Front Harsien ODZ – you should ask the PN to apologise for past ODZ development

The Nationalist Party (PN) has spent many years in Government, and has amassed an impressive and dismal environmental track record. Given recent proposals by the current Labour Government to further develop ODZ, a new movement called Front Harsien ODZ (Front for the Protection of ODZ) was launched. FHO has quickly grown through rallied support from a wide range of private and public groups, including the PN. However, FHO has extended an olive branch to the PN by giving it the benefit of the doubt in relation to its past ODZ development track record.

Photo credit: TimesofMalta

As reported on the Times of Malta:

“Although the Nationalist Party had a poor environmental track record when it came to ODZ, it should be given the benefit of the doubt, according to Front Ħarsien ODZ”.

Furthermore, FHO spokesperson James Debono said that “civil society would judge the PN on “future action” it would take on environmental issues”. Actually, as a member of the public represented by this ‘civil society’, I would really like the PN to apologise for its past mistakes. Like seriously, I want to hear it coming out of Simon Busuttil’s mouth.

An analogy that everyone can understand will be helpful here. Imagine a loved one did something extremely hurtful to you, would you just move on and expect them to not do it again in the future? Hardly. A rational person would demand an apology and make an assessment on the future of relationship. In most cases, relationships can be repaired, but that is pretty hard when the person that hurt you doesn’t own up to it.

This is what I expect the PN to do. No amount of news coverage on ‘taking stands in favour of the environment’, or ‘joining national protests’, should detract from the fact that we have to live with the PN’s past mistakes. Politicians rarely admit their faults, so such an exercise could be quite cleansing for the PN and would deter them from future ODZ development.

Here is a list of some of the ODZ developments that I think the PN should apologise for:

• Development of Lidl supermarkets at Luqa, Gozo and Safi
• Charles Polidano and his corrupt concrete empire – including Hal Farrug and Montekristo
• Seabank Hotel in Mellieha
• Illegal ODZ development in Kercem
• The interpretation Centre at Dwejra in Gozo
• Former PN Safi Mayor Peter Paul Busuttil and his villa on ODZ
• Former PN President Victor Scerri’s villa in pristine land in Bahrija
• Changing of local plans in 2006 and extension of development zones
• and most importantly – the gross lack of enforcement, and sanctioning of illegal ODZ development

On a side note:- FHO is reminding me a bit too much of the SHout Campaign, with its meek and pacific attitude. Being nice and cute with Maltese politicians is not going to get us anywhere any time soon. FHO should really lay into the Nationalist Party and have them grovel at their past ODZ mistakes. If they are not shamed and made to apologise for their past actions, they will have no issues with repeating them again in the future.

The Malting Pot’s guide to ODZ development in Malta

Happy World Environment Day everyone! To celebrate this special day, I have drawn up a comprehensive overview of contentious planned and allowed ODZ development across the Maltese Islands. In a country where its Governments have absolutely no respect for its environment and for the public that would like to enjoy it, I think it is about time that we quantify and illustrate the extent of ODZ development in Malta.

The following map shows some of the infamous ODZ developmental issues in Malta over the past decade. Some of these have unfortunately been given the green light, others have simply dropped under the radar so that no one is aware of their status, and others are still in discussion.

A – (fake) American University of Malta at Zonqor Point

Area at stake – 91,000m²

B – Yacht Marina and Cruise Liner terminal at Qala Coastline

Area at stake – approx 85,000m² (undisturbed area around the quarry)

Click here for more information

C – Useless megapolis at Xemxija Hill/Mistra Ridge

Area at stake – approx 30,000m²

Click here for more information

D – Bungalows behind Mellieha Bay Hotel

Area at stake – approx 35,000m²

Click here for more information

E – Church Schools in Hal-Ghaxaq

Area at stake – 80,000m²

Click here for more information

(Photo credit: TimesofMalta)

F – Lidl in Xewkija, Gozo

Area taken – 1440m² (this project has been completed)

Click here for more information

G – Private Residence for the elderly at Wied Garnaw

Area at stake- Unknown

Click here for more information

H – Mushroom Farm in Gharb

Area at stake- 15,000m²

Click here for more information

(Photo credit: VictorGalea)

