The inconvenience emanating from the operations of the tuna recycling plant in Birżebbuġa have been going on for too long with residents’ complaints over sewage smells and effluent in the streets being repeatedly dismissed. Do authorities have what it takes to keep operators in line? ADPD – The Green Party spokespersons asked at a press conference in Birżebbuġa this morning.

ADPD – The Green Party Deputy Secretary General and candidate Dr Melissa Bagley said that ADPD has been following the assault that has been going on Birżebbuġa over the years with projects that have impacted the quality of life of its residents, including the commercial activities of the Freeport, the airport, the Ħal Far industrial estate, the Ħal Far Racetrack, and the proposed Bengħajsa quarry (now withdrawn). The quality of life of Birżebbuġa residents is once again being compromised in the name of economic gain, negatively impacting the physical environment and the mental and physical wellbeing of people in the area.

The latest affront has been the operation of Aquaculture Resources Ltd commenced earlier this year, and more recently, by effluent ending up in residential areas in Birżebbuġa.  The management of Aquaculture Resources Ltd has refused to take responsibility for the stench and sewage leaks that have affected the area, stating that company has taken measures to contain smells within the tuna recycling plant. 

“The current state of affairs is unacceptable. ADPD demands that the operations are brought in line with the required health and safety measures, and modern industry standards immediately. Once again economic gain seems to trump any other consideration. Or is it another case where the authorities do not have the necessary clout to take the necessary action to keep the operators in line?” concluded Dr Bagley.

ADPD Deputy Chairperson Sandra Gauci said when there is lack of consultation we are steadily finding residents and people who will petition and protest later on. Not consulting is becoming a trademark of this government who with direct orders, legal notices and DNOs is finding shortcuts on how to avoid consulting with the stakeholders.

“We are becoming a country where a few elite are ruling the majority. People are becoming voiceless every day. Local councils are losing their strength and are being overlooked by the government to ease whatever project the friends and friends of friends have planned. Little are they bothered by the effects the plans will have on most of the people.”

Gauci said that when things are done through a serious and fruitful consultation people will feel as if they belong to that project. All we have now are impositions which one has to suck up to as they are investment, and you must sacrifice your health and wellbeing on the altar of growth economy and GDP.

The total disinterest towards the well being of the people of Birżebbuġa reflects what is going on and will go on in other parts of Malta were people and residents are just a nuisance to be ignored like the residents in Valletta grumbling about high volume of music, the people of Msida petitioning against another fuel station and many others.

“While boasting about an ever-growing GDP we are also having ever-growing respiratory problems, mental health problems and research has shown that we are an angry sad lot. For how long will the population bow down to impositions from above? How much is it able to take before this patience or passiveness turns into rage and anger directed towards those who have ignored them and have laughed at their pain? All people are asking for is for things to be done properly and up to standard.” asked Gauci.

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L-ebda ħeġġa biex jipproteġu lin-nies

L-inkonvenjent mill-operaturi tal-impjant ta’ riċiklaġġ tal-fdalijiet tat-tonn f’Birżebbuġa ilhom għaddejjin żmien twil wisq bl-ilmenti tar-residenti mill-irwejjaħ tad-drenaġġ u effluwent fit-toroq injorati ripetutatment. L-awtoritajiet għadhom il-ħeġġa biex jikkontrollaw l-operaturi? staqsew kelliema tal-ADPD – The Green Party f’konferenza stampa f’Birżebbuġa dalgħodu.

Id-Deputat Segretarju Ġenerali u kandidata ta’ ADPD – The Green Party Dr Melissa Bagley qalet li ADPD ilu isegwi l-assalt li ilu għaddej fuq Birżebbuġa tul is-snin bi proġetti li ħallew impatt negattiv fuq il-ħajja tar-residenti, fosthom l-attivitajiet kummerċjali tal-Freeport, l-ajruport, iż-żona industrijali ta’ Ħal Far, it-trakka fl-istess post kif ukoll il-proposta ta’ barriera f’Bengħajsa (li issa ġiet irtirata). Il-kwalità tal-ħajja tar-residenti ta’ Birżebbuġa qegħda għal darboħra tintlaqat ħażin minħabba it-traskuraġni u l-gwadann ekonomiku, b’impatt negattiv fuq l-ambjent fiżiku kif ukoll fuq is-saħħa kemm dik mentali u fiżika tan-nies tal-lokal.

