Have Your Say
We would be very happy to hear your point of view. To do so, please send us an email. We may publish your comments on this website but will only publish your name with your permission. Why not also send your comments directly to Mr. George Pullicino and Dr. Lawrence Gonzi?
YOU WROTE:
Hearty congratulations to all of the FAA team from Geoffrey and myself for the MEPA retreat on Ramla l-Hamra which we are sure you played a big part in. I wish that MEPA would see sense a bit more often to stop wrecking our beloved island. At the moment Mellieha seems to have more cranes in the air than TV aerials.
Mary & Geoffrey Fisher
Ramla Il-Hamra
WELL DONE, FAA! You have once again saved our precious country from the greed of the developer! I have just read the great news of the revocation of the permit by MEPA. You have once again led us to victory! Keep it up!
Member
Fiddling as Gozo burns - Letter Times of Malta
It is refreshing to see so many concerned citizens and visitors alike voicing their opinions against the proposed projects on Gozo; most notably Ta' Cenc, Ramla and Hondoq. Unless I missed it I have yet to read a letter in favour of any of these projects. Obviously the consensus out there is that these places belong to everyone and should not be exploited by the few for monetary gains. The little countryside left on the tiny island of Gozo ought not to be disturbed; rather preserved for everyone to enjoy now and for future generations to come.
Of course we all know that the fish stinks from the head. Mepa would not be acting in this fashion if it were not for the power entrusted to it by the government. Yet, I see all the anger addressed at the proprietors and at Mepa itself and nobody points out the fact that if the government wanted to stop this controversy all it has to do is amend the law. Like Nero the government fiddles while the Gozo landscape is eternally ruined.
Yes, indeed, appointing Mepa as a watchdog is tantamount to appointing a fox to guard the chicken coop. I am certain that if the government or the Ministry for Gozo stepped in and declared certain areas as "untouchable" then Mepa would be out of the loop and its rubber stamp for destroying these areas would forever be taken away.
Here in the city of NY once a building is declared as a Landmark by the City Council it cannot be torn down or even altered. It certainly should be a consideration.
Charles Sammut, New York, US.
Yes, I am an interfering foreigner - Letter in Malta Independent
I feel must reply to Mr Gerada-Azzopardi’s letter “The Ta’ Cenc Heritage Park Project” of 26 August.
Yes, I am an interfering foreigner who settled in your midst 17 years ago, and one of the many foreign residents who contribute a considerable amount to the economy; and who indirectly create or sustain many jobs – from Air Malta to the greengrocer on the corner. I have invested a lot of money and time in Gozo and the majority of my income is spent there. I regard it as my home and have many wonderful Gozitan and Maltese friends and acquaintances. It is for these people and their children that I put pen to paper and attend protest meetings – not for myself. I am already an oldie and, as far as I am concerned, when I become a composty (that is, die), Gozo can sink under all the concrete being piled onto it. However, I am trying to ensure that future generations will perhaps still be able to experience the Gozo I know and love.
I am certainly not a pre-war self-appointed messiah (what a lovely expression), however, for your information, democratic countries do expropriate private property if it is in the national interest, even in modern times. An example are the National Parks in Austria. The concept was proposed in 1971 and the first National Park was officially opened in 1992, and the last in 2002. Obviously huge tracts of land were expropriated to establish these National Parks. Of course the owners were compensated. Today these parks are not only of environmental significance but they are important tourist attractions. Incidentally, in case you are unaware of the fact, Austria is a democracy.
A golf course on Gozo (or Malta for that matter) will not attract many golf tourists. The golfers of my acquaintance holiday in places where they can expect superb food and accommodation as well as the choice of several golf courses.
I commend the owner/developer for his generosity in offering to declare part of his property as a protected “Heritage Park”, but one cannot have a hotel and numerous houses/villas in the middle of a heritage park/nature reserve. By all means upgrade the existing hotel, which is beautiful and unobtrusive, but it is surely not necessary to enlarge it or to increase the present height. This will not create additional jobs – how many Gozitans are actually employed in the hotel business?
Gozo is not, and never will be a five-star destination – the infrastructure is simply not there and the competition from other, far more unspoilt islands and coastal resorts is too great. It could, however, be marketed as a destination for people who would like peace and quiet, who would like to be able to walk and enjoy the magnificent countryside and who would like to explore all the archaeological and historic aspects of the island – ideally from one national park, or nature reserve to another, right around the island. These people are not necessarily the mega-mega-rich, but neither are they without funds. They would create permanent employment in the form of guides, park rangers, and so on. In addition to the normal services required by visitors.
On the other hand, upmarket villas would only provide employment for domestic staff, most of whom would be guest workers from other less fortunate countries.
I suggest Mr Gerada-Azzopardi and the owner travel to America and visit the national parks there – which are all financially self-sufficient and which attract an enormous number of tourists.
Unfortunately most of the coastal areas of Gozo appear to be privately owned – a grave mistake of the various governments in the past. A mistake that should be rectified as soon as possible. Once permission is granted to build on the Ta’ Cenc plateau, Hondoq, Ramla and even Xlendi point will become concrete jungles.
If you don’t believe me, take a look at the upmarket ghetto squatting on top of the once stunning Fort Chambray, or the high-security prison-like hotel sitting in the middle of a field in San Lawrenz.
Gozo is so small and still so beautiful, please lets protect it for future generations while we can.
Lesley G. Kreupl
Permit or No Permit - Letter in Times of Malta
Our decision makers still don't get it, do they? It is beside the point if the permit granted for the Ramla l-Hamra development is above board or not; the point is that we are going to destroy more of our precious countryside. It is even more terrifying if such destruction can be carried out with the approval of the law. If we have laws that make this possible I think that it is high time that we do away with them.
Frank Theuma, Nadur