I – Private residence in Wied Marcia in Bahrija Valley

Area at stake- unknown

Click here for more information

J – Extension of Ta’ Cenc hotel and apartments at Ta’ Cenc

Area at stake – unknown, but significant

Click here for more information

K – Development at Hondoq ir-Rummien

Area at stake – unknown, but significant

Click here for more information

L – Arriva Bus Depot in Zebbug

Area at stake – 9300m²

Click here for more information

(Photo credit: TimesofMalta)

Total ODZ area up for grabs = approximately 350,000m², or 0.11% of Malta’s entire area. This figure excludes the thousands of other ODZ applications that we are unsure if they have been accepted. The applications for the past ten years (since 2005), roughly equate to 30,000,000m² or 9.5% of Malta total area. Happy World Environment Day Malta! We love you so much!

Two New Yacht Marinas in Ghajnsielem coming right up

The government has announced that MEPA has received seven new applications for yacht marinas, of which two would be based in Ghajnsielem in Gozo. The Labour Party had already pledged a cruise terminal and 500-berth yacht marina in Gozo in its electoral manifesto, so it seems it is going to keep its promise and allowing further degradation of the Gozitan coast.

I had already written a productive rant about a yacht marina in Gozo back in 2013, and based on some research I had conducted in this post, it seems that I was bang on cue.

It should be noted that we became aware of these seven applications as a result of a Parliamentary Question directed to the Prime Minister. If experience has shown as anything with such applications, we would probably have been made aware of such a project three days before the agreement with some big investor is signed (50 shades of American University of Malta).

This is what we know so far and we can expect to happen:

The government wants to build a cruise terminal and a 500-berth yacht marina in Gozo. Two applications for yacht marinas in Ghajnsielem have been received, so the above two projects can possibly happen. It is important to first pinpoint where Ghajnsielem is on the map:

Ghajnielem encompasses Mgarr Harbour, the area around Fort Chambray and comino. Qala is adjacent to it, and it includes Hondoq ir-Rummien

The following map shows that the entire coast of Ghajnsielem and a small part of the Qala coastline are eligible to be used for yacht marinas.

All protected areas in Gozo as obtained from the Malta Environment Planning Authority’s website. The green line on the coastline indicated that areas which ARE legally permissible to develop.

Logically, the part of the Qala coastline would be exempt from being used a Marina since the applications received only list down Ghajnsielem. However, I would not bank too much on this as boundaries seem to become fluid when development is concerned in Malta. In any case, let us take a closer look at the Ghajnsielem and Qala coastline and highlight the areas where these two marinas may be constructed:

In 2013, MaltaToday covered this story in great detail (props to James Debono), and provides further crucial pieces to this very elusive puzzle. The government proposed a cruise liner terminal close to area B in the map above, but this was shot down by MEPA as a study showed immeasurable negative impacts to seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) meadows that are protected under the EU Habitats Directive. However, there is a small caveat that allows MEPA to approve such a project if it can be carried out for reasons of overriding public interest. Thankfully, Malta will have to seek permission from the European Commission and to compensate for the loss of habitat.

We then have Xatt l-Ahmar within area A, which is a picturesque bathing site that unfortunately fits the bill for a small yacht marina. The area itself is not protected, but is listed as a Proposed Level 2 or higher area of ecological value on local plans.

Xatt l-Ahmar, one of the two possible sites for a new yacht marina. (Photo credit: Jason Dalli – VisitGozo)

There is also the possibility of developing the coastline under Fort Chambray which is also located in Area A in the map above. This was echoed by Fort Chambray developer Michael Caruana, but you can imagine how arousing it must be for him to have all those millionaires berthing their super yachts a couple of metres away from his brand new accommodation complex. How altruistic.

According to the MaltaToday article, the most viable option for new yacht marina will be land reclamation in the area close to Mgarr Harbour (area B above). The coastline in that area is pristine but is also listed as a Proposed Level 2 or higher area of ecological value on local plans, and also a site of archaeological importance.

A 2009 study found that this area can only accommodate a maximum of 148 berths, which is a far cry from the 500 pledged by the Labour party. Any land reclamation in that area will lead to further congestion in Mgarr Harbour and damage to the sea bed.

