During Joseph Muscat’s recent visit to Fort Chambray, he promoted increasing the number of berths at Mgarr’s already existing marina. This will come as a relief to many, after the prolonged threat of a marina being built in the unpolluted waters of Ħondoq ir-Rummien.

The marina was dropped from the proposed Qala Creek development just before Mepa were to release their final case officer report. What is Muscat’s position on the remaining threat still hanging over Ħondoq in the form of yet more apartments, and another hotel?

Qala’s Labour majority council are against the Qala Creek proposal at Ħondoq; 85 per cent of Gala’s residents voted against it; thousands have signed the petition against it; and both Transport Malta and Mepa’s Environmental Protection Directorate have recommended its refusal.

The developers themselves, in their own EIA, recognised the problems of increased room capacity, weak demand for another 5-star hotel, and the necessity of the marina to make their project viable.

What else is it going to take to get Joseph Muscat to say he is against the development and, should he be elected to power, would he ensure that this unpopular project would not get the go-ahead?

Note that in the media he was recently reported as saying; “Labour would be prepared to take tough decisions, in the interests of job creation ... Gozo’s environment had to be protected because that was an attraction in itself, but nonetheless, decisions for sustainable job creation needed to be taken in the interests of the people of Gozo.”

The paper commented, “The Labour Party does not disclose what these ‘controversial’ projects and sites are; this suggests a party policy which aims not to alienate environmentalists before election time, only to drop the bombshell once in power.”

Jane Carr

QALA