ADPD-The Green Party jinnota li s-Segretarju Parlamentari Alison Zerafa Civelli fl-aħħar għarfet il-ħtieġa li l-kunsilli lokali jirċievu sehem mill-eko-kontribuzzjoni mħallsa mit-turisti. L-aħbar li 50 ċenteżmu miż-żieda fl-eko-kontribuzzjoni se jgħaddu lill-kunsilli lokali tikkonferma dak li ADPD ilu jinsisti fuqu għal snin sħaħ: il-komunitajiet li qed iġorru l-piż tat-turiżmu tal-massa jistħoqqilhom appoġġ finanzjarju dirett biex titjieb il-kwalità tal-ħajja tar-residenti. Għalkemm nibqgħu ninsistu li l-eko-kontribuzzjoni għadha ma tirriflettix il-piż reali tat-turiżmu fuq l-infrastruttura tal-pajjiż, u li l-50 ċenteżmu li se jgħaddu lill-kunsilli huma ferm ’il bogħod minn dak li hu meħtieġ, nagħrfu li l-kunċett finalment ġie aċċettat, anke jekk biss lejlet elezzjoni.

Madankollu, Alison Zerafa Civelli naqset milli ssemmi li din il-proposta ma ġietx mill-Gvern Laburista. Il-proposta kienet tressqet formalment f’Awwissu 2025 permezz ta’ mozzjoni mressqa minn Sandra Gauci, Chairperson ta’ ADPD-The Green Party u kunsilliera lokali f’San Pawl il-Baħar. Il-mozzjoni kienet titlob sabiex id-dħul mill-eko-taxxa ġġenerat mit-turiżmu f’lokalitajiet bħal San Pawl il-Baħar jingħata direttament lill-kunsilli lokali li huma l-aktar milquta mill-pressjoni fuq il-komunità li joħloq it-turiżmu. Il-maġġoranza tal-kunsilliera tal-Kunsill Lokali ta’ San Pawl il-Baħar approvat il-mozzjoni.

Ironikament, iżda, l-kunsillieri Laburisti f’San Pawl il-Baħar ivvutaw kontra l-istess proposta li llum il-partit tagħhom qed iħabbar b’ħafna pompa fuq livell nazzjonali. Waqt il-laqgħa tal-kunsill, il-kunsillieri Laburisti rrikorrew għall-għajjat, għall-insulti u għal imġiba infantili minflok ma ddiskutew bis-serjetà proposta maħsuba biex issaħħaħ ‘il-komunitajiet u d-demokrazija lokali.

Il-Partit Laburista effettivament adotta politika ta’ ADPD wara li rappreżentanti tiegħu pprovaw iwaqqagħha għaċ-ċajt u jagħmlu l-bsaten fir-roti fuq livell lokali.

ADPD huwa min ta’ quddiem fid-dibattitu dwar turiżmu sostenibbli u l-protezzjoni tal-kwalità tal-ħajja tar-residenti. Filwaqt li l-establishment jibqa’ jirreaġixxi biss meta l-pressjoni pubblika ssir impossibbli li tiġi injorata, ADPD-The Green Party ilu jargumenta b’mod konsistenti li l-lokalitajiet li qed ibatu mill-impatti tat-turiżmu żejjed għandhom jingħataw l-għodod finanzjarji meħtieġa biex ilaħħqu maż-żieda fl-iskart, il-pressjoni fuq l-infrastruttura, l-istorbju, l-ispejjeż tal-manutenzjoni u d-degrad ambjentali.

Filwaqt li ADPD jilqa’ kull pass li jsaħħaħ lill-kunsilli lokali u jappoġġja lill-komunitajiet milquta mit-turiżmu tal-massa, infakkru li konna aħna li mexxejna u ppromwovejna dil-proposta, ħafna qabel ma l-Partit Laburista induna li l-proposta kienet waħda valida u meħtieġa.

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Greens’ and Sandra Gauci’s eco-contribution position vindicated

ADPD-The Green Party notes that Parliamentary Secretary Alison Zerafa Civelli has finally recognised the need for local councils to receive a share of the eco-contribution paid by tourists. The announcement that 50 cents from the increased eco-contribution will be passed on to local councils confirms what ADPD has been insisting on for years: communities carrying the burden of mass tourism deserve direct financial support to maintain and improve residents’ quality of life. Although we still insist that the eco-contribution still does not reflect the burden of tourism on the country’s infrastructure, and the 50 cents portion passed on to councils is nowhere near enough, we recognise that the concept has been finally accepted, albeit on the eve of an election.

However, what Alison Zerafa Civelli failed to mention is that this proposal did not originate from the Labour government. The proposal was formally presented in August 2025 through a motion tabled by Sandra Gauci, ADPD-The Green Party Chairperson and local councillor in Saint Paul’s Bay. The motion called for eco-tax revenue generated by tourism in localities such as Saint Paul’s Bay to be returned directly to the councils most affected by tourism pressures. The majority of the Saint Paul’s Bay Local Council approved the motion.

What is particularly ironic is that Labour councillors in Saint Paul’s Bay voted against the very same proposal that their party is now proudly presenting nationally. During the council meeting, Labour councillors resorted to heckling, insults, and childish behaviour rather than engaging seriously with a proposal intended to strengthen local communities and local democracy.

The Labour Party has effectively adopted an ADPD policy after trying to ridicule and obstruct it at local level.

This episode once again demonstrates that ADPD is leading the debate on sustainable tourism and the protection of residents’ quality of life. While the establishment continues to react only when public pressure becomes impossible to ignore, ADPD has consistently argued that localities suffering the impacts of over-tourism must be given the financial tools necessary to cope with increased waste, infrastructure strain, noise, maintenance costs, and environmental degradation.

ADPD welcomes every step that strengthens local councils and supports communities impacted by tourism. But credit must be given where it is due. This measure was championed first by Sandra Gauci and ADPD, long before Labour realised that the proposal made sense.