The management of our environment is going to be a major critical factor for the successful achievement of our economic and social aims in the future. In the context of a small over populated island, the preservation of the environment is a major priority for any political administration.

When we take stock of what has been achieved in the last two decades, we realise that the quality of our environment has deteriorated in most areas. The unstoppable development over the past several years, despite regulatory restrictions, has not only reduced the green areas surrounding our towns and villages, but also contributed to an increase in air pollution. No wonder that the incidence of asthma and other respiratory disorders have increased so dramatically in the last years.

Another cause for concern is that Malta is losing its attractiveness for foreign visitors who pay money to spend their holidays with us as tourists. Some of our national cultural monuments like Hagar Qim and Imnajdra temples are exposed to the elements and are deteriorating besides being subjected to vandalism. Little has been done to date by the present administration to remedy this situation on a permanent basis.

Not only are we losing an important part of our heritage, but we are also risking our economic future by projecting an image of carelessness and lack of sensitivity to our historical environment among people who promote the Maltese Islands for cultural tourism. Countries with less historical heritage than ours are making steady inroads in attracting cultural tourists known to be good quality tourists who spend more money in countries they visit, but who are also very selective.

But our environmental insensitivity is not limited to the neglect of our historical sites. Our beaches have become more and more degraded by buildings that ruin the environment. Unfortunately, such development has often been regularised by the official sanctioning of our planning authorities.

The quality of our seawater is another shameful example of how government neglect has led to a situation where massive investment is now needed to rectify the situation. The sewage purification plants, the solid waste recycling plants, and the environmental rehabilitation of landfills, especially the one in Maghtab, continue to be elusive wishes that justly irritate those among us who care about the quality of our environment.

The government’s decision not to spend as much as was budgeted on capital investment this year attracted little, if any, criticism from the media and “expert” commentators who expressed their views on the budget. Rather than be considered as an achievement, such action should be condemned, because failure to step up capital investment is in fact a threat to future prosperity rather than a sign of diligence in managing the country’s finances.

The neglect in the general state of our environment makes it mandatory that more money is spent on projects that improve the quality of our environment. Of course, spending money is not synonymous to over-spending and indulging in waste because of corruption or outright incompetence.

We should start by cooperating with local councils to identify projects that will improve the quality of life of our communities. Special attention should be given to environmental issues that affect our families’ health. We need to give top priority, for instance, to eliminating the causes of air pollution that is so badly affecting the health of our children. Similarly, we need to preserve our historical monuments from the devastation caused by the elements, so that both we, and those who visit us, can continue to enjoy this wealth passed on to us by our forefathers.

A new Labour government will work with local councils, cultural and environmental organisations, educators, and operators in the tourism industry to prepare an action plan that will address the more urgent issues relating to the preservation of our environment. We need to sweep away the environmental blues that have been haunting us for so long, and restore the natural beauty and high quality of life, which comes with living on an island that is nurtured and protected by all those who live in it.

e-mail: [email protected]

www.mangioncharles.com

Dr Mangion is deputy leader of the Opposition.