Labour mayors, NGOs and residents yesterday joined forces in a national protest as they desperately appealed to the government to stop prioritising “money and greed” and to put an end to the overdevelopment that is ruining this country.

Thousands gathered in Valletta for a protest calling for environmental and planning reform, which was endorsed by over 80 groups, including residents' organisations from all over Malta and Gozo, University of Malta academics and many others.

The protest titled, Xebbajtuna! Bidla fl-Ambjent u l-Ippjanar ISSA! (We are fed up, we need a change in environment and planning now!), was organised in the context of widespread public outrage on several environmental and planning decisions across Malta and Gozo.

Protesters, a mix of young and old people, carried placards in favour of better planning and against the greed of property speculators, while chanting "Xebbajtuna" - We're fed up.

In spite of the warm weather, the protestors sang and danced to the tune of drums, while chanting slogans for better planning and in favour of the environment.

Protestors met at the Triton Fountain outside City Gate, and walked up Girolamo Cassar Avenue towards Castille Place and later to Great Siege Square (opposite the law courts) where the speeches were delivered.

Moviment Graffiti – Developers are the “real rulers” of Malta

In his speech, Moviment Graffiti’s Andre Callus slammed the government for selling Malta to developers and big businessmen and described these as the “real rulers” of Malta.

“But it is not a time for discouragement and resignation. We are fighting against big monsters - against the monsters of greed, corruption and injustice.”

He praised local councils across the island for their fight against overdevelopment. He mentioned Qala against Joseph Portelli, Pembroke against db’s Silvio Debono, Sliema and Gzira against Michael Stivala, Santa Lucija against tal-Franciz and more.

The current planning policy was written by “developers for developers,” he said.

In response to the government passing a law that regularises illegalities in ODZ land, Callus said that legal action will be taken against this to stop the government from continuing to ruin the environment.

Callus also called the Lands Authority, ERA and the PA “farcical authorities” which take decisions to support businessmen.

Callus asked why it has to be the residents who must constantly fight against overdevelopment.

“To the developers, we say: Despite your continuous bullying, we will not be afraid of you. You have the power of money, we have the power of the people. Sometimes you will win, but we will always fight you.”

He said the Prime Minister is responsible for the environmental devastation. “What is happening is not the result of carelessness from an individual in an authority, but of a political direction that sells Malta in the interests of the few.”

He appealed to the government to be on the side of the people, not on the side of greed.

FAA – Overdevelopment is affecting our health

Coordinator of Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar Astrid Vella noted how Maltese children have the highest asthma rate in the EU, as the government is only concerned with increasing buildings and cars which pollute the air with toxic emissions, at the same time destroying trees which decrease the pollution.

She also said that air pollution caused by traffic contributes to a number of illnesses and problems, highlighting the dementia epidemic, and questioned why no politician has mentioned that car emissions contribute to dementia.

Vella attributed high obesity rates in Maltese children because they have limited opportunities for outdoor activities.

“Now they dream of creating gardens in urban areas when we already have abundant undeveloped land,” she said.

The destruction and loss of historical buildings are also impacting tourism, and contrary to what politicians claim, construction is not the pillar of the Maltese economy, Vella said.

“In fact, when this began, the tourism sector employed 55,000 people, while construction only employed 11,000,” she continued.

Vella spoke about the neglect of healthcare services to address the illnesses and injuries caused by construction-related incidents.

She added that Malta’s economy needs foreign investment rather than relying on construction which is ruining the environment, and high-level enterprises already feel the lack of space available, causing them to relocate elsewhere.

“The Planning Authority (PA) has become the Permitting Authority, doing everything except planning and preserving localities. The fact that the government refuses to conduct carrying capacity studies is evidence that they will continue to allow more construction,” Vella said.

She also mentioned how the FAA is still fighting to preserve Manoel Island as a historical park, demanding more protected areas to become public domain.

“We are not ready to accept that the few benefit at the expense of quality of life. Quality of life should come first and foremost!” Vella said.

Gzira mayor – “The country is choosing greed and money over its own people”

Gzira mayor Conrad Borg Manche, who recently won a long feud with the Lands Authority to save part of the garden in Gzira next to Manoel Island, also spoke and said that he is concerned about the future of Malta’s children.

The country is choosing greed and money over its own people. As the mayor of Gżira, I can mention two cases that I have experienced during two legislatures: the case of Manoel Island and the fuel pump in the Gżira Garden, Borg Manche said.

