Minister Austin Gatt knew he was in for it when he held a press conference last week to speak about the proposals to rebuild or re-route the main road at Ghadira Bay.

Since then, it has been a tit-for-tat, with the government on the receiving end of criticism by political adversaries and non-government organisations, who are claiming environmental disaster if the plans are carried out.

The project is part of the European Union’s Trans-European Transport Network (Ten-T) which, when completed, would serve to provide the possible easiest and fastest link between the northernmost part of Gozo and the southernmost part of Malta. A good part of the project has already been completed.

In his press conference, Minister Gatt listed several proposals that have been on the table for quite a while, even before he became minister responsible for roads. These include the upgrading of the existing road, the building of a bridge and the construction of a tunnel. All were shot down by government detractors, who have justified their complaints by speaking about the adverse effects on the environment in the area, especially the Ghadira Nature Reserve and the Foresta 2000 site.

The ministry replied by saying that a route from the back of the Danish Village will create the least environmental problems, for one thing because it will pass along the perimeter of Foresta 2000. This proposal also has the environmental advantage of re-connecting the beach to the valley and therefore ensuring that Ghadira does not follow down the road of St George’s Bay, Balluta, Marsalforn and Xlendi, where the sandy beach was lost because the beach was cut off from the valley by development.

And this is the dilemma that environment groups – and all those against the government proposal – have to solve. They are objecting to the government’s proposal for environmental reasons but seem to ignore the fact that, if things stay as they are, there is a risk that Ghadira Bay will be lost just like other beaches were lost over time. Wouldn’t that be environmental damage too? What will happen then? Will they complain because sand is imported from abroad, as was the case when St George’s Bay was replenished with sand to make it once again attractive to bathers?

These groups do not seem to be convinced that Ghadira Bay will eventually be eroded away, and want the government to provide more studies. Well, history has already given them the answers to their doubts. Sandy beaches are lost when roads are built to separate them from valleys.

Minister Gatt made it clear that the government will not accept blame if this were to happen. “If it is decided that the government should go for this option (leaving the road as is) then so be it but people have to be ready to shoulder the consequences”.

There is another side to the story, and this is the deadline by which the government has to apply for EU funds to carry out the project. The government has until January to submit its proposal to obtain EU funding, as otherwise the money will be lost. And what will happen then? Will the government be accused of losing EU money?

Environmental groups have to make up their mind. They are either going to allow the building of the new road, and keep the government on its toes as they monitor the progress to see that the least environmental damage is done, as the government is promising; or else they will not allow the government to carry on with its plans and take on the responsibility when Ghadira is lost for good.

The thing is – erosion is a long, natural process and none of the NGO members will be here to shoulder this responsibility when it happens. In the short term, Malta would have however lost the millions of euros it can obtain from the EU to improve the road network and at the same time save Ghadira.