I refer to Ms Sylvana Debono, PRO of MEPA’s letter of the 16 September, wherein she states that the Verdala Hotel “delays are inevitable”.
I am writing this letter to express my total disagreement with this and other statements contained in Ms Debono’s letter. Ms Debono conveniently quotes a small portion of a multitude of documents to be found in what has become a huge file at MEPA, and also seems to have mixed the golf course application up with that of the hotel.
The Verdala Application saga started off with PA8125/94 and today, 13 years later, our company is still without a complete full development permit. Our objection to these excessive delays is in relation to the hotel site not the golf course. I shall detail the facts thus far.
Six years following the date of our original application to develop the hotel site, MEPA issued a conditional permit with a reserved matter on the elevation. Naturally the architects and structural engineers could not work on the drawings without knowing the final outcome; however, we assumed that this was a matter which could be solved, since placing significant importance on the architecture of each of our developments has always been an integral part of our group strategy.
With this in mind, our Group embarked on an extensive exercise with the sole purpose of dealing with MEPA’s reservations on the elevation issue. It took us a full three years of continuous consultation with the Directorate to satisfy them with the new proposed design, during which three years, our Group commenced and completed a comprehensive programme to satisfy all other conditions stipulated under the permit, for example, the reallocation of all the 76 hotel employees to other subsidiary hotels, the scaling down of all services, the demolition and excavation of areas earmarked for reconstruction, the carrying out of all internal alterations, the preparation of various sample rooms, the construction of all the underground car parking facilities and large landscaped gardens, etc.
To our astonishment, in 2003 – nine years after the submission of our application, and following agreement on our application for the revised elevation – out of the blue, the Directorate recommended that we should consider demolishing the whole building and submit fresh plans for a completely new development, as well as consider eliminating or reducing the size of the hotel. Our response, after due consideration, was that we would accept their proposal, however subject to the condition that the new application will not take long to be processed. The Directorate promised us that they would cooperate in full with our newly appointed architectural firm in developing a premium building that would blend in with the existing natural contours of the development site. They stated that they had already applied this approach on The Golden Sands Complex, where a full development permit was issued within three months.
True to our Group’s commitment to providing the market with quality developments, we decided to forego the substantial cost we had incurred thus far on the existing structure and commenced work on a detailed 7 design with a view to satisfying all requirements, particularly those of the Directorate. We were then asked by the Directorate to submit a fresh application, which we did, numbered PA 141/03, for the Main Board’s consideration. After due discussion by the Board, the Members suggested to reduce the development by one floor as well as reduce the footprint, and we revised and resubmitted our application accordingly. The Board again suggested making other amendments, to which we acquiesced, as requested. The enclosed artist’s impression clearly demonstrates the great improvement our proposed development would have on the skyline, particularly when compared to the existing hotel structure. We have carried out work on various models, designs, elevations and photomontages from different angles and distances as requested by MEPA, so as to have a clearer picture of the development as seen from different locations. This naturally cost us several thousands of liri. It now seems that there is some light at the end of the tunnel and that we might have our application approved in the near future. As recently as 14 May 2007, we were asked to pay an additional Lm64,407 in relation to this application, which we did within 24 hours, and which sum was paid over and above Lm21,663 already paid. Assuming that this is the MEPA’s final request, it would have taken nearly four years from the day we started discussing the concept as suggested by the Directorate.
These are the hard facts and changes to the original design were always as recommended by MEPA, and not by ourselves. I am thoroughly convinced that these excessive delays would have been avoided had there been a concerted effort to achieve a satisfactory conclusion to this issue.
Referring to our application for The Duke of Edinburgh Hotel in Gozo it is useful to note that our first application dates back to 1993. After discussions with the Directorate, we changed our plans and were asked to submit a new application which we did in 1999.
When in 2004, basing our view on past experience with MEPA, we realised that a permit would not be forthcoming in the short term, we decided to sell the property. Surprisingly enough, within just a few months from the sale, an outline permit was issued and the new owners took possession of the site.
MEPA’s weak attempt to justify the delays by bringing up our creative approach to development is not acceptable. Does this mean that MEPA prefers not to encourage original designs which promote a holistic approach to the site in question? Can this be interpreted that if we had to apply for the standard, simple and unfriendly “boxes” architectural design, it would have been quicker for MEPA to decide? MEPA should encourage developments having an original design, and process applications for such without excessive delays.
With this in mind, I do not envisage that the development of the Smart City will suffer treatment similar to that we have experienced.
This letter just mentions two applications; we have had various other projects where we experienced similar treatment. Just one other application is still pending after 15 years; others took around seven years each for a permit to be issued. Ms Debono suggested that we should invoke the law to press for a speedy decision. Developers and architects for major projects who invoke the law to complain about the delays are many times faced with even further delays. The fact remains that MEPA should treat all applications in a fair and equal manner and no applicant should have to go through the avenue of invoking the law in order to attain this. However, we shall be taking up Ms Debono’s suggestion and file our objection, in the hope of a satisfactory conclusion to this 13-year saga. We shall eagerly look forward to the outcome.

