Waqt konferenza stampa f’Ħ’Attard, iċ-Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika, Prof. Arnold Cassola qal li minkejja li jsir ħafna diskors fuq l-importanza tal-Kunsilli Lokali, il-Gvern mhux qed jagħti biżżejjed riżorsi lill-komunitajiet.

“Fiduċja fil-Kunsilli Lokali u fin-nies tal-komunitajiet tagħna madwar Malta u Għawdex tfisser li l-fondi tal-Kunsilli ma jibqgħux jiddependu għal kollox mill-buona volonta tal-Gvern jew ta’ xi Ministru partikolari. Ir-realta hija li l-Kunsilli meta bdew fl-1994 ma telqux kollha mill-istess linja tat-tluq. Per eżempju għandek Kunsilli Lokali li l-Gvern bnielhom ċentri tal-komunita spejjeż tiegħu, għax il-Ministru inserta mid-distrett, u fl-istess ħin għandek lokalitajiet li lanqas post għal librerija jew ċentru tal-komunita sura u aċċessibbli għal kulħadd m’għandhom. AD titlob li l-lokalitajiet kollha jingħataw il-possibilta li jkollhom il-faċilitajiet bażiċi u li l-preferenzi u l-inugwaljanzi bejn lokalita u oħra jiġu ndirizzati.”

Arnold Cassola qal ukoll li AD sena wara sena qed ikollha lmenti dwar permessi għal attivitajiet fil-beraħ f’nofs ta’ lejl fiż-żona ta’ Ta’ Qali li qed joħolqu nkonvenjenzi kbar sal-4am bl-istorbju kontinwu li jagħmlu. “Hemm bżonn ukoll li jissaħħu l-liġijiet dwar il-ħsejjes minn attivitajiet li jsiru fil-beraħ, speċjalment fil-ħinijiet ta’ tard bil-lejl u kmieni filgħodu. Minn mindu ġie deciz li jingħataw permessi sal-4am spiċċajna bil-Pulizija li m’għandhomx għodda legali effettiva biex jinforzaw l-ordni. Il-liġi (A.L. 1 tal-2006) ma tistabbilix kejl ta’ kemm għandu jkun il-limitu ta’ ħoss f’ħinijiet differenti tal-ġurnata.”

Ralph Cassar, kunsillier u kandidat ta’ AD fuq Ħ’Attard semma xi sfidi li qed tiffaċċja l-lokalita. Qal li l-partiti fil-parlament ippermettew bini bla rażan madwar Malta u Għawdex kollha, mhux l-anqas f’Ħ’Attard. “Dan l-hekk imsejjaħ żvilupp ġab problemi kbar ta’ bankini u toroq imkissra, tniġġis tal-arja bit-traffiku u nuqqas ta’ spazju għan-nies fit-toroq tagħna. Kienet AD biss li wissiet dwar x’se jiġri, u dak li għidna sfortunatament sar realta. Bħala kunsillier se nkompli naħdem u nżid il-pressjoni biex nippruvaw innaqqsu l-effetti ħżiena ta’ dan l-iżvilupp insostenibbli. Fosthom se nkompli naħdem għat-tħawwil ta’ aktar siġar indiġeni f’kull spazju possibbli inkluż fit-toroq. Se nkompli naħdem biex iseħħ il-kunċett ta’ toroq residenzjali fejn in-nies jiġu l-ewwel (magħrufin bħala ‘home zones’), u wkoll biex iseħħ il-proġett ta’ riġenerazzjoni tal-linja tal-ferrovija biex din tingħata lura lill-pubbliku bħala passaġġ ħieles mill-karozzi.”