L-aħħar attakk huwa il-bidu tal-attività mill-Aquaculture Resources Ltd aktar kmieni din is-sena, u l-effluwent li qiegħed jispiċċa f’żoni residenzjali f’Birżebbuġa. It-tmexxija tal-kumpanija mhux jieħdu responsabbiltà għall-irwejjaħ u t-tixrid tad-drenaġġ li qiegħed ikun hemm f’dawk l-inħawi, u qed jibqgħu jinsistu li ħadu l-miżuri neċessarji biex iżommu l-irwejjaħ milli joħorġu mill-impjant.

“Is-sitwazzjoni preżenti hija kompletament inaċċettabbli. ADPD tesiġi li l-operaturi għandhom jimxu mal-miżuri ta’ saħħa u sigurtà u jiżguraw li l-impjant isegwi l-għola standards industrijali minnufih. Għal darboħra il-gwadann ekonomiku jidher li rebaħ fuq kwalunkwe konsiderazzjoni oħra. Jew inkella huwa każ ieħor fejn l-awtoritajiet m’għadhomx il-ħeġġa neċessarja biex jikkontrollaw lill-operaturi,” temmet Dr Bagley.

Id-Deputat Chairperson tal-ADPD Sandra Gauci qalet li n-nuqqas ta’ konsultazzjoni qiegħed iwassal ripetutament għal ilmenti u protesti mir-residenti. Dan in-nuqqas ta’ konsultazzjoni tista’ tgħid li saret xi ħaġa regolari minn dan il-gvern li b’direct orders, avviżi legali u DNOs qiegħed dejjem isib modi kif jonqos milli jirreferi proġetti ma’ dawk kollha li fuqhom jistgħu iħallu l-impatti tagħhom.

“Sirna pajjiż fejn grupp żgħir ta’ nies għandu s-saħħa li jiddeċiedi fuq ħajjet il-kumplament tan-nies. Kull ma jmur il-poplu in ġenerali qiegħed iħossu bla vuċi. Il-kunsill lokali qegħdin jitilfu s-saħħa tagħhom meta l-gvern jinjorahom biex jaġevola il-proġetti imfassal mill-ħbieb u l-ħbieb tal-ħbieb. Ftit li xejn jagħtu każ l-effetti li l-pjanijiet tagħhom sejrin iħallu fuq in-nies.”

Gauci qalet li meta l-affarijiet isiru bis-saħħa ta’ konsultazzjoni serja din twassal biex dak li jkun iħossu parti mill-proġett. Dak li għadna bħalissa huma impożizzjonijiet li wieħed għandu jaċċetta għaliex jgħidilna li huwa investiment, li għalih għandek tissagrifika saħħtek u l-istil ta’ ħajja tiegħek fuq l-altar ta’ ekonomija u GDP ikbar!

In-nuqqas t’għarfien ta’ kif qegħdin jintlaqtu n-nies ġewwa Birżebbuġa huwa mera ta’ dak li qiegħed jiġri f’inħawi oħra ta’ Malta fejn ir-residenti huwa ikkunsidrati bħala inkonvenjent li wieħed għandu jinjora, bħalma ġara bl-ilment tar-residenti tal-Belt dwar il-volum għoli tal-mużika, fl-Imsida fejn saret petizzjoni biex ma jkunx hemm pompa oħra tal-petrol u ħafna eżempji oħra.

“Filwaqt li niftaħru li għadna il-GDP dejjem jiżdied għandha problemi ta’ mard respiratorju dejjem jikber, żieda fil-problemi ta’ saħħa mentali u riċerka li ikkonfermat li aħna poplu irrabjat u mdejjaq! Kemm se ndumu inbaxxu rasna għal dak li jiġi impost minn fuq? Kemm se jgħaddi żmien qabel din il-paċenzja jew nuqqas t’azzjoni issarraf f’rabja u azzjoni immirata lejn dawk li qegħdin jinjoraw il-karba tan-nies u minflok jgħaddu ż-żmien bih? In-nies ma jridu xejn speċjali ħlief li l-affarijiet isiru sew min-nies li jifmhu” qalet Gauci.