Angelo Xuereb
Naxxar

It seems that the powers that be, for one reason or another, are bent on destroying the rich cultural heritage of our country.
In spite of the constant boasting of the implementation of the Grand Harbour Project, no consideration is being given to the role of the old traditional Maltese “dghajjes” plying the waters round the Three Old Cities.
The proud owners of these crafts go to great lengths and expense to keep their boats in shape and in line with the traditional wooden art used through the ages to make this artifact a truly worthy memento of our culture, especially complementary to the rich history of the Three Cities.
However, it is rather disappointing and definitely offensive to learn that the Malta Maritime Authority is issuing permits to whoever wants to board the bandwagon and make a quick penny by producing fibreglass models and substituting for the traditional wooden Maltese “dghajsa”.  
One cannot comprehend how and what led the Maritime Authority to grant such permission to an abuse and allow any legal right to such abusive operations.   
Besides, owners of the genuine Maltese traditional Maltese “dghajjes” are facing unfair and deceitful competition. It is honestly and sincerely expected that immediate action be taken to stop this abuse.

Walter Ahar
Secretary, Koperattiva
tal-Barklori
Cospicua

The routes (including all variants) proposed for the SmartCity project are a veritable Catch 22 situation for the authorities concerned, as all have their clear disadvantages.
Having said that, I believe that one needs to take a broader look at the situation in the area, given the upcoming national projects of an Urban Waste Water Plant at Ta' Barkat (Xghajra), the upgrading/modernisation of the Sant'Antnin Waste Treatment Plant along a reconstructed Marsascala bypass, and the likely future development of SmartCity along the eastern flanks of Xghajra.
Moreover, the recent Census 2005 results indicate that the populations of Zabbar, Fgura and Marsascala have experienced significant demographic expansion when compared to dwindling population in the Cottonera area. To make matters worse, Fgura (and to some extent Zabbar) are heavily polluted since non-urban traffic passes through their populated residential centres and main routes that are clearly not up to standard for the large volumes of traffic which daily choke these areas.
Indeed, the ADT's proposed route will be an improvement which is “too little too late”, and which does little to alleviate the above-mentioned realities. Given the approval of the South Malta Local Plan last year, including its proposal for a new Zabbar-Bulebel link road around Bulebel Industrial estate, it is more than appropriate to consider extending this route to peripheral roads around the eastern flanks of Zabbar. Planned roads skirting the built-up area such as the incomplete Triq il-Kahwiela and Triq A. Buttigieg (planned as far back as the 1950s) can fulfill this objective and reduce the impact on the Cottonera fortifications brought about by the current ADT proposal and its variants.
In this way, heritage issues and agricultural value of the area immediate next to the fortification lines, so aptly brought forward by Environmental NGOs and the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, will be eliminated. Flimkien ghall-Ambjent's concern on additional development along the proposed ADT link will also be addressed.
In this way, the newly proposed alternative proposal would also enable better access to SmartCity in the long term, enables further planned and orderly industrial expansion in Bulebel in view of proximity of routes to existing factories and the reduction of the high pollution levels close to the Hompesch arch (incidentally, another heritage jewel which is likely to suffer further environmental damage if the current ADT proposal goes ahead).
The alternative route does not pass through irrigated agricultural land and would stem non-urban traffic flow coming from Marsascala, the above-mentioned new projects into thickly populated residential areas of Fgura and Zabbar.
Your correspondent implies that the Xghajra and Kalkara mayors agree in principle with the proposed link. However, these councils will not be at all impacted by the proposed route! It would be interesting to hear the detailed view of mayors from Zabbar and Fgura, localities which are likely to be the most affected in relation to the ill-conceived ADT proposal.
As a concerned citizen residing in Zabbar, I would like to know whether the EIA will also consider the above-mentioned route (Zabbar-Bulebel route passing through Triq il-Kahwiela and up to area known as Ta' Maggi) which is also in line with strategic policies approved by MEPA in the relative local plan which seek to divert urban sprawl and traffic improvements likely to accentuate this problem. The approved Local Plan has clearly not ruled out such an option (to be also subject to an EIA). It would be interesting to see why this approved plan omitted the Kalkara link originally proposed in the draft version.
It is high time that the authorities realise that we live on an island where multi-purpose and integrated objectives (brought about by different Government departments) and efficient use of resources need to be the way forward behind any future project. We cannot afford to put more pressure on the little countryside left, particularly where the area is already beset by various problems created by ill-thought past proposals and heritage potential in the form of "one of the few cultural (and physical - my emphasis here) landscapes which is still intact".
Existing traffic volumes in Fgura (and to a certain extent Zabbar) are clearly unsustainable, let alone the new traffic flows envisaged by the PDS, which incidentally does not adequately project the haphazard/ irregular flow of people likely to flock to the area for entertainment/leisure purposes, apart from the substantial number of permanent/temporary residents taking up the new villa units envisaged as part of SmartCity development.