“Tajt kontribut qawwi biex fl-aħħar il-Kunsill Lokali jibda proċeduri legali biex tissewwa l-ħsara kbira li qed issir lil Wied Inċita minn illegalitajiet fil-barrieri tal-inħawi. Kellna naslu s’hawn għax il-MEPA u Gvern wara ieħor naqsu milli jaqdu dmirhom. Wied Inċita għandu jkun protett u jservi pulmun f’nofs l-iżvilupp eċċessiv li jikkaratterizzaw l-inħawi. Problema oħra hija tas-soqfa tal-asbestos tal-imħażen fejn tintgħażel il-patata għall-esportazzjoni viċin ir-residenti tat-toroq li jagħtu għal fuq il-ġibjun ta’ Ta’ Qali. Residenti kellmuni dwar it-tħassib tagħhom li minkejja s-soqfa issa għandhom żmien mhux ħażin ma jidhirx li qed isir monitoraġġ tal-istat tagħhom u jekk hux qed jarmu fibri perikolużi tal-asbestos. Minkejja li qajjimt il-kwistjoni fil-pubbliku l-Gvern għadu ma ta l-ebda informazzjoni.”

“Emfasi prinċipali tal-ħidma tiegħi se tkun ukoll il-librerija pubblika. Hija tal-mistħija li l-Gvern jippretendi li librerija pubblika tiffonzjona minn kamra lanqas fiha daqs box room fuq wara tas-sala tal-iskola primarja.”

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During a press conference in Ħ’Attard, AD Chairperson, Prof. Arnold Cassola said that despite the rhetoric about the importance of local councils, Government is not giving our local communities enough resources to provide essential public services.

“Trust in Local Councils and in our communities around Malta and Gozo means that funding of councils should no longer depend entirely on the goodwill or whims of Government or of a particular Minister. The reality is that since Councils where established in 1994, they did not start functioning with the same resouces. For example there are Councils for which Government provided adequate community centres or built new centres at the Government’s expense. On the other hand there are places which do not have a decent public library, nor accessible or adequate offices, let alone a community centre. AD insists that these differences and inequalities in resources between different towns and villages are addressed. ”

Arnold Cassola said that has been receiving complaints from residents about permits all night events in Ta ‘Qali, with liud music being played continuously till 4am. “There is an urgent need to strengthen the laws on noise from outdoor activities, especially late at night and very early in the morning. Since it was decided to allow noisy commercial activities until 4am, the Police are finding it difficult to enforce the law effectively since the law (L.N. 1 of 2006) does not stipulate the exact, measureable limits (in decibels) of noise at different times of the day can. ”

Ralph Cassar, AD councillor and candidate for the Ħ’Attard local council mentioned some challenges facing the locality. He said that the parties in parliament allowed unbridled growth all around Malta and Gozo, not least in Ħ’Attard. “This so called development has brought major problems of broken pavements and roads, air pollution from traffic and lack of space for people on our roads. AD was the only party to warn about the effects of overdevelopment. Unfortunately what we had said has become a reality. As a councillor I will continue to work and add pressure to try to mitigate the adverse effects of this unsustainable development. Among other measures I will continue to work to plant more native trees in every possible space including along the sides roads. I will continue to work to promote the concept of ‘home zones’. I will ensure that the planned regeneration project of the old railway line is implemented so that the railway line is converted into a pedestrian walkway.”

“I have contributed strongly for the Local Council to start legal proceedings which will hopefully lead to stop the illegalities and environmental damage by the quarries in Wied Inċita. We got this far because MEPA and successive Governments having failed to fulfill their duties. Wied Inċita Valley has be protected and serve as a green lung amidst the excessive urban development that characterize the area. Another problem faced by residents are the asbestos roofs at the potato sorting sheds in Ta’ Qali. Residents have spoken to me about their concerns that despite the being quite weathered there the authorities are apparently not monitoring them to see if the asbestos panels are releasing extremely hazardous asbestos fibres. I have raised the issue in public but until today no government entity or department has reacted.”

“Finally I will also continue to work a proper place for the locality’s public library. It is shameful that the Government expects our public library to offer its services from a room which can be described as a box room at the back of the hall of Ħ’Attard’s primary school.”