Despite Alternattiva Demokratika and the main environment NGOs continuing to seriously question the ecological sustainability of the proposed development at Ta’ Cenc, developers yesterday still received strong support from some major stakeholders of the tourism sector.

Emotions flared during a large part of a six-hour long public consultation hearing organised by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority in Sannat yesterday, during which the proposed project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was put forward.

The developers plan to develop the Ta’ Cenc area into “Malta’s first heritage park and multi-ownership tourist hotel development”.

The 100-or-so strong audience – the vast majority of which was evidently in favour of the project being given the green light – hurled words of abuse at AD party leader Harry Vassallo, who accused one of the developers, Victor J. Borg, of threatening his employees with losing their jobs should they not express their approval for the proposed project.

Dr Vassallo insisted that “the country’s emphyteusis is everlasting and Gozo’s economy did not depend solely on the development of this bit of land that is Ta’ Cenc”.

On the other hand, Mr Borg, on behalf of Real Finanz AG, publicly declared that he is still undecided whether to develop part of the privately-owned land at Ta’ Cenc into a golf course or an area dedicated to agri-tourism.

The environment NGOs represented at yesterday’s meeting – BirdLife Malta (BLM), Din l-Art Helwa, Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar (FAA), Moviment Graffitti, the Ramblers Association and Nature Trust Malta – insisted the project would fall through should the government do what it has to do and declare the area designated for the proposed development as a Natura 2000 site, making it a Special Area of Conservation.

The NGOs questioned why part of the designated area, referred to as Zone 7, was excluded from the Environmental Impact Assessment and insisted that the area should be viewed holistically.

Annalise Falzon from Nature Trust insisted that the proposed development would affect the whole ecological area all the way down to Mgarr ix-Xini and that the proposed area designated for the proposed development falls Outside Development Zone (ODZ) boundaries.

Paul Gauci, who presented the EIA, pointed out, however, a policy in which Ta’ Cenc is included in a list of areas where some form of development is allowed.

In this respect, the NGOs, particularly Din l-Art Helwa representative Petra Bianchi, also brought up the issue regarding vicinity of the proposed development to the existing one, expressing concern over the interpretation of the word “vicinity”.

The Ramblers Association, represented by Lino Bugeja, are particularly worried about the right of public accessibility to the cliff area and the seashore.

Mr Bugeja said it was entrenched in the Constitution of Malta that be it public or private land, the general public should have right of access to coastal zones.

In a counter argument, Mr Gauci made reference to a point specified in the EIA that states: “Public access around the coastline immediately adjacent to the sea or at the top of the cliffs (including bays, harbours and creeks) will be secured”.

Shortly after BLM’s Tolga Temuge started making his questions to the developers, the discussion degenerated into an appalling dispute regarding the language that should be used during the meeting.

Some members of the audience, including GRTU president Paul Abela, opposed the use of English, but after a good dose of squabbling, it was decided that whoever wanted to comment or ask questions in English could do so, but the discussion would generally be in Maltese, at which point Astrid Vella from FAA offered to interpret for Mr Temuge.

In a heavy confrontation with principal developer Victor J. Borg, the BLM executive director posed a direct question regarding why Zone 7 was not included to form part of the proposed Heritage Park, to which Mr Borg replied: “Why do you ask what I do with my property?”

And as the audience applauded loudly, Mr Temuge rightly pointed out: “You have your audience here with you”, going on to reply that that was precisely the point of the public consultation hearing.

Mr Borg, his supporters and even representatives of the Malta Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprise (GRTU), the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) and the Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise, spoke about the need for the project to be given the go-ahead for the benefit of Gozitans and the tourist sector in Gozo.

Mepa will allow a week for further submissions, following which a decision is expected to be taken, but the issue does not stop there.

The environment NGOs are keeping in touch with the European Commission, which, according to the AD party leader is angered at the Maltese government for not including Ta’ Cenc in the list of Natura 2000 sites.

Moreover, David Pisani from Moviment Graffiti also questioned the developers regarding the transfer of the land from the government and whether any conditions were included in the transfer.

Mr Pisani told The Malta Independent that the developers are insisting there were no conditions, an issue which could put a lot of pressure on the government should Real Finanz AG be proven right.

Proposed development out of touch with the times – AD

In a comments to journalists after the public consultation hearing Alternattiva Demokratika party leader Harry Vassallo spoke to TMID and said the proposed project dated back to 1966 and it has been overtaken by changes to the law, the rate of development and the growth in public awareness as regards the need to safeguard our natural heritage.

“The construction of a large number of villas in a place of unique natural beauty is a sacrifice which the majority of Maltese and Gozitans can no longer stomach,” he said.

“There is already far more construction in Gozo than is necessary and the handful of temporary jobs provided by the construction of villas can never justify the destruction of the least part of Ta’ Cenc.”

Dr Vassallo said the proposed development exposes the urgent need for a holistic plan for Gozo that would provide a sturdy framework in which to bring together the efforts of all those with an interest in the future of the island.