Alexander Cutajar,
Zabbar

The EU keeps on expanding to the east, and one wonders what constitutes “Europe” or being “European”.
For example, I just learnt that Greece had most of its modern history shaped by the Ottoman Empire rather than European civilization.
Then let’s take Georgia which thinks itself European but it was also part of the Ottoman Empire, then 200 years ago decided to join the Russia Empire rather then stay under Ottoman rule.
I dare ask: so what about Angola, which has had a 500 year association with Portugal? Will they ask too join the EU?

Jean Agius
Attard

I am not going to enter into the merits of the present Gonzi administration – God knows that like all administrations, it has its plusses and its minuses.
However, there is much ado at the moment about the fact that Prime Minister Gonzi is appearing for meetings flanked by so-called young faces.
When the talk of the town is that this is just a Gonzian spin-exercise aimed at enticing voters, two points come to mind:
1. Since when do young faces in any Cabinet signify improvement? To my knowledge, age has nothing to do with performance and success – you can have a 70-year-old minister who has been on a Cabinet for donkey’s years but who is still performing excellently. Would you move him, simply in order to pave the way for a new face? Or, would you keep a young minister, no matter his performance, simply because of his age? We all remember former parliamentary secretary Antoine Mifsud Bonnici and his sterling service to the elderly. Unfortunately, he was one of the few who was, in a hypocritical manner, brushed aside for the sake of age, long before PM Gonzi appeared.
Most people in Malta are of the belief that a Minister is chosen on the basis of the number of votes that s/he has garnered in the General Election – the mentality, it is believed, is that it’s difficult to keep a candidate who has been elected on more than one count from being given a seat in the Cabinet.
The district that a particularly powerful candidate hails from is also taken into consideration. As far as I know, this is what happens in both political camps.
If one had to ask my personal opinion, I would say that no Prime Minister is completely free to choose his – or her! – Ministers: there is bound to be an enormous amount of pressure coming from the Party Headquarters, powerful canvassers, would-be Ministerial drivers; not to forget the newly-elected, often power-hungry, successful candidates themselves. After all, even most of the unsuccessful candidates end up heading this or that company, Government corporation, and whatnot.
What a contrast to this state of affairs in other countries! Imagine the Maltese scenario: a newly-elected Prime Minister decides there is nobody among the new representatives of his Party capable of taking over a particular portfolio; so, he brings in a complete outsider, an expert. Imagine the consequences of such a mature and responsible move: the Opposition would have a field day, the newly-elected representatives and their henchmen would be up in arms, pointing shotguns at the green doors of Castile… Need I go on?
2. My second point is rather cynical: the PM has been frequently criticized for constantly having “old faces” around him in Cabinet. But now that he is appearing with “new faces”, he is still being criticised.
Please, don’t misinterpret me into thinking that I am trying to defend PM Gonzi – I, too, feel, that cabinet reshuffles should be the order of the day. However, “old faces” are to be seen in both camps and yet, to me personally, that does not necessarily and automatically mean that it is wrong. The best way is to have a mixture of both so that there would be experience and dynamism at the same time, in Cabinet.

Franco Farrugia
Pieta’

