Letters | Sunday, 22 February 2009

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An appeal to the Bishop of Gozo

I appeal to the Bishop of Gozo to pay heed to the environmental damage being done by the Nadur Parish Church through the construction of another cemetery on the garigue land. Things have not been done properly and many families of farmers are now suffering.
Two years have already passed since the farmers and their families tried to speak to the Bishop, but it was all in vain. Yet, we left a petition bearing the signatures of 450 individuals, but still he never met us and he never took a position, especially now that it is a known fact that the digging of the heavy machinery and cement for these new graveyards is affecting the natural spring water supply which the farmers have been using for years for the 5,000 odd fruit trees in the valley of Ramla L-Hamra.
Although the Bishop of Gozo appointed a certain Pauline Grech to represent the Gozo diocese in the Commission for the Environment of the Church, as far as we know she never gave any reaction in public in regard of this scandal of the Gozo Diocese.
I do admire the Bishop, since he was capable of asking forgiveness from the children who had been abused in Lourdes Home years ago, but what will he do about this abuse, from the Church through MEPA, that is occurring at this very moment under his very nose? Will he ask for forgiveness in few years’ time when the natural spring’s water will be contaminated or extinct?
At present, water and cement are coming out in our water reservoirs (as shown in the photograph) and this is all because MEPA was satisfied with the so-called study conducted by a geologist instead of a study which should have been conducted by a hydrologist. Marco Cremona, an engineer and an expert in water, has already given his views in the media and he clearly showed that the land on which the project is being done is directly affecting the natural water supply, contrary to the views of the ‘experts’ that were put forward by the diocese. Although he is now in charge of MEPA, Lawrence Gonzi is also silent on this issue. The Prime Minister is just happy to use the Alternattiva Demokratika’s proposal to turn Gozo into an ecological island but without lifting a finger to actually safeguard the natural spring waters.
It seems however that the Bishop is happy with the money that we are spending for the appeal at the MEPA that was initiated long months ago. The thing is that the church has its own means of collecting money. We, as farmers, and our families, do not.  For those who are not aware, we received a letter at home from the Nadur Parish telling us that we can buy a grave by forking out €3,494.

C. Camilleri
Nadur

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