Waqt li hu meħtieġ li tkun indirizzata u iffaċilitata l-mobilità bejn Malta u Għawdex il-proposta ta’ mina taħt il-baħar bejn iż-żewġ gżejjer mhix is-soluzzjoni għax ser toħloq problemi lil kulħadd kemm fuq in-naħa ta’ Għawdex f’Ta’ Kenuna kif ukoll fuq in-naħa ta’ Malta fl-inħawi magħrufa bħala l-Għerien. 

Dan qalu dalgħodu Carmel Cacopardo, Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika meta kien qed jindirizza konferenza stampa fl-Għerien, limiti tal-Mellieħa, fejn s’issa hu indikat li se tiżbokka din il-mina: bieb u għatba mal-Imbordin f’San Pawl il-Baħar.

Apparti l-kwantità kbira ta’ radam, madwar miljun u nofs metru kubu, fuq in-naħa ta’ Malta din il-proposta mina ser tkun ta’ theddida għall-ilma tal-pjan fil-Miżieb, l-unika parti mill-ħażna naturali tal-ilma f’Malta li għadha f’kundizzjoni relattivament tajba. Ser timpatta l-wied tal-Pwales għax minn dan il-wied se jgħaddu medja ta’ madwar 9,000 karozza kuljum. It-tniġġis iġġenerat minn dawn il-karozzi bla ebda dubju se jkollu impatt fuq l-agrikultura u l-ekoliġija tal-wied. Bħala riżultat ta’ żieda f’kull ħin tat-tniġġis mill-ħoss, mid-dawl u mill-emissjonijiet il-mina se jkollha wkoll impatt fuq ir-riżerva naturali tas-Simar, li qegħda ftit mijiet ta’ metri mill-mina proposta, fit-tarf tal-wied.

Hu indikat, mill-istudji tekniċi fl-inħawi, inkluż it-teħid ta’ kampjuni tal-blat, li l-mina se tgħaddi minn ġol-villaġġ ċkejken troglodita (l-Għerien) jew immedjatament minn taħtu u b’hekk ser ikun mhedded jew saħansitra jinqered wirt uniku tagħna lkoll.

Il-mina pproġettata se tiffaċilita l-moviment ta’ karozzi bejn il-gżejjer għax hu min-numru ta’ karozzi li jagħmlu użu minnha li dawk li ser jinvestu ser jagħmlu l-qliegħ mill-miljuni kbar li hu mistenni li jkunu sparpaljati fuq dan il-proġett. Dan imur kontra l-ispirtu tal-pjan nazzjonali tat-trasport, approvat fl-2016, li jpoġġi bħala mira importanti t-tnaqqis tal-karozzi mit-toroq tagħna.

Alternattiva Demokratika taqbel li l-problema tal-mobilità bejn Malta u Għawdex għandha tkun indirizzata bis-serjetà, imma dan għandu jsir b’mod li toħloq l-inqas problemi possibbli. L-unika soluzzjoni li tilħaq il-mira ta’ mobilità ffaċilitata hi l-introduzzjoni ta’ catamaran (fast ferry) bejn il-gżejjer: bejn l-Imġarr f’Għawdex u diversi punti f’Malta, fosthom ix-Xemxija, Tas-Sliema u l-Belt Valletta. Dan għandu jkun ikkumplimentat b’titjib fis-servizz tat-trasport pubbliku bejn dawn il-punti u l-bqija tal-pajjiż.

Huwa neċessarju, ikkonkluda Carmel Cacopardo, li s-soluzzjonijiet għall-problemi tat-trasport f’Malta jkun jħarsu fit-tul b’mod li lill-ġenerazzjonijiet ta’ warajna nħallulhom inqas problemi mill-writna mill-ġenerazzjonijiet ta’ qabilna. Jagħmel żball oħxon il-Gvern jekk jaħseb li għandu xi dritt li jibqa’ għaddej, jirrombla minn fuq kulħadd.

Waqt il-konferenza stampa kienu introdotti żewġ kandidati oħra ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika għall-Kunsilli Lokali: Luke Caruana għall-Mellieħa u Simon Galea għal San Pawl il-Baħar.

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Tunnel will bring more destruction and increase pollution – There are other solutions

While keeping in focus the need to address and facilitate sustainable mobility between the islands of Malta and Gozo, the proposed tunnel below the seabed between the islands is no solution. It is rather the creation of more problems both at Ta’ Kenuna on the Gozo side, as well at l-Għerien on the Maltese side. 

This was stated this morning by Carmel Cacopardo, Chairperson of  Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party when he was addressing a press conference at l-Għerien, in the limits of Mellieħa, where according to what is known to date the entrance to the tunnel will be sited at the Malta end: very close to l-Imbordin at St. Paul’s Bay.

In addition to the large quantity of rubble, approximately one and a half million cubic metres, on the Malta side the tunnel will be a threat to the Miżieb aquifer, the only section of our natural water reserves still in a relatively good condition. It will impact the Pwales valley as this will have to host an average of around 9,000 vehicle movements daily. The pollution generated by these vehicles will undoubtedly impact the agriculture and ecology of the valley. As a result of noise pollution, light pollution and air pollution by the generated traffic the tunnel will impact the Simar Nature Reserve, situated a few hundred metres from the proposed tunnel, at the far end of the valley.

It has been observed, from technical studies in hand as well as from sampling of rock in the area, that the tunnel will be bored through the troglodytic hamlet (L-Għerien) or very close to it such that another part of our heritage will be obliterated.  

The projected tunnel will facilitate the movement of cars between the islands as it is the number of cars using the tunnel which will generate the income of those investing in this ill-advised project. This runs against both letter and spirit of the National Transport Masterplan 2025 approved in 2016 and which establishes the reduction of cars on our roads as a primary objective.

Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party agrees that the problematic mobility between Malta and Gozo has to be properly addressed. However, this has to be carried out in a manner that creates the least number of problems.  The only solution which achieves this aim is the introduction of a fast ferry service between the islands: between the Imġarr Port in Gozo and various points along the Malta coast, amongst which Xemxija, Sliema and Valletta. This service must be complimented with an upgraded public transport between these points and the rest of the island.

It is essential, concluded Carmel Cacopardo, that solutions to our transport problems take a long-term view in order that future generations are bequeathed less problems that we have inherited from our predecessors Government should take note and desist from ignoring the dissent on its tunnel plans.

During the press conference another two local council candidates on behalf of Alternattiva Demokratika were introduced:  Luke Caruana for Mellieħa and  Simon Galea for St. Paul’s Bay.