Therefore, it is going be to very interesting to see what these applications contain. Will the coastline next to the Mgarr Harbour be extended through land reclamation, leading to damage to the seabed? Or will the popular bathing site at Xatt l-Ahmar and the adjoining area under Fort Chambray be converted into a lavish yacht marina for rich people to use? Or will it be both?

Either way, these two projects are a complete waste of money and resources, as Malta cannot accommodate so many yachts in one given summer period, and the use of these marinas would be seasonal at best. This was echoed back in 1996, through a Yacht Development Study that found that Mgarr Harbour is “a less viable location because, being on Gozo its demand will be seasonal in nature”.

However, we should not forget that in Malta the developers’ greed and the government’s disregard for the environment only increases with time. At least jobs will be created, regenerating the economy of Gozo, Monte Carlo of the Mediterranean, attracting investors, bla bla bla… I think we’ve heard it all by now.

The Malting Pot’s guide to illegal and abusive coastal eateries in Malta

There is nothing better in this world than an ice cold beer on a scorching Maltese beach in Summer. As temperatures have started soaring in Malta, people have begun to flock to the coast and splashing their Facebook walls with their ‘First Swim Selfies’. With the tourism sector gearing up for a busy 2015 summer period, I have decided to also do my part by providing tourists and local  revellers with a guide to illegally and abusively constructed eating outlets around Malta and Gozo.

Before we kick this off, let me clarify what I mean by ‘illegal’ and ‘eating outlet’. By referring to an outlet as being illegal, the outlet may be constructed without a permit in its entirety, or it may have some form of illegal extension to the legal part of its premises. There are also a couple of outlets that may be legal but are still abusively occupying public space. In any case, the majority og these outlets are breaking the law and occupying public land, and in most cases even constructing parts of their premises in ecologically sensitive areas. An eating outlet may range from a full fledged restaurant, to a beach lido, to a kiosk, to a make shift outlet that cooks on a barbecue (this is actually true).

This situation isn’t that bad, right?

A – Mgarr ix-Xini Kiosk – This outlet been in breach of a MEPA enforcement notice since 2007, and is labelled as “pending direct action”. Tens of thousands of euros were be paid out to this ‘business’ as it was forced to close because of the ‘blockbuster’ movie By the Sea that was shot at Gozo’s Mgarr ix-Xini by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Source: The Malta Independent. On a separate note, I had visited this outlet once and was not even provided with a VAT receipt. Therefore this outlet is illegally occupying land and does not even pay VAT on all income generated.

Brad and Angelina were filming By the Sea in Malta in the summer of 2014 in Mgarr ix-Xini. The area was cordoned off to keep out the peasants, so business were compensated. One of these happen to be this illegally built restaurant. The seafood os good though, albeit a bit pricey. (Photo credit: Us Magazine)

B – Munchies Kiosk (Golden Bay) – An honourable mention since this has now been (finally) demolished – The kiosk used to occupy an ecologically sensitive area and has been dismantled. Although most of the new facility will be located under the car park, the new development will include an 80 square metre terrace overlooking the beach.  Source: MaltaToday

The proposed new Munchies restaurant. After years of illegally occupying ecologically sensitive area, the owner gets off easy with a newly approved location in the same beach (Photo credit: MaltaToday)

C – Cavett Place/Tac-Cavett –  The site includes structures without a permit, and the enforcement notice also states the use of the site was switched from a farm to a venue hosting commercial activities that include serving food and drinks. Source – Times of Malta

D – Las Palmas (Bahar ic-Caghaq) – Served with an enforcement notice in May 2014 after a metal railing structure to serve as a raised platform for tables, chairs and umbrellas was erected. By November 2014, number of covers doubled despite an enforcement notice served by Mepa last May. Source: Times of Malta

E – Scoglitti Restaurant (Valletta) – In February 2015, MEPA issued a number of enforcement notices over the erection of a boundary wall and lampposts and a number of alterations to the façade without a permit. Source – MaltaToday.

