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2 maltatoday EXECUTIVE EDITOR Matthew Vella mvella@mediatoday.com.mt Letters to the Editor, MaltaToday, Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann SGN 9016 E-mail: dailynews@mediatoday.com.mt Letters must be concise, no pen names accepted, include full name and address maltatoday | SUNDAY • 5 SEPTEMBER 2021 Hubris: Labour's downfall Editorial IN 2019, Moviment Graffitti organised a national protest against "excessive and haphazard construc- tion" under the rallying cry, 'Iż-żejjed kollu żejjed' ('Enough is enough'). It was one of the largest envi- ronmental manifestations after the successful 2015 protest against the proposed AuM campus at Żon- qor Point. Before that, even larger crowds had gathered to protest against the 2005-6 'rationalisation' of the de- velopment boundaries: this time under a Nationalist administration led by Lawrence Gonzi. On both those occasions, it was rightly argued that government could not afford to ignore such wide- spread anger and disgruntlement; least of all, when the underlying concern – environmental degrada- tion – was so clearly justified. Today, however, there are other reasons why gov- ernment can ill-afford to forge ahead with its plans, even in the face of popular resistance. In recent years, we have tasted the bitter fruit of successive government's failure to give the environment the protection it deserves. And at least one person – Miriam Pace, whose Santa Venera home collapsed in a construction accident – has even paid for this mistake with her life. Briefly put, there is now also a widespread (and, alas, fully justified) perception that people are living in fear inside their own homes; and that the situa- tion is being tolerated – if not actively encouraged – in the name of 'economic growth'. This kowtowing to the construction industry has long been felt to be unacceptable: economic growth cannot take precedence over people's right to live in safety; it cannot ride roughshod over people's genu- ine concerns about their environment, their health and their quality of life. It would be a mistake, then, for government to dismiss, or minimise, this growing environmentalist angst. Last week, Graffitti was again leading resi- dents in Marsaskala who are outraged at plans for a yacht marina that would denude the seaside village entirely of its charm. As this newspaper noted, there is now discontent even within Labour circles, because it illustrates a growing chasm that has now visibly opened up between the 'Labour Party in government' – which concerns itself with the macro-view; and therefore may sometimes lose sight of the realities on the ground – and the grassroots Labour movement from which it was born. Today, it is clear that apart from Labour's disas- trous planning policies – which allowed the prolif- eration of fuel stations outside development zones, and further incursions into rural areas – the de- generation of our towns and villages is rooted in an accumulation of different policies approved in the past 20 years, with the sole aim of changing goal- posts in favour of developers. Government claims that any restriction of devel- opment rights, enshrined in the local plans, would result in massive compensation claims by owners. It is a claim that is born out of Labour's convenience in maintaining a vote-winning status quo. European legal experts will counter that such compensation claims do not exist. And despite its supposedly newfound green credentials (the PN now has its own 'Greens' think-tank, as this week's press conference attempted to show…) the Nationalist op- position is committed not to take away any develop- ment rights enshrined in local plans, ensuring that any PN victory would leave the status quo intact. Those who think the PN's centrist greenwash can win the day for the Opposition, are clearly mistaken. The PN's credibility as an alternative government can only be proven by a visionary and radical take on Maltese politics. To stay in a comfortable centre, that is dominated by Labour's power of incumbency, means the PN is just waiting for Labour's star to fall. But what do the people really want, in this great challenge facing Malta today: i.e., the question of land use? Certainly, it has to be fairness: strong reg- ulations, effective enforcement, a planning process that safeguards the quality of life… but also a level playing field, that is not unfairly tilted to the advan- tage of development. There is no question that the local plans guiding development today are anything but that. The local plans, strategically, were also guided by the interests of large landowners and party donors. This newspaper is a believer in the need for great- er democratisation in planning: indeed, to have not just six regional local plans, as is the case today, but detailed plans for each of Malta's 68 localities, with new local plans delineating new open spaces and enclaves in each locality. Such plans should be designed with involvement of local councils; citizens assembled in physical and virtual town hall meetings; committees of village elders, focus groups of randomly selected citizens, locality stakeholders and NGOs. In the meantime, Labour should heed the warning signs from history and the political hegemonies that dominated it: otherwise, hubris will be its downfall. Under the centre-left dominance of Labour, more public land seems to be going into private hands. Public walkways and parking spaces are being turned over to restaurants, whose turnover doubles with new space taken from the public; public land is dished out almost for free to mega-investors; more public space is sacrificed in the name of 'schemed' roads; or dubious marinas, which again serve only as ancillary revenue-generating vehicles for ulterior interests. All of which raises a question that cannot be ig- nored forever. Why is Labour intent on ignoring the common citizen's voice? 3 September 2011 Joanna Gonzi is new Sliema mayor SLIEMA'S mayor Nikki Dimech lost the Sliema mayorship as expected, when PN councillors used their six-man majority to elect deputy mayor Joanna Gonzi in his stead. Dimech is facing bribery charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty, after signing a statement admitting to having asked for commissions on the award of a council contract. He reiterated his contention that he signed the admission under "undue duress" due to his asthmatic condition. PN councillor Patrick Pace, whom Dimech claimed would not vote for his impeachment, was back in Malta from a vacation in Russia, and as expected voted in favour of the motion. Dimech expressed "surprise" at Pace, Edward Cuschieri, and Yves 'Bobby' Calì's votes in fa- vour, claiming they had previously expressed their lack of confidence in the deputy mayor. Former PN councillor Sandra Camilleri, who resigned after claiming she was coerced by PN secretary-general Paul Borg Olivier to sign the motion of no confidence, voted against the motion. "I am a woman of principle... I vote according to my conscience." Before the start of the meeting, Labour coun- cillors Martin Debono, Nikolai Cuschieri – who is actually in the employ of Nikki Debono's audit firm – and Marianne Aquilina, issued a statement explaining they would abstain on the vote: "This case is politically contaminated, and it's a fight for power with roots in the corridors of the PN headquarters, between rival candidates and their friends.... We don't agree that Joanna Gonzi be made mayor, as in various occasions she showed disrespect towards the Labour minority..." During the council meeting, PN councillor Cyrus Engerer presented the motion, and ex- plained that the absence of a waste recovery tender for Sliema had cost the council thou- sands in direct orders. Speaking to MaltaToday at the end of the council meeting, NIkki Dimech described in some detail the "psychological ordeal" he en- dured in the past weeks and months, and also hinted at resignation from the council if he will be "unable to make the monthly meetings". Quote of the Week "What's happening now is too late. Too much damage has been done to the finance sector in Malta, and to those thousands of people that work in this sector. This is what happens when the institutions protect crimi- nals, instead of people." Nationalist MEP David Casa MaltaToday 10 years ago