Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1012451
maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 8 AUGUST 2018 4 NEWS JAMES DEBONO THE Superintendence for Cul- tural Heritage has warned that caves could extend beneath the footprint of a proposed five- storey hotel in Xaghra Gozo. To underline its concern the Superintendence has sent an image of a cave located a few metres away from the hotel. "The attached image clearly shows caves within the rocky- outcrop. These spaces may also extend beneath the site footprint in question". In view of this the Super- intendence has called for a survey to assess the extent of these caves. The Superintendence is also objecting to the demolition of the existing vernacular build- ing and has called for the inte- gration of this structure in the proposed hotel. It also noted that photomon- tages submitted by the devel- oper of the hotel show that development will result in a "heavy mass of building that will negatively impinge on the existing streetscape, skyline and countryside". In the absence of amend- ments this development ap- plication should be refused, the cultural watchdog con- cluded. The Planning Authority has also received a number of ob- jections from residents of the rural hamlet where the ho- tel is being proposed. They pointed out that views from the Xaghra Belvedere, built at council expense, would be af- fected. The site presently consists of an abandoned agricultural farmhouse with a 220sq.m footprint, and adjoining agri- cultural fields. The hotel and an adjacent three-storey terraced house will be built over a footprint of 1,812sq.m of which 720sq.m will be built up. 917sq.m of land is earmarked as a pool area. The development, described as a "3-star agro-tourism boutique hotel" is being pro- posed by developer Alfred Re- falo and will be managed by Frankie Spiteri who also man- ages the Quaint Hotel chain in Gozo. A project development state- ment (PDS) was presented by Environmental Management Design Planning, a company owned by Planning Commis- sion member Mariello Spi- teri. It claimed that the im- pact on the landscape would be a "minor" one. While reaffirming its ob- jections to the project, the Environment and Resources Authority has exempted the project from an EIA, noting that the "main environmental impacts of the development relate to urban sprawl" be- yond the hamlet's boundary. Caves could extend beneath proposed Xaghra hotel MASSIMO COSTA AN Albanian national who pleaded guilty to having travelled to Malta using a forged passport was handed down a suspended sentence yesterday, after the defence argued that incarcerating him would only make him a burden on the state. Julian Rama, 30, was arraigned in court before Magistrate Audrey Demicoli on charges of having, on 5 August, know- ingly made use of a forged passport. In a statement to the police, Rama had said that he had travelled to Italy with an Albanian passport, and had then met someone there who had given him the forged passport. He said he had come to Malta for the purpose of then travelling on to the UK. Rama also claimed that the person who had given him the passport had also given him the email address of a certain "Tony Montana", whom he was to email on his arrival to the UK. The defence argued that, since the ac- cused would be deported from Malta, it wouldn't make sense for the court to give him an effective prison sentence for his crime, and turn him into a burden on the state. "We shouldn't be after a pound of flesh, but we are after justice, so we believe a suspended sentence, in the circumstances, would be ideal," the de- fence said. The prosecution, however, requested an effective prison sentence, remark- ing that this was the second instance of someone being caught using a fake passport in the last four days, and that the practice shouldn't be allowed to turn into a trend. Taking the circumstances of the case into consideration, the court neverthe- less sentenced the man to 18 months in prison, suspended for four years. Inspector Claire Borg prosecuted. Ismael Psaila was legal aid for the ac- cused. mcosta@mediatoday.com.mt Man who travelled with fake passport given suspended sentence Defence argued since the man would be deported, a suspended sentence would be adequate BATHERS should avoid swimming in the Sirens area of St Paul's Bay after an overflow of sewage into the sea yesterday, the Environmental Health Directorate (EHD) within the Superintendence of Public Health said on Tuesday. In a statement, the EHD said that although "the necessary works have been carried out", people should avoid the area until the re- sults from a sea water analysis of the area have been received. It said that information signs in- dicating closure of the area had been put up to notify the public. For further information, contact the Health Inspectorate Services between 8.00am and 2.30pm on telephone number (+356) 2133 7333 or on mobile number for Malta (+356) 7950 9918 or Gozo number (+356) 7950 9919. Warning for swimmers to avoid Sirens area of St Paul's Bay