“It beggars belief that the government is still dragging its feet over the revision of the fuel pumps policy on ODZ land, more than a year after the government’s stated intention of considering changes to the policy. The end result is further unscrupulous environmental destruction”. This was stated by Carmel Cacopardo, Chairperson of Alternattiva Demokratika during a visit to the protest camp organised by Moviment Graffitti in front of the Planning Authority.
It seems very clear that the government ended up hostage to a number of developers. Currently there are 14 applications for fuel stations 4 of which have been approved during the past months. This clearly shows how much the country still stands to loose considering that each permit equates to a loss of 3000 square meters of land outside development zones. This defacement is even more senseless considering the stated intention of the government to shift towards electrification of cars on our roads; a policy which AD had proposed years ago. The government is short shifting future generations who have a sacrosanct right to enjoy our country. “Nobody can be blamed for concluding that our country is up for sale” noted Cacopardo. “Whist we celebrate Freedom Day, Malta is becoming enslaved by an expired brand of politics which favours the interests of the few over the rights of the rest”.
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Niċċelebraw il-Ħelsien imjassra mill-interessi tal-ftit fuq il-kumplament
“Huwa ta’ għajb li l-gvern għadu qed ikaxkar saqajh fuq il-bdil tal-policy fuq il-pompi tal-petrol fuq art barra miz-zoni tal-izvilupp. Dan iktar minn sena minn meta l-gvern qal li kien qed jikkunsidra li jemenda l-policy. Ir-riżultat huwa qirda ambjentali bla skruplu”. Dan qalu Carmel Cacopardo, Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika meta dalgħodu flimkien ma delegazzjoni tal-AD, żar lil membri tal-Moviment Graffitti ikkampjati quddiem il-bini tal-Awtorita` tal-Ippjanar.
Huwa ċar li l-gvern spiċċa ostaġġ ta’ l-izviluppaturi. Bħalissa hemm 14-il applikazzjoni pendenti għal pompi filwaqt li 4 oħra diga’ ġew approvati fl-aħħar xhur. Dan juri kemm fadallu jitlef art pajjiżna meta jitqies li kull permess li jingħata jeqred tlett elef metru kwadru ta’ art barra miz-zona tal-izvilupp (ODZ) kull darba. Dan l-isfregju huwa iktar u iktar bla sens meta jitqies li l-gvern qed jitkellem fuq il-qalba imminenti għall-elettrifikazzjoni tal-karozzi fit-toroq tagħna: politika li l-AD kienet ilha s-snin li pproponiet. Il-gvern qed jiġi jitmejjel mill-ġenerazzjonijiet prezenti u iktar u iktar minn dawk futuri, li wkoll għandhom dritt igawdu lil pajjiżna fi stat sura. Ma tlum lil ħadd li jikkonkludi, tenna Cacopardo, li pajjizna għall-bejgh. “Hekk kif pajjiżna jiċċelebra il-ħelsien mill-ħakma militari tal-barrani, fl-istess waqt qed jiġi mjassar minn politika skaduta fejn l-interessi tal-ftit jaħkmu fuq l-interessi tal-kumplament”.