On Manoel Island, people have been illegally evicted from land they have lived on for 16 years, due to a significant lack of authority on land issues, Borg Manche said, adding that it is evident that the contract made by the government at the time was not properly enforced.

Borg Manche said that significant failures from the authorities, both in terms of planning and land management, also applied to the case of the fuel pump in the Gzira Garden.

He said that none of these authorities has shown a genuine effort to protect the interests of the people and the common good they are meant to represent.

Every citizen is concerned about the direction this country is taking. They feel that there is no one willing to stand up for their rights in this area and that the PA, as well as the Lands authority, are not safeguarding their interests, Borg Manche said.

He said that permit approvals and decisions are made without any consideration of opposition by residents.

Borg Manche mentioned that judge Lawrence Mintoff highlighted the lack of authority in the case of Gzira Garden, where the court established that no administrative authority can take arbitrary decisions without listening to others and considering their interests.

Borg Manche said that a higher degree of transparency, reason, and protection of principles of natural justice is needed, as matters have escalated significantly due to the rapid economic growth of the country.

BirdLife – “Who is protecting our ODZs?”

CEO of BirdLife Malta Mark Sultana said that planning is crucial to the country as the open spaces in Malta are very valuable.

However, Sultana said that the level of planning in the country is collapsing, with public entities becoming more and more lenient and permissive to development.

“Who is protecting our ODZs? Who is protecting our valleys, the coast, the heights, the fields, and all the biodiversity that lives in them?” he asked.

Sultana added that the decay witnessed every day shows clearly that no public entity of government in Malta and Gozo wants to protect open spaces.

He referred to a legal notice passed a few weeks ago, which allows an extension to properties that are partially in Outside Development Zone areas, where property owners can be allowed to pay to have their building illegalities ignored.

“A pardon was given to those who broke the law! They call it regularisation; I call it a pardon for their friends. If they want regularisation, stop the illegal construction and development now!” Sultana said.

He also said that the fact that political parties are funded by developers is the main reason why authorities, which are supposedly autonomous, become subservient to what politicians tell them.

Sultana mentioned the head of the Malta Developers Association Michael Stivala, who, “after ruining the quality of life for many residents in the area of Tas-Sliema, says that NGOs do not work for the common good and that they are in businesses’ pockets.

“Mr Stivala does not have the courage to debate with us because he knows he is lying to cover up the damage he caused. I am 50 years old, and I have never seen NGOs as united as they are today,” Sultana said.

He said that the PA, the Environment and Resource Authority (ERA) and the Lands Authority are not functioning as they should, and this has been proven by the courts are revoking decisions PA permits and decisions taken by the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal (EPRT).

Sultana appealed for planning policies to be changed and a reform is needed for the public entities responsible for managing these policies and other laws, to truly serve the common good.

“Finally, we request that those leading our country adopt an economic model, with the goal to improve the quality of life for all of us. These are justified demands based on social justice,” Sultana said.

Qala mayor – Regardless of PL or PN, “it is in the interest of all of us to care for Gozo”

Qala Mayor Paul Buttigieg called on the Prime Minister and MPs to negotiate the expropriation of Hondoq Bay, highlighting the importance to save Hondoq at all costs.

Buttigieg said that his local council received a letter from developers requesting the removal of the reserved disabled parking spaces in Ħondoq Bay, as well as the showers for divers.

“The developers still say that that land is theirs, and theirs alone,” he said, adding that harmful decisions should not be made under pressure from big contractors motivated by money and business.

Buttigieg mentioned Comino, Qala, as well as the preservation in Gozo in general, which is being heavily affected by the traffic on the small island. He also mentioned the permanent destruction of the area of the Three Hills.

“Gozo belongs to everyone, meaning it is in the interest of all of us to care for it, regardless of whether you are a Labour or Nationalist supporter or if you belong to any political party,” Buttigieg said.

Marsaskala resident – Jerma Hotel should be seen as a piece of Maltese heritage

Jacqueline Rotin, a resident from Marsaskala also spoke and called for a change in the administration of public land.

As a resident of Marsaskala, she mentioned Jerma Hotel and said that this site needed to be taken care of as a piece of Maltese heritage.

Rotin also mentioned all the workers who have been seriously injured or lost their lives in the construction sector.

She highlighted how unsustainable it was for Malta’s economic model to depend on development, which is destroying Malta’s environment.

“There are those who tell us that these protests are futile...a waste of saliva. I do not believe this is for nothing. We saw last year how when the residents of Marsaskala, NGOs and citizens came together, we stopped the marina project.”

She appealed to everyone to oppose projects that do not respect the value of sustainability and social justice.