The illegal extension of Scoglitti Restaurant is denying access to the public, mainly fishermen and canoeists. but even Posh people need to eat right? (Photo credit: MaltaToday)

F – Scicluna Farmhouse (Gudja) – A Gudja farmhouse was illegally converted into a restaurant. Despite complaints by its neighbours, it continues to operate despite having been slapped with an enforcement notice by the planning authority in 2012. Source: Times of Malta

G – San Blas Kiosk – In 2009 MEPA issued an enforcement notice against a ‘structure’ serving as a kiosk for the hiring of deckchairs and umbrellas.  In 2010 MEPA issued an enforcement notice against a bamboo enclosure (in which bricks were being kept) and the construction of stairs leading to the beach. Burgers are still being served today. Source – MaltaToday, The Malta Independent

H – Dwejra Restaurant (Gozo) – Not an illegal case, but a highly abusive one. A restaurant was never meant to be built in Dwejra, but this was controversially incorporated into the Interpretation centre in 2007. A permit for a permanent generator in the middle of the existing car park at this site was filed in 2013. Source: MaltaToday

The restaurant owner has been vying for an outlet in this area for nearly two decades. His wish came through when he negotiated to have this outlet incorporated into the Interpretation Centre in Dwejra. If only we could do something about that horrid font and colour, naqa cliché hux? (Photo credit: MaltaToday)

I – Kiosks in St Paul’s Bay – llegal works were being carried out along Qawra Promenade to enable the relocation of three Kiosks that are occupying land needed for the development of a Private Aquarium in the area better known as Ta’ Fra Ben. Source: Malta Star

J – Ghadira Bay Kiosks – Another legal case but executed to high degree of stupidity. Concrete bases were laid down in the bay, impacting the coast, the sand dunes and surrounding ecology in this Natura2000 site. The permit for the kiosk had been repeatedly refused, and one of the kiosk had two enforcement orders, which were swept away by the approved Development Notification Order. This DNO system bypasses public consultation to fast-track applications for minor works. Source: Times of Malta

K – Summer Nights (Marsascala) – Since 2001, the owner has not applied for a permit allowing him to cook food on site. Source: Times of Malta.

L – Anthony’s Restaurant (Nadur) – This case has been regulated, but harmful impacts to the traffic flow of the area still persist. Outlet owner has a permit to place a small number of tables, and last April (2014), it applied for a permit to “extend pavement under the area covered with the concession for placing of tables. No permit was issued to extend the area in which tables and chairs were placed, but this did not appear to deter the restaurant, which ended up incurring an enforcement notice for occupying a larger public space than it was allowed to. Eventually, however, the restaurant relented, and the offending street furniture was removed. Source: The Malta Independent

M – Ramla Bay Kiosk – An enforcement order was also issued in 2012 against a kiosk built without a permit on scheduled land in Ramla l-Hamra in Gozo. An application to sanction the kiosk presented by the owner in 2009 was withdrawn by the Planning Directorate. Source – MaltaToday

This illegal kiosk refuses to enter the 21st Century, with its tacky and cheap design and finishes. But what is the point of spending money when there is no competition in the area? (Photo credit: BeachMalta)

N – Ray’s Lido (Armier) – Enforcement order issued in 2003, referring to the illegal development of a two-storey building and to two concrete platforms in the sea. An appeal against the enforcement order was rejected in 2006. In parallel to this appeal the owners also presented three applications to regularise the development, the latest of which was turned down in 2009. Subsequently the owner applied for a reconsideration of this decision, which was turned down twice in 2011. But an appeal against this decision is still pending. Source – MaltaToday

O – Dahlet Qorrot Kiosk – Similarly, an enforcement against a kiosk in Dahlet Qorrot, an area of ecological importance in Qala, has been pending for the past 10 years. Source – MaltaToday

P – Hondoq ir-Rummien Kiosk – A kiosk in Hondoq ir-Rummien is also subject to an enforcement order issued by MEPA in 2000. Applications to regularise the kiosk and allow tables to be placed outside it was rejected in 1998 and 2000. Source – MaltaToday

Q – Belmar Lido (Armier) – An enforcement order against the Belmar lido was issued in 2006. The enforcement notice refers to the change of use of part of the beach into a private lido. An appeal was presented against the enforcement order but this was rejected three years later. Source – MaltaToday

R – L’Aroma Terrace (Ghadira Bay) – An enforcement order against the development of a concrete platform, wooden canopy, stairs and concrete ramp without permit was issued against the Adira lido in 2010. The enforcement has been pending for the past four years. No attempt has been made to regularise this development through a formal application.  Source – MaltaToday

This outlet in Ghadira wants you to enjoy its products in a safe and accessible environment, so it went the extra mile by building a concrete platform illegally in the beach. (Photo credit: MaltaToday)

