During a press conference held in Xemxija, Alternattiva Demokratika The Green Party Chairperson Prof. Arnold Cassola said:’Proper waste management not only will reflect on the positive upkeep of the locality but reap other benefits through better utilization of such a resource. The planting of suitable and endemic trees will also help to improve the environment in many ways. The locality of St.Paul’s Bay is not an exception to these two simple common rules.’

Simon Galea, AD candidate for St.Paul’s Bay Local Council elections stressed the need for facilitation of waste separation through improvement of facilities, the importance of raising awareness plus the need of better enforcement. ‘It is disturbing to notice that since last week recipient containers for plastic and paper were removed from most of the bring in sites. If we strongly believe in waste separation and recycling, facilities have to improve and not the other way round. Having said that, the responsibility does not solely fall on the local council but also on all residents. Littering is a common factor result of individuals not abiding with rules and regulations. Some people take out rubbish after collection time, others still litter deliberately and some dog owners are irresponsible enough not to pick up their pet’s droppings. All the mentioned above needs addressing through improvement of facilities including proper bring in sites and more dog bins, raising awareness and better enforcement through the deployment of green wardens and the use of cctv cameras. If elected I will work towards the introduction of electronic waste recipients and other innovative ideas such as composting project which compost can be utilised in landscaped areas falling within same locality.

With regards to landscaping Simon Galea added ‘We need more trees in our locality both to combat pollution plus to embellish our locality. Any space available should be made proper use of and a case in point is the promenade at Xemxija Hill. Instead of placing pots holding alien species plants such as birds of paradise same space could have been much better utilised by planting at ground indigenous or even endemic trees such as the local olive tree ‘Ta- l Bidni’ which is acclimated to the local environment contrary to alien species which need more maintenance and even cost much more to buy. Such trees will not only embellish the promenade but also provide shade for all those making use of existing benches. Embellishing projects should also be extended for residential areas where residents should be encouraged to plant suitable trees in their front patio where dull streets containing rows of apartment blocks will be turned into small avenues. Through such embellishment not only will we benefit from better air quality but residents will also experience property appreciation.’
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Waqt konferenza stampa ġewwa x-Xemxija, iċ-Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika The Green Party, il-Prof. Arnold Cassola qal: ‘L-Immaniġġjar tajjeb tal-iskart mhux biss ikun rifless fil-kundizzjoni tal-lokal imma jħalli ukoll benefiċċji oħra permezz ta’ użu aħjar ta’ riżors bħal dan. It-tħawwil ta’ siġar adattati u endemici jgħin ukoll biex l-ambjent jittejjeb f’bosta aspetti. Il-lokalita’ ta’ San Pawl il-Baħar mhix eċċezzjoni għal dawn iż-żewġ regoli sempliċi.’

Simon Galea, il-kandidat ta’ AD għall-elezzjonijiet tal-Kunsilli Lokali f’San Pawl il-Baħar, saħaq fuq il-ħtieġa li jitjiebu l-opportunitajiet għas-separazzjoni tal-iskart permezz ta’ faċilitajiet aħjar, l-importanza li tinħoloq kuxjenza ikbar kif ukol il-ħtieġa ta’ infurzar aħjar. ‘Huwa ta’ tħassib li tinnota li mill-ġimgħa l-oħra ‘l hawn, il-kontenituri tal-iskart għall-plastik u l-karti tneħħew minn ħafna bring in sites. Jekk verament nemmnu fis-separazzjoni u r-riċiklaġġ tal-iskart, il-faċilitajiet iridu jitjiebu u mhux bil-kontra. Madankollu ma jfissirx li r-responsabbilita’ hija biss tal-Kunsill imma wkoll tar-residenti. Għad hawn nies li jarmu żibel barra mingħajr rispett lejn ir-regoli. Uħud joħorġu ż-żibel barra wara li jkun diġa sar il-ġbir, oħrajn iħammġu apposta u ċerti nies li għandhom il-klieb m’humiex responsabbli biżżejjed biex ineħħu l-ħmieġ tal-kelb tagħhom. Dan kollu li semmejt jeħtieġ li jiġi indirizzat permezz ta’ titjib fil-faċilitajiet fosthom bring in sites adekwati, aktar bramel għall-ħmieġ tal-klieb, aktar kuxjenza fost il-poplu u infurzar aħjar tal-liġi permezz ta’ green wardens u l-użu ta’ cctv cameras. Jekk inkun elett, naħdem biex ikunu introdotti reċipjenti tal-iskart elettroniċi u ideat oħra innovattivi bħal proġett biex isir il-kompost, li jista’ jkun użat f’inħawi fejn ikun qed isir landscaping fl-istess lokalita’.
Dwar il-landscaping Simon Galea żied jgħid: ‘Għandna bżonn iktar siġar fil-lokalita’ tagħna kemm biex impattu għat-tniġġiż kif ukoll biex insebbħu l-post. Kull spazju disponibbli għandu jkun użat sew. Eżempju tajjeb hija t-Telgħa tax-Xemxija. Minflok il-qsari li tpoġġew bi pjanti ta’ speċi barranija bħall-birds of paradise, l-istess spazju seta’ ġie użat aħjar billi jinżergħu siġar u pjanti indiġeni jew endemiċi bħas-siġra taż-żebbuġ ‘Tal-Bidni’ li hija mdorrija fl-ambjent lokali għall-kuntrarju ta’ pjanti ta’ speċi aljeni li jeħtieġu aktar kura u jiswew aktar flus biex tixtrihom. Siġar bħal dawn mhux biss isebbħu l-bankina fejn il-baħar imma wkoll jipprovdu dell għal min ipoġġi fuq il-bankijiet li hemm quddiem il-baħar. Proġetti ta’ tisbieħ tajjeb li jsiru wkoll f’inħawi residenzjali fejn ir-residenti għandhom jiġu mħajra jiżirgħu xi siġar jew pjanti fil-parapetti tagħhom biex toroq vojta mimlijin appartamenti jkunu jistgħu jinbidlu f’toroq imżejna b’siġar fuq kull naħa tat-triq. Permezz ta’ tisbiħ bħal dan, mhux biss ingawdu minn arja iktar pura imma r-residenti stess igawdu minn valur akbar tal-propjeta’ tagħhom.’