Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1519042
IN the tranquil neighbourhood of Hal Farrug, nestled between two colossal tanks brimming with aviation fuel, residents find themselves caught in a tangle of broken promises with their safety compromised. Their concerns, borne out of legitimate fears for their security and well-being, have been met with bureaucratic indifference and broken pledges. It is a story of a community forced to live on the edge, quite literally, as the looming threat of potential dis- aster hangs perilously close to their homes. This is no exaggeration. Some residents have had their request for an insurance policy refused. At the heart of the issue lies the Eu- ropean Seveso Directive, a cornerstone of safety regulations designed to pre- vent and mitigate the impact of in- dustrial accidents involving hazardous substances. This directive, born out of the trage- dy of the Seveso disaster in 1976, man- dates that facilities with the potential for serious incidents maintain a safe distance of at least 500m from residen- tial areas. Yet, in Hal Farrug, this cru- cial buffer zone has been reduced to a mere 110m, blatantly flouting the very regulations meant to safeguard the lives of citizens. I received a call from the residents of Hal-Farrug and I responded to their summons. To start off, I reached out to Enemed and the Ministry for Ener- gy several times to address this issue to no avail. When confronted with this egregious violation, the response from author- ities has been woefully inadequate. Despite assurances from local officials and promises of protective measures, including the installation of solar pan- els and financial compensation for res- idents, little has been done to address the genuine concerns of the local com- munity. Instead, they are left to grapple with the constant spectre of danger. Sometimes we are asked why people are losing trust in politicians. Well, the situation at Hal Farrug is a text book case of dishonesty which harms our society and leads to loss of trust. The local community has been de- ceived by Labour politicians, includ- ing minister Silvio Schembri and dis- graced minister Konrad Mizzi, Luqa mayor John Schembri, and even then, prime minister Joseph Muscat who vis- ited several homes close to the plant. This led them not to object to such infrastructure. It is a travesty that in a country bound to respect EU laws, the rights and safe- ty of its citizens can be so callously dis- regarded. The residents of Hal Farrug deserve better – they deserve to feel secure in their own homes. It is incum- bent upon the authorities to uphold the principles enshrined in the Seveso Directive and take immediate action to rectify this egregious breach. We must ensure that EU standards are translated into rights in practice for the Maltese and not remain on paper. If elected to the European Par- liament, I will leverage my 20 years of experience to ensure that EU legisla- tion is effectively implemented for the benefit and safety of Maltese citizens. In the meantime, this situation can't wait. This is why I have personally taken up the mantle on behalf of the residents of Hal Farrug, advocating for their rights and demanding account- ability from those responsible for en- suring their safety. My efforts have included not only reaching out to relevant authorities, but now also submitting a formal com- plaint to the European Commission, and leveraging every available means to draw attention to this pressing is- sue. The safety and well-being of our citizens must always be paramount. These residents do not expect the fu- el tanks to be closed down, but at least for their rights to be respected and for the promises made to them to be ad- hered to without further delay. They especially want the necessary protection measures, including the erection of shielding walls to pro- tect them in case of accidents, finan- cial compensation and guarantees by means of adequate insurance coverage of their homes, to be implemented. Over the past months, I have exposed several cases where the government is disregarding EU standards and laws. Hal Farrug is not an exception. Sewage being discharged in the sea is just one other example. On 8 June, we have the chance to ei- ther elect to the European Parliament Labour MEPs who want to cover up for their government or to send com- petent people to defend the rights of Maltese citizens. I am committed to be your voice in Europe, to deliver concrete results to our families and to strengthen scrutiny on a government that has no clue on what is right and wrong. when he uses the second-per- son-plural pronoun, 'WE'? Personally, I'd like to think it's a reference to his own government (in which case, the rejoinder would be: 'Then what the bleeding hell is even stopping you from achieving that balance, in the first place?') … but going on what Bonnici al- so said, during that interview – i.e., that "we emphasise the need for our capital city to grow and move forward, but also for THE PEOPLE TO BE WITH US THROUGH- OUT THIS PROCESS" [my em- phasis] – it could just as easily be interpreted as a reference to… erm… 'us'. Yup, folks: 'us' as in 'you, me, and both our dogs'… for all the world as if 'WE' - the 'bobbing, weav- ing, ducking, side-stepping, and long-suffering people of Malta and Gozo' – are also partly responsible for this country's failure to ever strike an impossible 'balance', be- tween two, utterly incompatible demands. In which case, the obvious answer would have to be (I mean, do I even need to say it?): NO, dammit! It is NOT 'we' who have to strike this impossible bal- ance… it's YOU! Or at least, your government… … because that's another thing, by the way. Earlier, I alluded to Fr Joseph Curmi's difficulties in track- ing down the precise chain of polit- ical accountability, when it comes to land-use policy in Malta. And what do you know? Owen Bonni- ci graphically confirmed that one, too… by "pointing out that the reg- ulation and approval of tables and chairs in public spaces did not fall under his remit". And OK, fair enough. I am well aware that the 'chain of political ac- countability' moves in very myste- rious ways – so mysterious, in fact, that you can simultaneously be the 'junior minister for Local Councils'; and also, 'not accountable for any- thing that actually happens, in any of Malta's localities' – so I'm hap- py to just take his word for it, and move on. What it also means, however, is that… NO ONE is actually respon- sible, for any of the stuff that ever happens in Malta's towns and vil- lages! It's not the police; it's not the Planning Authority; it's not the Lo- cal Councils, it's not the MTA; it's not Transport Malta… and it's not even the blinking 'Lands Author- ity', for crying out loud! (in which case, they may as well just change their name to 'Barbie-Land Au- thority', and get it over with). Effectively, then, the Maltese gov- ernment's response to this com- plaint can be summarised as: 'Yes, we need to strike a balance between public well-being, and pri- vate commercial interests… BUT NO! WE'RE JUST NOT GOING TO! (Yah-Boo! So there, too! Etc. etc.)' A little brutal, I know, but… hey! At least, it's honest. Peter Agius is a PN MEP election candidate The disregard for EU law and safety in Hal Farrug Peter Agius 11 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 14 APRIL 2024 OPINION On Wednesday, activists and residents held up cardboard placards to protest the encroachment of public space in Mellieha