Please refer to the report of my parliamentary speech on the estimates of the Ministry of Resources.

Contrary to what was implied that now experts and even Nationalist MPs were suggesting what the Opposition suggested many times that public perception studies on wind farms should be carried out, please note that when my call for such studies was made on Bondi+ earlier in the year, this was in the wake of calls by Nationalist MP Michael Gonzi who had last year appealed during the Budget debate for the visual impact of Sikka l-Bajda to be gauged because of any possible impact it could have on St Paul’s Bay’s tourist potential.

On the other hand, the Government appointed consultants Mott Macdonald had called for such immediate surveys way back in 2005.

Just for the record during the same speech I made the following calls formally on behalf of the Opposition :

• a call for clearly defined feed in tariffs for alternative energy once the Auditor General was of the opinion that their absence could actually scare off potential investors

• the need for a comprehensive green jobs strategy with strong inputs from the corporate sector

• the need for a holistic independent study on how to maximise the exploitation of our solar energy potential on a national scale

• the need to know what was behind the unacceptable drop in energy conservation and afforestation budgetary allocations

• a call for action given the alarming realisation that once government has not effectively implemented yet energy performance certificates in the building sector, all property built, bought and rented out since 1.1.09 is technically in breach of EU directives on the matter. This is due to the fact that we have qualified assessors who still lack the necessary software to carry out such duties.

• the need to rectify the shameful conclusion drawn by the NAO that government is not even in a position to quantify the amount of energy it consumes in its own buildings

• the need for government to go public to spell out its action plan how to fulfill its climate obligations in time for the 2013 kick start

• the urgent need for an independent economic and environmental health impact study on the likely siting of an incinerator at Marsaxlokk particularly now that the strategic decision has been taken, and once according to the Minister, cabinet has approved the solid waste management strategy that provides for the introduction of such an incineration plant in the South of the Island.

• A call for a clear explanation why government chose to boast of the installation of a mechanical treatment plant at Sant’Antnin that would meet the needs of 1,400 families per year, when during the run up to the 2008 elections, both the PM and the Minister concerned had announced that this plant would have been operational by 28 January 2008.

It is ironic to note that on the very same day when the Minister informed the House about the approval of such a Solid Waste Management Strategy’s approval by Cabinet, the EU had just issued a score card which showed that Malta not only scored poorly in EU waste management reports, but also that while failing to provide timely reports to the EU on the implementation of a number of waste directives, the little information made available shows poor performance by Malta in the waste management sector. Out of 7 directives, Malta’s only clean sheet is on the Sewage Sludge Directive.

Leo Brincat MP

Main Opposition Spokesperson for the Environment, Sustainable Development & Climate Change

St Julian’s