S – Paradise Bay Lido – served with an enforcement order against the construction of an illegal canopy covering the restaurant’s terrace, the construction of a room being used as a kitchen and the creation of concrete paved areas used for the placing of sunbeds and umbrellas. A similar enforcement notice against concrete paving in the same site was issued in 1993. According to MEPA’s files this case is still, 20 years later, awaiting “direct action”. Source – MaltaToday

 * * *

The above outlets are only the ones reported by the media, and represent merely a fraction of all the eateries in Malta that have illegalities that are simply swept under the rug. Furthermore, if one takes into the account all the sun bed and umbrella renting outlets, mobile kiosks, and other merchants operating in coastal areas without the necessary permits, the above map would become too congested.

With tourism figures growing each year, these outlets will ultimately increase in number and end up occupying more public space and damaging sensitive ecological areas. Ironic how the government wants to build more hotels to improve the tourism sector, when the sector currently requires so much more enforcement.

At least we can rest easy knowing that the Tourism Minister publicly came out against illegal restaurants and kiosk operating in coastal areas. This was in July 2014, so may be this post will help the minister and the pertinent authorities start enforcing these outlets. Come on guys, this is just like going to the gym – the first few days are the hardest!

Whatever you do this summer, eat responsibly and support your law abiding restaurateurs!

Malta, the democratic land of Environmental Communism

When one thinks of ‘communism’ or ‘communist state’, the mind instantly wanders into fields of infringed human rights, censorship and untold horrors and deaths of citizens residing in these countries. Very few consider the effects communism has had on the environment in these areas. Rationally, we can arrive at the term ‘Environmental Communism’, which I would describe as being the unregulated exploitation of the environment for the benefit of a small group of individuals at the expense of the general population. Yes, I believe that  such a term merits attention and that Malta is riddled with Environmental Communism.

Photo credit: newsbusters.org

In 2012, I flew to Beijing to discover the effects of Mao Zedong’s leadership on the Chinese environment. The experience itself was enthralling, a unique and unorthodox glimpse into how a Marxist-Leninist State operated at its height. The results were eyeopening and providing a healthy dose of ‘food for thought’.

Amongst other things, China experienced serious biodiversity degradation and deforestation since 1958, when General Mao wanted China to become a leading state in the industrialized world (stylised as the The Great Leap Forward). Under Mao, “resources including forests and biodiversity were treated as free goods: they had no economic value as no human labor was involved in their production” Harkness, 1998 (Reference below). This resulted in resources being depleted, and many blame this excessive deforestation for Beijing’s current pollution problems.

Beijing’s current pollution problems are mainly attributed to large scale deforestation under General Mao’s rule. Current generations have to deal with previous authoritarian decisions on how their environment was used (Photo credit: Wodumedia)

This minor immersion into differences between Western and Chinese ideologies on environmental use brought me to appreciate how European countries manage their resources. Abuse and overexploitation does occur, but there is more regulation in place to  to enforce legal practices and mitigate the repercussions of biodiversity loss (case in point with the recent reforms of the EU Common Fishery Policy as approved by the European Parliament).

European countries have generally always diverged from Mao’s view on the environment that it is simply there to serve Man’s purpose. Then again, this view does not seem to be shared by Malta and its governments. The Maltese environment is nothing more than a political football, used by both major parties to appease sections of society in exchange for their votes.

The Marxist definition of the state of Communism is described as a situation where a minority social class exploits and rules over the majority social class. It becomes quite evident that a specific minority of Maltese people are exploiting and controlling the environment at the detriment of the majority of the Maltese population.

Notable Environmental Communists in Malta could easily be identified as:

• The Polidano Brothers (developers known for numerous illegal works under the Nationalist governments)
• The FKNK and affiliates (Maltese hunting federation wanting illegal hunting to persist in Malta)
• Various boathouse owners (those squatting and building on public land)
• Various umbrella/sunbed distributors (those impeding usage of public beaches to line their pockets)
• Joseph Portelli (the Gozitan developer embroiled in the recent San Blas illegal development Scandal)
• Sandro Chetcuti (public Labour Party supporter and Malta Developer’s Associaton President under the current Labour government who wants the construction industry to boom)

Joseph Portelli (pictured above) is a developer from the island of Gozo, who started illegally developing a protected area next to a beach – on public land. A true Environmental Communist at heart. (Photo credit: TheMaltaIndependent)

All these individuals or group of individuals share a common principle: exploiting the environment to their personal gain at the expense of the majority of the Maltese population – an inherent communist ideology.

