Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1532146
6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 5 FEBRUARY 2025 NEWS JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Gzira lido deckchairs: PA's legal office insists on Land Authority clearance Dinosaurs, antibiotics, and big pharma: Malta's take on conspiracy theories THE Planning Authority's le- gal office is insisting that a hotel consortium operating a lido on reclaimed land in Gżira must present a clearance letter from the Lands Authority. The clearance is required before the Planning Commission agrees to regularise a rooftop sunbed ar- ea erected without a permit two years ago. The sunbed area is in apparent breach of a public deed prohibiting rooftop structures on the property. The Planning Commission had requested a clearance letter from the Lands Authority during a meeting in December but was later faced with a legal letter in which the consortium's lawyer in- sisted that no such clearance was required. Subsequently, the com- mission sought advice from the PA's own legal office before pro- ceeding with the case. The PA's legal office pointed out that a PA circular issued in 2016 makes it clear that a clearance let- ter from the Government Property Division is a requirement for any proposal on government property. "No mention of an exception is made for when the property is held under a temporary emphy- teusis, as the owner would still be the government," the authority's legal office insisted. While noting that the Develop- ment Planning Act states that the leaseholder is effectively consid- ered an owner, the Planning cir- cular still requires clearance from the Government Property Divi- sion for any application on public land. The site of the application con- sists of a 2,500sq.m lido on land reclaimed from the sea, leased to a consortium made up of the Bayview, Kennedy Nova, 115 The Strand, and Waterfront hotels. The land was transferred to the consortium for 65 years, with an obligation to pay a ground rent of €50,000 during the first three years and €150,000 for the next nine years. The rent is to be revised after the expiry of this 12-year period. However, a clause in the public deed states that "no roof structures and services shall be permitted to be placed on the roof." The original permit for the development issued by the PA also includes a condition that the lido's roof must remain unencumbered by new structures in line with this contractual obligation. In 2023, Michael Stivala on be- half of the consortium had applied to regularise the sunbeds and rail- ings, which were installed without a planning permit. The Planning Authority's case officer has al- ready recommended approval, on the condition that all outdoor fur- niture remains free from adver- tisements and that sun umbrellas "are kept closed when not in use." The case officer cited "the new op- erational needs of the four hotels" and the "holistic design and visual permeability" of the proposal as justification for regularisation. However, the Planning Commis- sion has refused to issue the per- mit in the absence of a clearance letter from the Lands Authority. Sliema Creek Limited, the con- sortium comprising the four ho- tels that jointly own the lido, pre- sented a legal opinion by lawyer Chris Cilia. The opinion contends that the placement of sunbeds on the roof does not breach the deed because "sunbeds and umbrellas are temporary by their very na- ture and cannot be considered as structures…". Moreover, Cilia argued that, as temporary leaseholders, the own- ers of the lido are not "required to obtain any clearance from the Lands Authority for any develop- ment which it may wish to make on the site." Stivala's justification report, authored by architect Edwin Mintoff, claims the rooftop deck- ing optimises land utilisation. "The hotels in the area are invest- ing millions in reinvestment and upgrading" and "are utilising the limited land in question to its full potential to avoid the need to de- velop a new facility." A hotel consortium, fronted by hotelier and Malta Development Association President Michael Stivala, wants to regularise a rooftop sunbed area erected without a permit in 2023. But while their lawyer insists that they do not need clearance from the Lands Authority, the PA's lawyers insist otherwise. A recent Eurobarometer survey has cast a spotlight on Europe- ans' scientific knowledge par- ticularly on themes like climate change and viruses where con- spiracy theories are rife. Respondents in all 27 member states where presented with seven false claims and three correct ones on subjects ranging from dinosaurs to viruses and climate change. In Malta, the results show that, on most topics, the public is less inclined to conspiracy theories compared to the European aver- age. However, there are still some concerning misconceptions. For instance, 48% wrongly think that antibiotics kill both bacteria and viruses; 22% believe viruses are engineered in government labs. But, on the flipside, only 12% of Maltese believe that dinosaurs co-existed with early humans. Climate change and antibiotics On climate change, only 22% of Maltese support the idea that it is caused by natural cycles – signifi- cantly lower than the EU average of 35%. The belief in natural cycles is particularly strong in Hungary and Slovakia, where over 50% of people hold this view. The Finns are the most scien- tifically informed on this issue, with only 14% believing in the de- bunked theory, while Malta fares better than Germany, where 33% share the misconception. Concerning antibiotics, 48% of Maltese, compared to 39% of EU respondents, wrongly believe an- tibiotics can treat both viruses and bacteria. This misunderstanding poses risks to public health by en- couraging unnecessary antibiotic use, which weakens collective im- munity. Cyprus sees the highest percentage of this belief (62%), while Sweden (15%) and Finland (17%) are the most informed. Viruses and inside jobs Over one in four Maltese and more than a third of Europeans believe that viruses are created in government laboratories with the aim of controlling people, a claim popularised by conspiracy theo- rists during the pandemic. How- ever, Malta has seen a decline of 10% in this belief post-pandemic. The Swedes and Finns are the least likely to believe this theory, with only 10% holding the view. Meanwhile, in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Portugal, the belief is held by a majority. In Malta, 41% of respondents believe that big pharma is hid- ing a cure for cancer for financial gain – higher than the EU average of 34%. This belief is particular- ly widespread in Hungary (58%) and Cyprus (63%), while only 8% of Swedes subscribe to the theory. Creationism and evolution When it comes to creationism, the belief that early humans co- existed with dinosaurs is relative- ly low in Malta, with only 12% of respondents supporting it. This figure is one of the lowest in Eu- rope, though still higher than in Sweden (4%) but much lower than in Greece (40%). However, while most Maltese reject the idea of human-dinosaur coexistence, they are less accept- ing of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. Only 54% of Maltese believe that humans are descend- ed from other species of animals, one of the lowest percentages in the EU. In contrast, 88% of Swedes sup- port the theory, while only 50% of Latvians and 51% of Romanians do.