FAA Question Political View of Sustainable Development

The Leader of the Labour Party, Dr Joseph Muscat, has recently spoken about the development of certain areas without making clear what his thoughts are regarding the conservation of urban and rural heritage or what impact his version of development would have on these and the citizens of these communities and their quality of life.

Visiting the controversial Seabank Hotel extension about which environment NGOs had raised many issues regarding the violation of MEPA regulations, Dr Muscat described the project as "an example of a Maltese company which obtains results"

If "results" are to be obtained by twisting regulations for the powerful few, and if Dr Muscat considers that financial return for some individuals excuses abusive practices, then FAA would have little reason to hope that a change in the administration of the country would bring about enhanced control of the environment and respect for what still remains of our national heritage.

Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar had contested the fact that this massive hotel was given a permit to be built on agricultural land in a priority area for the development of the agro-tourism industry. This has served as a blow to this priority growth niche which could create employment in a sustainable manner. Dr. Muscat would have had a real reason to praise the project had it been redirected to one of the many defunct hotels left to rot?

All-inclusive resorts like the Seabank project aim to provide all services within the resort, to the benefit of one operator and to the detriment of surrounding tourist facilities. FAA asks whether this is Dr Muscat's vision for the tourist industry.

Later in the week, Dr Muscat was reported as saying that "Gozo's environment had to be protected because that was an attraction in itself, but nonetheless, decisions for sustainable job creation needed to be taken in the interest of the people of Gozo". FAA is surprised that at a time when all Europe recognises that environmental protection leads to the creation of sustainable jobs in many fields, Dr Muscat appears to be implying otherwise.

Malta's small surface area necessarily means that every effort has to be made to ensure that development and economic progress, the protection of our heritage, and the quality of life of ordinary citizens go hand in hand. FAA would therefore welcome from Dr. Muscat a clarification of his vision regarding the curtailment of abusive development, the conservation of our historic sites and urban conservation areas, the countryside and marine environments and their key role in creative job-creation, rather than short term-construction projects that fill our islands with more vacant properties and discourage the very tourists we seek to attract.