It is about time that people start accepting the reality that Malta is essentially an ‘Environmentally Communist’ state, awash with very faint European democratic tones. It is also about time that people in Malta stop denying the situation the country is in and pretending that Maltese governments give two cents about their environment.

No. Maltese governments do not care about the environment in Malta. The evidence since our EU accession can only serve to highlight this paradox of supposed environmental democracy, with the cases of bird hunting, developers left to their illegal devices, poor renewable energy track record, ecosystem destruction through unregulated activities and very poor enforcement.

All these illegalities persist on a rock the size of a dot (in geographical parameters). If Maltese governments cannot even manage to regulate illegal environmental development in such a small state, then they have pretty much failed as political leaders and should resign to preserve their dignity.

And since this will obviously never happen, future governments  in the next 50 years can only expect to hopelessly scramble to find a solution for our overdeveloped and ecologically eroded island. At least we will be following in China’s environmental footsteps, which is what our current government appears to be yearning for.

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Harkness, J. (1998). “Recent Trends in Forestry and Conservation of Biodiversity in China.” The China Quarterly. No. 156 , pp. 911 – 934.

Politics in Malta make for a ‘sad’ environment

It should come to no surprise that politics manages to infiltrate itself into every corner of society. While the outcomes of such a relation are somewhat debatable, generally depending on which party you support, I am confident that the environment in Malta has historically suffered as a result of political intrusion. 

As part of my MSc programme at UCL, I set out to uncover the use of stakeholder participation and environmental governance in Malta. Central to this study was the selection of an appropriate site, so I decided to use Dwejra in Gozo as it is a site of ecological, archaeological, cultural and economic importance to the Maltese population. This research project set out to uncover the current management regimes of this prominent site, by analysing them in reference to the concepts of environmental governance and stakeholder participation.

Dwejra was chosen as a study site as a result of recent events that raised questions on how such sites are being managed by the authorities. This research focused on issues of onsite development and filming, in light of the ‘Interpretation Centre’ saga and Game of Thrones incident.

During the filming of the first season of Game of Thrones, sand was laid on the rocks in this protected area. This material eventually consolidated and adhered to the rocks. The saga ended with HBO effectively dismissing Malta as a filming site. Where the stakeholders properly consulted and involved in the process leading to the filming of this show?

‘Governance’ is a concept used to describe a mutual understanding between public and private actors in the face of communal problems. It has been widely applied in environmental politics, where it advocates for a holistic approach in environmental decision-making. Such a concept is generally limited as a result of environmental and commercial conflicts which arise within conservation sites such as Dwejra. Environmental governance can be achieved by adopting a multilateral decision-making process that extends some governing power to stakeholders such as charities, NGOs and SMEs, and the public. As such, environmental governance is intertwined with the process of stakeholder participation, the latter also including elements of public engagement in environmental decision-making processes.

 Stakeholders interviewed felt they were underrepresented in decisions pertaining to the management of Dwejra Heritage Park (DHP), supporting the argument that stakeholder participation had not been achieved. While it was argued that the government had tried to assimilate stakeholder participation in its management scheme, this was not successful. As such, this study exposes a situation where the influential players involved in environmental conservation in Malta are mainly higher governmental bodies.

 Such a result also reflected the sentiments felt by members of the public, who felt disregarded in certain environmental decisions. However, it appears that the public has a general attitude of indifference towards such topics which could be symptomatic of two issues. The Maltese public could either be suffering from a case of NIMBYism (Not in My Back Yard), where individuals are only concerned about issues that may directly impact their lives or lifestyles, or they may be feeling ‘defeated’ by a government that has so far failed to meet conservation duties.

 This study exposed a situation where stakeholders felt an apparent lack of political will to achieve environmental targets. This could be a reason why the concept of environmental governance in Malta has not yet been successfully implemented. It appears that there is no political will in Malta to prioritize environmental concerns before the government’s political agenda, so no amount of institutional reforms can ever achieve the desired environmental targets.

