblika. Fosthom numru dwar l-edukazzjoni, dokument dwar il-viżjoni ekonomika u ieħor dwar l-istrateġja żero-karbonju. Minflok konsultazzjoni iffukata u studjata l-Gvern qed jippubblika dokumenti kuluriti, ħafna minnhom mingħajr l-istudji li fuqhom saru r-rakomandazzjonijiet u jippretendi li min huwa interessat jagħti l-fehma tiegħu fuq is-suġġett. Il-konsultazzjoni pubblika li qed issir hija finta, issir biex taparsi tkun saret.

Ir-realtà hi, jekk nħarsu lejn dokumenti li ħarġu fil-passat qrib, li l-Gvern mhux kommess li jimplimenta lanqas ir-rakkomandazzjonijiet fid-dokumenti tiegħu stess. Eżempju lampanti ta’ dan hija l-politika dwar it-trasport, liema policies fil-Masterplan dwar it-Trasport tal-Gvern ġew repetutament injorati, anzi l-Gvern qed jagħmel bil-kontra tal-policies tal-Masterplan. Id-dokument dwar il-karbonju-żero li qed issir konsultazzjoni fuqu bħalissa filfatt fih repetizzjoni ta’ miżuri li suppost ilhom żmien li saru. Anke fejn tidħol il-viżjoni ekonomika – minflok joffri sett ta’ policies u analiżi xenarji li jistgħu jiġu diskussi, jirregalana dokument vag mimli kliem fl-arja. L-intenzjoni hija ċara: il-Gvern ma jridx jikkommetti ruħu għall-ebda policy u jrid ikompli bil-business as usual.

Carmel Cacopardo iffoka fuq id-dokument konsultattiv dwar il-qalba għall-karozzi tal-elettriku. Qal li minkejja li dan il-proċess konsultattiv kien imħabbar kważi 4 snin ilu, f’Settembru 2017, l-informazzjoni fid-dokument konsultattiv hi skarsa. Dan jagħmel din il-konsultazzjoni waħda finta, biex jidher li qed issir.

Carmel Cacopardo emfasizza s-segwenti:

– Filwaqt li d-dokument jirrikonoxxi li l-emissjonijiet fl-arja riżultat ta’ karozzi u inġenji oħra żdiedu bi 86% matul il-perjodu 1990-2018, jinjora l-fatt li t-tniġġis ħolqu l-gvern stess permezz ta’ bini ta’ toroq bl-addoċċ u għalxejn li inkoraġġew iż-żieda tat-traffiku u t-tniġġis.

– Il-qalba għal karozzi li jaħdmu bl-elettriku hi pass ‘il quddiem. Imma għandu jingħad li l-emissjonijiet iktar milli jonqsu se jiċċaqalqu mit-toroq lejn is-sors tal-elettriku li se jintuża, f’Malta u jekk jiġi mill-interconnector, fi Sqallija. Id-dokument hu sieket ghal kollox dwar kemm is-sors u l-prezz li se nħallsu għal dan l-elettriku. Se jkun sors nadif jew le?

– Filwaqt li l-użu tal-petrol u d-diesel se jonqos sostanzjalment bħala riżultat tal-elettrifikazzjoni tal-karozzi, min-naħa l-oħra l-gvern baqa’ ma jridx iħabbar moratorju dwar pompi ġodda tal-petrol, minkejja li hu ċar li dawn m’hemmx iktar ħtieġa għalihom. Id-dokument konsultattiv huwa sieket dwar dan.

– Mill-bejgħ tal-petrol u d-diesel il-pajjiż idaħħal ammont mhux żgħir ta’ taxxi. L-estimi tal-Gvern tal-2021 jindikaw dħul ta’ €154 miljun, li se jispiċċa fix-xejn. Kif ser ikun sostitwit dan l-ammont sostanzjali ta’ dħul? Id-dokument ta’ konsultazzjoni huwa sieket dwar dan ukoll. Il-Gvern x’qed jipproponi?

– Fid-dokument il-Gvern lanqas biss għandu l-kuraġġ jindika liema żoni għandhom ikunu low emission zones – iġifieri fejn iċ-ċirkulazzjoni ta’ vetturi tkun limitata biex titjieb il-kwalità tal-arja. Il-Ministru Aaron Farrugia ghandu jghidilna jekk iridx verament iħares is-saħħa tar-residenti tal-Fgura, l-Ħamrun, il-Floriana, l-Imsida u l-Gżira, fost postijiet imniġġsa oħra.

Fl-aħħar Carmel Cacopardo qal li d-dokument jirreferi għal żewġ studji li saru dwar l-elettrifikazzjoni tat-toroq, imma dawn baqgħu moħbija. Bid-dokumenti moħbija ma ssirx konsultazzjoni. Minkejja li ilu mwiegħed 4 snin, dan il-proċess konsultattiv ftit li xejn jikkonsulta. Jonqos fl-iktar ħaġa essenzjali: ma jagħtix informazzjoni. Għaldaqstant hu proċess finta.

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