At a Press Conference in Ħamrun, ADPD – The Green Party spokespersons insisted that if the government truly wanted to safeguard our open spaces they should start with those that have been provided by nature – spaces that the PLPN duopoly have turned over to speculation. Urban renewal should not be used as an excuse for more parking spaces. The spokespersons referred to the so-called greening projects announced as part of the PL’s electoral pledge. The policy and related investment on open spaces should reflect the policy declaration made by government, that there should be a 41% reduction of cars by 2030, to the level we had in 1990.
ADPD Deputy Secretary General Dr Melissa Bagley said that proposals for greening in urban areas are commendable but a consistent policy is required also in this sector.

“This project in Misraħ is-Sebgħa ta’ Ġunju 1919 in Ħamrun is a classic examples of how things should NOT be done. The €1,500,000 spent on the concrete structure led to the destruction of a square that could have been converted in an open green space for pedestrians in the heart of a residential zone.”

“The projects announced so far as part of the electoral pledge of €700 million for the greening of urban zones does not augur well – what has been announced so far include unnecessary emphasis on new roads and parking spaces. This is absolutely misguided!

“The Minister for the Environment is simply showing us that the PL’s plan for urban renewal are simply buzz words meant to impress: it is simply another excuse for more building and concrete”, concluded Dr Bagley.

ADPD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said that the Misraħ is-Sebgħa ta’ Ġunju 1919 square in Ħamrun has been destroyed. An open space has practically been eliminated. Cars have taken over. Cars are being prioritized by a Government that has recently declared that it wants to reduce cars on our roads. This is crass inconsistency: the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing!

“Pedestrian areas with community spaces – free from all vehicles – should take priority in residential zones. The handful of parking spaces in this square could have easily been eliminated. People, air quality and streets and spaces dedicated to the community should be of utmost priority. PLPN’s vision for our country – including the digging of more tunnels for traffic – is light years away from that deserving of a modern vision for our urban zones,” said Cacopardo.

It is also senseless that the Government promotes the need to safeguard open spaces while allowing – indeed encouraging – projects such as unnecessary supermarkets that worsen the traffic situation in our country. One of the latest obscenities is the proposed development on Comino – the protection that this island is endowed with is completely ignored by the speculators that the PL and the PN have always supported. The Environment Minister should be consistent in her actions and if she truly wanted to safeguard our open spaces she should start with those that have been provided by nature. Only then we may believe her green credentials!

Land use in Malta has not been appropriate for many years. There has been too much development. We must ensure that this stops. Malta, and to a certain extent Gozo, have become a mass of contiguous buildings. Arable land has been eaten up and many open spaces and gardens have been wiped out. The destruction continues.

Our urban zones can be improved by speeding up the implementation of the policy to reduce the number of cars on our roads. This requires that our urban zones become safer and offer essential services for residents, thereby reducing our dependency on private cars. The small retail outlets in our town and villages have been suffocated by large commercial centres and supermarkets. All encouraged through our land use planning policies.

We all agree on the benefits of creating open spaces accessible for all, but it should be done properly. This has to be carried out in a way that avoids past mistakes. We need public open spaces free of pollution, with free access to clean air. The limited resources of our country can be put to much better use than that currently being made by this government, concluded Cacopardo.

***

Spazji miftuħa: inħarsuhom bis-serjetà. Nibdew b’dawk li tipprovdilna in-natura!

Illum fil-Ħamrun, kelliema ta’ ADPD – The Green Party saħqu li ikun tajjeb li jekk verament irridu inħarsu l-ispazji miftuħa nibdew b’dawk li tipprovdilna n-natura stess, spazji li tal-PLPN ħallewhom f’idejn l-ispekulaturi. It-tiġdid urban m’għandux ikun skuża għal aktar parkeġġi. Huma kienu qegħdin jagħmlu riferenza b’mod partikolari għal proġetti hekk imsejjħa ta’ tħaddir li bdew jitħabbru bħala parti minn wegħda elettorali tal-PL. Il-politika u l-investiment dwar l-ispazji miftuħa għandha timxi id f’id mal-politika diġà dikjarata mill-Gvern li sal-2030 jeħtieġ li jonqsu 41% tal-karozzi mit-toroq tagħna, u niġu għal-livell li kellna fl-1990.

Id-Deputat Segretarju Ġenerali tal-ADPD Dr Melissa Bagley qalet li l-inizjattiva ta’ tħaddir f’zoni urbani minnha nnifisha hija tajba imma anke f’dan il-qasam hemm il-ħtieġa ta’ politika konsistenti.

