Save Wied Garnaw Action Group turns four

From Malta 30th March 2008.

In March 2008, the Save Wied Garnaw Action Group turned four!
The Group takes this opportunity to inform the friends of Wied Garnaw and of Malta’s countryside about the Group’s work, what it has achieved -- and also not achieved -- in these four years.
The Save Wied Garnaw Action Group has campaigned continuously to prevent the destruction of Wied Garnaw by industrial and other developments which should be sited in industrial estates not in valleys.
The Action Group has also lobbied strongly for better legislative protection and enforcement of the law so as to save all Malta’s countryside, the outside development zone (ODZ). The Action Group members have sacrificed time and money towards this end but at least one takes satisfaction in seeing that the Group helped put ODZ areas in the national spotlight, it helped show MEPA’s inability to protect ODZ areas and the need for action to remedy this situation. To be constructive in its approach the Group also presented a brief of proposals to the Prime Minister and Minister for the Environment on how certain ODZ shortcomings may be remedied.
The Action Group’s pressure ensured that MEPA refuses an application for a permit to build four warehouses, and another application to build a residential complex and garages in Wied Garnaw.
The Group has also actively supported the following campaigns to oppose the building of: a tourist village and marina at Hondoq ir-Rummien in Gozo, a villa complex at Ramla l-Hamra, and bungalows and other structures on Ta’ Cenc cliffs.
Moreover, the Action Group’s pressure has ensured that MEPA twice refuses the application to build a plant to sort metal, tyres, wood, paper and other inorganic waste in Wied Garnaw. However, every victory consitutes only temporary respite, as ODZ applicants reapply if refused the first time round, and then appeal if refused twice. In fact, the waste sorting plant application is now stuck at the appeal stage. For over a year now, the Planning Appeals Board has been deferring this hearing.
The appeal process is riddled with bureaucratic inefficiencies and turns a blind eye at applicants’ evident attempts at protracting the process when the outcome does not look promising in their regard. This is because until the appeal is still underway, there is still hope that the appellant cracks the system in the end.
The appeal re the waste sorting plant has been deferred five times now. The fifth hearing was on 26th March 08, this Wednesday and has now been deferred to May 08, simply because the appellant didn’t bother to inform the PAB beforehand that the appellant wanted an MP to be questioned as part of the hearing.
Save Wied Garnaw Action Group members have attended these five hearings. In the process of attending hearings that get deffered, members waste their time without getting any compensation for it. But the PAB and the appellant’s architect have no incentive to stop deferments -- PAB members and the apellant’s architect get paid every time they attend a hearing. So these continued deferrments are often used to psychologically wear down the resistance made by ordinary citizens who cannot keeping taking leave from work, leave their family and fork out their time for free.
But, i believe that nobody can deny the writing on the wall any longer -- most Maltese people do not want these bureaucratic and other abuses in the development planning system. Most Maltese people want a MEPA that promotes sustainable development and respects not only those who can pay architects and lawyers, or who have party political contacts, but a MEPA that respects every law-abiding ordinary citizen. Because this requirement is at the basis of a true democracy - all should be equal in the eyes of the law.
The Save Wied Garnaw Action Group wishes to thank all those of you who have shown support to Malta’s countryside and to the Group’s efforts. The Group would be very happy to receive your comments, suggestions and feedback, by email or by post.
With best wishes for a green, beautiful and healthy Malta,

Catherine Polidano
Chairperson
Save Wied Garnaw Action Group

Majjesa Cliffs 29March 2008

This walk has now become a staple yearly event for Ramblers with a restricted group of around 20 members each time. We endeavour to seek members who have not previously done this wonderful trek each year and we purposely keep numbers to a minimum bearing in mind the sensitivity of this site. After trekking across Xaghra l-Hamra we descended to the Rdum area where the going is quite rough in places - though these days participants come well prepared and a fall on one's backside has become something of a rarity. Going through boulder screes,garigue and clay slopes we trekked the Ras Il-Wahx promontory to regain the Xaghra l-Hamra plateau. We have covered this walk in more detail elsewhere on the RAM website so we will spare the repetition here.

It is however relevant to add that whereas this amazing site was under threat of being turned into a golf course the last time we visited, today we can breathe a collective sigh of relief knowing that this area is now safely preserved as part of Malta's first nature and history park going by the name of Il-Majjistral. More detailed information can be found here http://www.majjistral.org/
It is up to us to enjoy this area - responsibly.

Walk Duration: 3 hours

Walk Leader: Steven

Distance Covered: 6.5 km

Ramblers outraged at Dwejra structure

From The Times of Malta

The Ramblers Association has revoked the stand of tolerance it had taken on the sanctioning of boathouses in Dwejra after it learnt that money collected as fines from the controversial mass sanctioning is contributing to further environmental plunder of the landscape "in form of a cafeteria".

The association said it had reluctantly taken a position of tolerance earlier this year when the benefits to the environment of the entire Dwejra Park plan appeared to outweigh the disadvantage of accepting the illegal structures.

The association has now declared itself against all sanctioning of illegal constructions outside the development zone and called for their immediate removal by direct action as prescribed on paper by Mepa.

Alex Vella, secretary of the association, said irregularities should never be considered for sanctioning as more irregularities are provoked. Dwejra has been proposed as a candidate for Unseco World Heritage Site and is already part of the Natura 2000 network of European natural heritage, but in truth the shacks and the concrete structure make a mockery of a nature site, Mr Vella said.

