Letters | Sunday, 27 December 2009

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An environmental catechist

Members of the Ramblers’ Association were sickened by the letter ‘Double weights and double measures’ signed by one David Muscat from Mosta (20 December).
The letter, begun in the tone of a staunch environmentalist, who weeps at the onslaught on the landscape wrought by speculators, ended up being cheap political propaganda for Victor Scerri with a biggish photo of the PN candidate put in for extra measure. An advert of that size would have cost a pretty penny. It was obvious that in the process, the Ramblers had to come in for some very unfriendly comments; but Mr Muscat wanted to out-Herod Herod and went so far as to call Mr Bugeja “a hypocrite”. If only someone like Mr Muscat could find it in himself to dedicate selflessly so much of his free time for a worthwhile cause as Mr Bugeja does.
Mr Muscat says he is no fan of the Ramblers. Are we surprised? Not any more than he is when we tell him how little credible we find his letter to be. This David whose heart still bleeds for the environment sees nothing wrong in the gash being wrought in Malta’s hitherto best-preserved and multi-protected landscape – Bahrija. He accuses us Ramblers of hidden agendas. No, Mr Muscat, we have none, but you do, and you hide them very poorly. In fact, they are obvious.
Incidentally, why should we Ramblers be jealous because Victor Scerri was granted a permit and Mr Y was denied one? If you are referring to Mr Bugeja, it has been repeated publicly several times that he never asked for a permit, so you are either very badly informed or you want to deceive people. If you were referring to somebody else then you were so incoherent, it’s laughable. You don’t even know what you are talking about. You just want to prove yourself loyal to Victor Scerri and the PN even if you make a fool of yourself in the process. You did not lose the opportunity to take a dig at Alternattiva as well. All that to underscore your ‘religious’ loyalty!
We wish you luck with the six tumoli of virgin land you have bought and added to your family’s tumoli in the same valley. You are being more than silly if you think Ramblers’ routes pass through other people’s land. We try to save others from spoiling what they should not and conserve the beauty of our remaining landscape.
So if you decide to replace the rooms in your field with a house be sure, if it is ODZ, that however much it is your land, if someone brings this development to our attention, we will be after you in no time, be you nationalist, labourite or even a faded green. Then everyone will know if there is a hypocrite in this exchange.

Joseph Agius
PRO, Ramblers Association

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