“Qegħdin fejn proġett hawn f’Misraħ is-Sebgħa ta’ Ġunju 1919 fil-Ħamrun, eżempju ċar ta’ kif m’għandhomx isiru l-affarijiet. Bil-miljun u nofs Ewro li nħlew fil-konkos flok inħoloq spażju miftuħ inqerdet pjazza li setgħet isebbħet billi ġiet konvertita f’żona pedonali mħaddra fil-qalba taż-żona residenzjali.”

“Il-proġetti li tħabbru s’issa bħala parti mill-wegħda elettorali ta’ €700 miljun għal tħaddir ta’ żoni urbani ma tantx jawguraw tajjeb. Fil-każijiet li ssemmew s’issa saret emfasi esaġerata fuq il-ħolqien ta’ toroq u spazji għal parkeġġi. Dan mhux għaqli u ma jagħmilx sens.”

“Il-Ministru għall-Ambjent qegħda turi kif il-pjan tal-Partit Laburista għall-ambjent urban huwa biss buzz words biex jimpressjona: huwa biss skuża oħra għal aktar bini u konkos,” sostniet Dr Bagley.

Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD, il-Perit Carmel Cacopardo, qal li din il-pjazza fil-Ħamrun inqerdet. Kellna spazju miftuh u dan issa prattikament inqered. Il-karozzi hawn ingħataw prijorità. Qed jingħataw prijorità minn Gvern li għadu kif iddikjara li jrid inaqqas il-karozzi mit-toroq. Dan hu Gvern inkonsistenti: b’id waħda jgħid mod u bl-oħra jagħmel mod ieħor.

“Fiż-żoni residenzjali għandhom jingħataw prijorità lir-residenti bi spazji komunitarji, u iktar żoni pedonali, ħielsa minn kull xorta ta’ karozzi. L-ispazji ta’ parkeġġ li kien hawn f’din il-pjazza faċilment setgħu ġew eliminati. In-nies, il-kwalità tal-arja u spazji riservati għall-komunità għandhom ikunu l-prijorità assoluta. Il-viżjoni tal-PLPN għal pajjiżna – inkluż aktar tħaffir u mini għat-traffiku – għadha snin twal ‘il-bogħod mill-viżjoni moderna neċessarja għaż-żoni urbani tagħna.”

Huwa ukoll ridikolu li l-Gvern jitkellem fuq il-ħarsien tal-ispazji miftuħa filwaqt li jippermetti u jinkoraġġixxi żvilupp ta’ art għal proġetti bħalma huma supermarkets mhux meħtieġa li jkomplu jgħarrqu is-sitwazzjoni tat-traffiku f’pajjiżna. L-aħħar oxxenità tirrigwarda l-iżvilupp propost fuq Kemmuna fejn il-protezzjoni li għandha din il-gżira jidher li ma tiswa xejn quddiem l-ispekulazzjoni li il-PL u l-PN dejjem appoġġjaw. Il-Ministru tal-Ambjent għandha bżonn tkun konsistenti u jekk verament trid tħares l-ispazji miftuħa tibda b’dawk li tipprovdilna n-natura. Imbagħad forsi nemmnuha kemm qalbha tħabbat għall-ambjent.

F’kuntest usa’, l-art f’Malta, tul is-snin ma ġietx użata tajjeb. Ġiet żviluppata wisq art. Għandna l-obbligu li naraw li dan ma jibqax isir. L-impatt dirett ta’ dan kollu hu li Malta, u sa ċertu punt anke Għawdex, illum il-ġurnata saru massa waħda u kontinwa ta’ bini. Ittiekel ħafna raba’ u ġew eliminati bosta spazji miftuħa u ġonna. L-isfreġju għadu għaddej.

Iż-żoni urbani tagħna nistgħu nsebbħuhom billi naċċelleraw l-implimentazzjoni tal-politika dwar it-tnaqqis tal-karozzi mit-toroq tagħna. Biex dan iseħħ huwa neċessarju li ż-żoni urbani tagħna jkunu awtosuffiċjenti: b’hekk tonqos il-ħtieġa tal-użu tal-karozzi privati. Il-ħwienet iż-żgħar fl-ibliet u l-irħula tagħna inqatlu miċ-ċentri kummerċjali kbar u mis-supermarkets. L-ippjanar għall-użu tal-art dan kollu inkoraġġieh.

Li nipprovdu spazji miftuħa aċċessibli għal kulħadd hu tajjeb. Dan irid isir bil-għaqal biex possibilment nikkoreġu l-iżbalji urbanistiċi goffi akkumulati tul is-snin. Għandna bżonn spazji pubbliċi nieqsa mit-tniġġis, b’arja nadifa u b’aċċess ħieles. Ir-riżorsi limitati ta’ pajjiżna nistgħu nużawhom ferm aħjar milli qed jużahom dan il-Gvern, temm jgħid Cacopardo.