Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1405706
16 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 29 AUGUST 2021 NEWS A public consultation document for charging infrastructure for electric cars does not address the most important aspects of sustainable mobility, the Green Party ADPD has said. ADPD is proposing the up- grading and improving of roads, safe bicycle lanes along all main roads, a bus rapid transit system and free public transport for everyone in a bid to reduce the number of pri- vate cars on the road. ADPD Secretary General Ralph Cassar said the govern- ment document mentions the need for an increase in electric vehicles, but does not address the fact that the current road distribution system cannot keep up with the current num- ber of cars on the roads. "It seems that the amount of elec- tricity consumed will increase so much that any new genera- tion of clean energy will end up not meeting the demand." According to Cassar, due to the exaggerated number of cars on the road, the decrease in road emissions will not be enough and a new intercon- nector would only mean that Malta would be exporting its emissions, and getting taxed for them. ADPD chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said the to elec- trify the whole vehicle fleet on the island, means that the government should declare an immediate moratorium on the construction of new petrol sta- tions. Cacopardo emphasised that this shift to electric cars would mean an estimated annual loss of revenue of around €154 mil- lion from petrol and diesel, and therefore the government should declare the alternative sources that would be replac- ing it. "This revenue should be used to support additional services and infrastructure for public transport and cleaner means of transport other than the car. Whoever is promising low prices is not being realistic and honest. What we are asking for is for more transparency on government's part. " Cacopardo also said that the electrification of the vehicle fleet on its own is insufficient and must be accompanied by other measures that address traffic. According to him, the government has no clear inten- tion of reducing vehicles from the roads. Greens: Electric car fleet raises questions on energy dependence No bail for suspected drug trafficker A court has denied bail to sus- pected drug trafficker Leandro Mansueto, who was arrested in possession of some 100g of co- caine, after police raided a sus- pected drug deal on Thursday. Mansueto, 22, of Floriana was arraigned before Magistrate Marseanne Farrugia on Sat- ur-day, charged with supplying cocaine, possession of the drug in circumstances denoting it was not exclusively for his per- sonal use, breaching bail and recidivism. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. Defence lawyers Franco Debono and Francesca Zarb requested bail, suggesting elec- tronic tagging, but this was re- fused by the court, which said that there were civilian witness- es yet to testify. Mansueto was remanded in custody. Inspector Steven-Ryan Micallef prosecuted.