 It was concluded that this poor structure of governance was a contributing factor to development problems such as the Interpretation Centre, and the Game of Thrones filming incident.

 It is acknowledged that various pressures co-exist in DHP, arising mainly from Dwejra’s importance as a tourist attraction. It is recommended that MEPA explores the possibility of monitoring visitor numbers. This would contribute to better tourism management plans, and could provide a dialogue with relevant stakeholders (including service providers such as divers, boat trippers, and transport providers). I am confident in the government’s commitments towards the environment, but entities such as MEPA need to be given more support on how to implement stakeholder participation, seeing as the cases of development and filming in Dwejra have shown these efforts to be unsuccessful.

Click here for a press release version of this blog post at The Malta Independent

A yacht marina in Gozo – Where exactly?

Islands in general have historically relied on the great seas and oceans for commerce, subsistence, travel, recreation and so on. Most harbours that are still used in the present day extend back centuries in their use, sometimes millenia. Malta is no exception to this case, which boasts one of the most celebrated natural harbours in the world. However, given its high population density, and increasing amounts of boat owners living and visiting the islands, is there room for more docking space in an ever shrinking coastline?

Mgarr Harbour – the only major port facility currently available in Gozo (Photo credit: bobchin1941)

The place of concern is Malta’s sister island, Gozo, where the current Government has issued a call for expressions of interest to build a cruise liner terminal and yacht marina. Apparently, the response has been “bigger than expected”, which is to be anticipated given how coveted marina space has become in Malta.

Gozo has only one major port facility, the Mgarr Harbour, that currently also operates the Malta-Gozo shuttle ferry service on a daily basis (pictured above). The biggest issue about building such facilities in Gozo is the obvious lack of space, since the vast majority of the island’s coastline is protected by some form of terrestrial or marine treaty which ‘in theory’ should inhibit the presence of marinas or terminals.

All protected areas in Gozo as obtained from the Malta Environment Planning Authority’s website and MEPA’s MapServer. The green line on the coastline indicated that areas which ARE legally permissible to develop.

 All terrestrial areas in red is land that is legally designated as  a Special Areas of  Conservation (SACs), Special Protected Areas (SPAs) and/or are part of the Natura2000 framework – all of which enjoy European protection. There are also three Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Gozo:

1.   an area in the east of Gozo that extends between Xwejni Bay next to Marsalforn and the White Rocks in Pembroke Malta – this is the entire area which covers the Neptune Sea grass meadows Posidonia oceanica (the green areas in the sea in the map above) which are internationally protected.
2. an area next to Dwejra Heritage Park
3. an area next to Mgarr ix-Xini.

Basically, the only area which is legally permissible to construct any form of maritime hub is depicted by the green line along the Gozo coastline in the map above, which is practically a fourth of the island.

But can we build there?

There needs to be a lot of planning when it comes to building a marine or terminal, but the rule of thumb is that the area needs to be at sea level, in order for boats and ships to berth without problems. Unfortunately, Gozo is not a smooth surfaced island, with many elevations and depression along the coastline. This can be illustrated by the following contour map which is freely available from MEPA’s MapServer online.

A contour map plots the highest point on a land’s surface. In this case, light greens indicate an area at sea level, while darker greens and browns indicate areas that are higher than sea level

As expected, the light green areas are located at the coast, with the majority of these being either bays or beaches:

• A – Dwejra
• B – Wied il-Mielah
• C – Wied Ghasri
• D – Marsalforn/Qbajjar
• E – Ramla l-Hamra
• F – San Blas
• G – Dahlet Qorrot
• H – Hondoq ir-Rummien
• I – Mgarr Harbour
• J – Xatt l-Ahmar
• K – Mgarr ix-Xini
• L – Xlendi

As can be observed from the above figure, there is really very little option in the choice of constructing this marina or cruise liner terminal, this barring also logistic issues of whether the site is easily accessible and so on. The current Gozo minister has pledged to not build this maritime monster at Hondoq ir-Rummien, which has recently been in the headlines over contentious development issues. He has instead suggested that an ideal site would be Marsalforn, which is located inside the MPA.

The only thing we can do now is wait and observe how this issue unfolds, but I am certain (based on the long standing faulty development decisions taken by the Gonzi administration), that the legal designation of MPA, SPA, SAC or Natura2000 will do little to prevent juggernaut projects such as this one from proceeding.