Mepa last night reacted to the Ramblers' statement, saying it was not true that fines collected from the sanctioning of the boathouses are being used for the construction of a cafeteria.

Earlier this week Mepa stopped the construction of the structure, an Interpretative Centre, and is now investigating the relationship between the original plans and the current structure.

Mepa recently sanctioned a number of existing boathouses in the area as part of an integrated Heritage Park Action Plan.

Congreve Trail 15March 2008

A group of around thirty ramblers assembled at Hagar Qim for this very scenic walk taking in the coastline due south of Mnajdra Temples and going all the way eastwards towards Wied iz-Zurrieq. At the start a short detour was made to visit the Misqa Tanks - a group of large water cisterns situataed on a rocky outcrop some way above Mnajdra. These cisterns are reputed to be of megalithic era origin and the site is quite an evocative one - and one of our lesser known historic sites.
The group continued on its way (in glorious sunny weather one may add) past the tower known as Torri tal-Hamrija and a stone tablet which recalls the burial at sea of the British Governor of Malta Walter Norris Congreve (b.1862 - d.1927). The stretch of sea from here to Filfla, known as the Congreve Channel, marks this event. Descending the gently inclined cliff the group reached a limestone shelf next to the sea for a well deserved break. Continuing on we rounded past Wied iz-Zurrieq and climbed back tracing the southern lip of Wied Hoxt.
From here it was a short way up to our starting point.

Walk Duration: 2.5 hours

Walk Leader: Steven

Infringement Report : Munxar to Xlendi Road

Infringement report filed on 6th March to MEPA

Name : Ramblers Association of Malta
Address : c/o 24 Sir Adrian Dingli Street, Sliema

Telephone : 21342121
Fax : 21342121
Mobile : 99497080

E-mail : ram205@gmail.com

Description of infringement :
No less than 13 iron poles have been erected (without permit affixed anywhere) seemingly to take electrical supply to an out-building the use of which is unknown but certainly not used for habitation purposes. This area is known as Ta' Sanap and is close to the cliffs. It is very ecologically sensitive and protected under various denominations of conservation. The work was undertaken very speedily during election week and the visual impact together with the cost involved certainly does not render the exercise viable environmentally and economically. It is recommended that the poles are removed at once as was done in Bahrija, and an appropriate investigation into the matter opened if there is no permit.


MEPA's answer received 11th March:
Your complaint was investigated.
Below mentioned electricity poles are subject to Enforcement Notice ECF 494/07.
Currently there is a pending application PA 6256/07 "to sanction erection of poles".

2,500 ODZ applications approved in two years

Article published in the Malta Independent on Sunday, 9th March 2008
2,500 ODZ applications approved in two years

by Catherine Polidano

Now that the politicians have had their say, I would be grateful if the media could help me, a common citizen, put the preservation of our countryside in centre stage.

Over the years, like many other Maltese, I have campaigned for sustainable development based on the planning policies of Malta’s Structure Plan and Local Plans. Despite such campaigns I have continued to witness the plunder of Malta’s remaining green areas.

Faced with ever-increasing destruction of the Outside Development Zone, I recently researched the two scourges of Malta’s countryside – Mepa permits granted to ODZ development, and Mepa sanctioning of ODZ illegal developments.

I obtained data from Mepa’s Public Relations Officer, for which I express my thanks, from Mepa’s web site. Put together, this data reveals a disturbing picture:

Between 2005 and 2007 Mepa granted a permit to over 2,500 developments in ODZ.

In 2007, Mepa “closed” 440 enforcement cases – by sanctioning 380 (73 per cent) of them!

While the Structure Plan does allow some, mainly agricultural, development outside the development zone, I find it hard to believe that some 2,500 reservoirs and farmhouses were built in the last three years. Very often, Mepa issues ODZ permits against the recommendations of its own case officers. Additionally, sanctioning the bulk of illegal developments is an injustice to law-abiding, ordinary citizens.

For these reasons, I have written to the Mepa Auditor, Perit Joseph Falzon asking him to investigate:

Whether Mepa acted in accordance with the planning policies, local plans and the Structure Plan in the issue of over 2,500 ODZ development permits;

Whether the high rate of illegal development sanctioning was made in accordance with the Development Planning Act, with Malta’s planning policies and with local plans.

Ghajn Rihana Valley – 9th March 2008

In what turned out to be a beautiful day, some 75 ramblers, including Dutch, Lebanese and English-speaking ramblers, turned up for today's walk. We started at the chapel dedicated to Santa Margerita (Burmarrad) from where we followed the watercourse downstream. Then we went upstream through the Wied il-Ghasel valley system,turned left to stroll the Burmarrad area until reaching a path through the fields leading us to Fort Mosta. We rambled just under the Victoria Lines till we reached the statue of San Guzepp tat-Targa (at Targa Gap). Going further uphill, we passed near the ex-Targa Battery, reaching the tal-Bezbezija area, aft after crossing the Victoria Lines at right angles, we passed near an entrenchment originally built by the knights in an area called Ta' Falka. Going downhill, we crossed a small tributary of the Ghajn Rihana valley system, till we reached il-Hzejjen, where we followed the watercourse upstream till ta' l-Imselliet area. Walking towards Zebbiegh, we turned left where we followed a path on the other side of the valley, and after reaching il-Hzejjen again, we turned right (uphill) till we crossed the main road to Bidnija and reached our starting point downhill through the lesser-known Wied l-Arkata.

Walk leader: Simon

Duration: 4 hours

Some photos below, courtesy of Mr Silvan Mugliett