In response to the letter written by Frans Abela published on 2 September, ‘ Muscat and Calleja should both resign’: I literally cannot understand call for Dr Josie Muscat’s resignation by the above author simple to have a tit for tat situation.
Mr Abela is entitled to his opinion but it doesn’t mean he is right. Like the rest of the Marsaskala residents, Dr Josie Muscat has been involved in the fight against the recycling plant since it came out in the media in October 2003, and was then present for the first meeting in January 2004 held at Ta’ Grabiel restaurant. I am afraid Frans Abela is not being honest with readers for it is obvious from the questions put forward that there is more behind the criticism aimed at Dr Muscat. “To get to Calleja first eliminate Muscat”. Such tactics are usually orchestrated by lawyers or the police to get to the real source. Mr Abela is finding it hard to digest that an independent councillor cannot involve himself in politics. This is happening all the time by PN and MLP mayors and councillors alike. Let’s not delve too far: Dr Owen Bonnici is Vice Mayor of the Marsaskala Local Council, and will be contesting the next general elections. What’s wrong with that?
What’s not quite clear in Mr Abela’s letter are the facts regarding the saga of the Mayor’s Portofino market. Unbeknownst to everybody it was Josie who first raised the issue, so much so that Mayor Calleja tried to hit back by organising a petition signed by14 bars and restaurants, shamefully and unethically attacking him on a personal level. On the other hand Josie had the majority of the residents on his side, whose say was left out by Calleja, the Bars and Restaurants Association representing 80 catering outlets and all the other Councillors, including the three Labourites. Confirmation of the illegality of the hawkers’ market came in a letter from the Local Council Department and to cap it all last Wednesday, department director Natalino Attard answered in the newspaper l-Orizzont to two letters written by Mario Calleja. Mr Attard categorically reprimanded Mayor Mario Calleja for misusing the legal notice 119/2002.
Mayor Calleja lost and the residents won thanks to those who stood firmly against the introduction of this senseless market.
Dr Josie Muscat stated on many occasions that he and his group GIM are against not only the Sant’ Antnin recycling plant, but also the fish farms and now the latest new threat to Marsaskala, the drainage treatment plant which will be shifted closer to Marsaskala Bay to accommodate Smart City. Probably Frans Abela does not know that Josie and his group are registered objectors in front of the Planning Appeals Board contesting the Outline and Full Development Permits. Frans, I shall let you into a secret, but no telling for Josie hates to brag. He has personally contributed financially towards the committee’s fund. Need I say more? All I can say to Mr Abela, for his passion for the MLP is noticeable: can he mention one occasion were Dr. Alfred Sant has stated in public that he is against the building of the new recycling plant in Marsaskala? I can assure him he never has, for he is as much in favour as the PN and no wonder it’s bugging the MLP candidates for the Third District.
Mr Frans Abela, I do apologise if I wasted any of your time.

John Cole
Marsaskala

Yes, before you departed us, you waited for your Archpriest to return with his delegation from Canada and United States of America after a pastoral visit of three weeks, of which I had the privilege of forming part.
We prayed and prayed for you, like so many hundreds of Qalin, in Australia, Canada, the United States and elsewhere that you might get through this difficult times, but God had other plans.
We salute you for your superb service to our parish, Qala, your wonderful and well-prepared homilies every Sunday at the 8am mass, your availability to give advice to whoever requested it, particularly families of which your expertise was derived from the Cana Movement in Gozo, where as Director you served for decades.
You had a particular interest in the teaching of the Gospel amongst children and there too, for years, you served as delegate of the Diocese of Gozo to the Museum Society.
You also had the privilege to travel the world and in Australia, amongst the Qalin, managed to co found the Australian-Qala Association (AQA), which today is considered to be one of the most active Gozitian and Maltese associations in Australia.
I had the great privilege to work with you closely at the inception of AQA and now that you are not longer with us, I can assure you my constant support to the AQA will increase as the remaining co-founder alive. Your name will remain inscribed in the hearts of the hundreds of Qalin in Australia who will miss you dearly. So will my family and I: you wed my parents, engaged me to my wife Marlene and were our family priest. What struck many about your character was your fairness in your priestly profession; people form all camps respected you. This was reflected in your funeral attendance, which, despite my absence due to work abroad, I followed closely.
“Il-Mons”, as we always called you: thank you for your professional priestly service to whoever had the privilege to know you in Qala, Gozo, Malta, Australia and beyond. You shall remain in our hearts forever. Lord, grant him eternal rest.

Dr Raymond C. Xerri
London

I am the chairperson of a ladies’ group having 120 members. We save our money and annually take an out-of-States vacation. We were considering your beautiful country until I read about the abuse suffered by your animals: dogs, cats, birds, etc.
We voted and agreed this was not acceptable to us. We have also started a campaign to teach others of these abuses. We will continue teaching others about these abuses until we are satisfied that you have changed your policies.

Jamey Mendenhall
United States

Minister Louis Galea should be congratulated for launching the ten new colleges. This initiative is truly a step in the right direction, and hopefully will serve to bring about much-needed reform to state primary and secondary education. However I am truly disappointed that he has decided to ‘baptise’ these colleges using religious (that is, Catholic) names for all but one of the colleges. First of all it is sad that minister Galea did not consider it befitting to name the colleges after a number of very deserving Maltese, living or not. Secondly the decision smacks of neo-clericalism and Catholic nepotism. These colleges belong to the state and our state is secular. The attempt to brand these state schools as Church schools is an insult to all those who are not Catholic as well affront to others who uphold the separation between church and state.

Edward Fenech
ATTARD