It is more than obvious that PL and PN are toothless when it comes to strong lobbies and big business interests. Yesterday, AD emphasised the connections between PL and PN MPs and candidates and big business and strong lobbies. Today, in Buġibba we are highlighting examples of how these connections lead to PL and PN choosing these interests over those of the citizen.
During a press conference held today in Buġibba by Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party , 12th district candidate Simon Galea said:’For these past years bathing waters in St. Paul’s Bay, Buġibba and Qawra been contaminated through tuna pen operations. Sadly enough no proper action been taken by either the government or other relevant authorities to address such an issue. In the meantime operators continued to breach the law to the detriment of both swimmers and the tourist industry alike. It was only through pressure exerted by individuals where authorities were constrained to take action and for this we thank persons like Mr. Nicolai Abela and Mr. Mark Gatt for contributing so much towards such a cause.’
‘Cages presently in St. Paul’s Bay should be moved at least 6kms offshore until the study on the other proposed site in the North of Malta will be concluded. AD also reaffirms its position against PA application 03072/17 where same tuna operator is proposing to relocate four tuna cages from Comino to St.Paul’s Bay. Whilst AD puts people’s interest first through voicing its concerns and also submitting its objection to the Planning Authority, both PL and PN kept their silence. Worse than that PN led local council did not submit an objection, a decision which raises many questions. ‘
Luke Caruana, contesting on behalf of AD on the 12th and 13th Districts added:’Another issue which been ignored for so long is public beaches encroachment. Unfortunately lots of public beaches been taken up by private interests throughout the years through both legal and illegal encroachments. The coast should remain public, AD insists that all beaches should remain public. All illegal developments should be demolished and the land returned to the public, a case in point is the Armier illegal boathouses. Let us remember that PN had signed an agreement with the “owners” of the illegal boathouses, does this agreement still hold? Why did the PL Government close both eyes, yet again, to the theft of public land?’
AD Chairperson Professor Arnold Cassola concluded: ‘ AD has always been at the forefront in addressing issues which affect people’s quality of life. Authorities are unfortunately more focused on trying to facilitate things for building speculators, tuna pen operators and big business to the detriment of residents and the common citizen. Instead of wasting your vote by voting PN or PL and getting more of the same, Vote Green, Vote clean. It is the strongest message you can give.’
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PN u PL bla snien fil-konfront tal-Big Business u l-lobbies b’saħħithom
Huwa ovvju li l-PL u l-PN huma bla snien meta jiffaċċjaw lobbies b’saħħithom u ‘big business’ – anzi jagħmlu minn kollox biex jaġevolawhom. ‘Il-bieraħ AD emfasizzat il konnessjonijiet bejn Membri Parlamentari u kandidati Laburisti u Nazzjonalisti u l-‘big business’ u lobbies b’saħħithom. Illum f’Buġibba qed nġibu eżempji oħra kif dawn il-konnessjonijiet iwasslu biex il-PN u l-PL jagħżlu lil min huwa b’saħħtu minflok l-interessi komuni taċ-ċittadini.
F’konferenza stampa f’San Pawl il-Baħar, il-kandidat ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika għat-12-il distrett, simon Galea, qal: “F’dawn l-aħħar snin, il-baħar f’San Pawl il-Baħar, Buġibba u l-qawra sfaw imniġġsa minħabba l-opraturi tal-gaġeġ tat-tonn. Sfortunatament,l-ebda azzjoni xierqa ma ttieħdet mill-Gvern jew minnn xi awtorita’ ohra biex jiġi rimedjat dan l-inkonvenjent. Sadattant, l-operaturi komplew jiksru l-liġi, għad-detriment kemm tal-għawwiema kif ukoll tal-industrija turistika. Huwa biss grazzi għal u wara pressjoni ta’ individwi bħal Nicolai Abela u Mark Gatt li l-awtoritajiet kellhom jieħdu azzjoni, u għal dan aħna nirringrazzjawhom. Alternattiva Demokratika qed tipproponi li l-gaġeġ li attwalment qegħdin San Pawl il-Baħar jiġu rmunkati almenu 6 km ‘l bogħod mill-kosta sakemm l-istudji dwar is-sit propost fin-nord ta’ Malta jkunu konklużi. AD tirrijafferma il-pożizzjoni tagħha kontra PA application 03072/17, li fiha l-istess operatur qed jitlob li jirriloka 4 gaġeġ tat-tonn minn Kemmuna għal San Pawl il-Baħar. Waqt li aħna tal-AD semmejna leħen in-nies billi għamilna oġġezzjonijiet mal-Awtorita’ tal-Ippjanar, il-PN u l- PL baqgħu kwieti. Wieħed jistaqsi għaliex il-Kunsill ta’ San Pawl ma ħax pożizzjoni favur iċ-ċittadini tal-lokal. Hemm xi interessi li ma nafux bihom?”
Luke Caruana, li huwa wkoll kandidat ta’ AD fuq it-12-il distrett, żied:’Tema oħra li ilha injorata għal ħafna żmien hija l-okkupazzjoni tal-bajjiet pubbliċi. Sfortunatament, ħafna bajjiet pubbliċi ttieħdu tul is-snin kemm b’mod legali iżda wkoll illegalment. Il-kosta għandha tibqa’ pubblika u AD hija favur li l-bajjiet kollha jkunu totalment aċċessibbli għall-pubbliku waqt li kull żvilupp illegali għandu jiġi mwaqqa’ u l-art tingħata lura lill-pubbliku. F’dan il-kunest, huwa ta’ stmerrija li l-PN kien iffirma wegħda elettorali mas-sidien tal-griebeċ l-Armier flok ma għamel wegħda elettorali li jiehu passi biex jassigura li tiġi osservata l-ligi. Il-PL baqa’ gallerija u ma għamel xejn. Il biza ta’ telf ta’ voti tipparalizza lill-partiti.’
Iċ-Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika, il-Prof. Arnold Cassola, qal: “L-Alternattiva Demokratika dejjem kienet fuq quddiem dwar dawn l-issues billi titlob infurzar strett tal-liġijiet, ħaġa li normalment ma ssirx billi l-awtoritajiet aktar moħħhom jaraw kif jaġevolaw lil min jispekula fil-bini, lill-operaturi tal-gaġeġ tat-tonn, eċċ b’detriment għar-residenti u għaċ-ċittadini komuni. Minflok ma taħlu l-vot tagħkom fuq il-PN u l-PL, biex kollox jibqa’ l-istess, agħti Vot Alternattiv, vot Nadif”