Fifty.

This blog is merely a recreational venture of mine, allowing me to share my views on various environmental issues currently happening all over the world. However, writing such material is itself a daunting task, requiring much time and patience to adhere to. Reaching the 50 post milestone is a small step in the blogging world, but undeniably one in the right direction.

To celebrate this milestone, I will share with everyone the following video I made whilst in Malta for a recent visit. The title is a portmanteau of “holiday” and “home”, since visiting Malta provides me with an exquisite combination of both.

List of filming sites (in chronological order)

01 – San Blas Bay (Gozo) (0:00 – 0:24)

02 – Mgarr Road (Gozo) (0:25 – 0:28)

03 – St George’s Basilica, Victoria (Gozo) (0:29 – 0:39)

04 – Xlendi Bay (Gozo) (0:40 – 0:47)

05 – Independence Square, Victoria (Gozo) (0:48 – 0:56)

06 – Xlendi Bay (Gozo) (0:57 – 1:08)

07 – Blue Lagoon (Comino) (1:09 – 1:26)

08 – Ghadira Bay – Starfish (Malta) (1:27 – 1:32)

09 – Blue Lagoon (Comino) (1:33 – 1:42)

10 – Lola the Cat (1:45 – 1:49)

11 – San Anton Palace (Malta) (1:50 – 1:56)

12 – Maltese wall Lizard (1:57 – 2:00)

13 – Pippin, the other cat (2:01 – 2:04)

14 – San Anton Palace (Malta) (2:11 – 2:18)

15 – Fungus Rock, Dwejra (Gozo) (2:19 – 2:22)

16 – Azure Window, Dwejra (Gozo) (2:23 – 2:25)

17 – Sunset (2:26 – 2:42)

18 – BBQ time (2:43 – 3:00)

19 – Mdina – Mdina Gate (Malta) (3:01 – 3:03)

20 –  Mdina – St Paul’s Cathedral (Malta) (3:04 – 3:15)

21 – Random Village Feast Fireworks Display (3:16 – 3:34)

MEPA’s perverted obsession with bulldozers

The following article has just been published online, depicted a bulldozer clearing pebbles off Ramla l-Hamra – a picturesque beach in the Maltese island of Gozo. Will any of the readers even flinch or be surprised if I tell them that this illegal operation has been sanctioned by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority?

Ganni, the village idiot, and his trusty bulldozer at work in the ecologically sensitive area of Ramla l-Hamra (Photo credit: TimesofMalta)

You may be asking why I used the term illegal…it has probably something to do with the fact that the entire area of Ramla l-Hamra is protected under national legislation – as can be seen by this short description on the MEPA website (you can also see the list of laws governing this site whould you be interested). You do need a degree to understand that anything protected should be…erm…protected from such things.

This is not the first time MEPA sent ‘Ganni tal-Bulldozer’ to destroy a protected area…remember the famous Game of Thrones filming fiasco back in November of 2010, where they sent Ganni and his bulldozer to remove sediment off important (and protected) archaeological sites in Dwejra, Gozo?

Ganni, the village idiot, and his trusty bulldozer at work in the archaeologically, ecologically and culturally sensitive area of Dwejra, Gozo (Photo credit: TimesofMalta)

Also, as a side note to general Maltese public, a CLEAN beach does not mean not having the presence of stones or sea grass (alka), but a beach free of the human waste people leave behind.

Stones, pebbles, rocks, sea grass debris and all the natural things washed up from the sea are not a source of disease or harm to the beach. They are important for the health of the beach – sea grass and other organic debris provide nutrients to an otherwise deprived habitat in the sand, while pebbles and larger rocks allow the sand to not be lost or swept away when there are stronger currents.

Someone needs to explain why MEPA and the government (both PN and PL it seems) have this perverted affinity towards using bulldozers and similar heavy machinery in protected areas.

I personally want answers, rational ones, at how this illegal act has been sanctioned by a government body – or will the new MEPA chairman tell us that it is ‘just bare rock’ as he did in the Dwejra case?

Malta desperately needs to get served by some harsh environmental fines soon, it really needs to grow up and learn a thing or too about environmental conservation. What do you think?