Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/197223
7 News maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 23 OCTOBER 2013 bour's agenda the land earmarked for the airstrip proved "virtually impossible". The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage has called for an environment impact assessment if an application to extend the Ta' Lambert airstrip in Gozo is presented. The airstrip is actually considered as part of the Gozo-Comino local plan, but investigations must be carried out on the development's impact before any decision is taken. MEPA will have to assist government in drafting the terms of reference for a study which would have to explore alternatives to a hard runway such as, for example, the use of a seaplane. It also states that no concrete evidence exists to demonstrate that a fixed wing service would be viable. And despite the impression given by business lobbies that Gozitans are desperate for an airstrip, a MaltaToday survey conducted in July 2006 showed that the islanders are equally divided on whether an airport should be developed to link the two islands by air. Prime Minister says accessibility a key issue for Gozo Prime Minister Joseph Muscat yesterday that creating accessibility between Malta and Gozo was a "key issue" for the government. The prime minister was speaking at a meeting with the Gozo Regional Committee at Castille, in which he said that Gozo was a priority for the government because of the high potential that it offers. "This government wants to improve the systems of accessibility between Malta and Gozo. This could mean improving the Gozo Channel Service or by introducing other means of accessibility. We must, however, do our homework first before making any decisions. Environmental and economic considerations must always be put into the equation," he said. The President of the Committee, Michael Grech, said that it hoped that Gozo would not be treated as being inferior to Malta, saying that the island had its own challenges which required different tactics. Muscat, however, reassured Grech that Gozo was of utmost importance for government. "The island of Gozo is a priority for this government. Our aim is to bring foreign investment to the island, as well as creating jobs for Gozitans. I am convinced that the upcoming budget will allow for this to happen," he said. While acknowledging that the committee was in favour of an airstrip in Gozo, he said that a short-term and medium term study had to be carried out first, with particular importance given to the environmental and economical issues. Muscat also confirmed that a helicopter operator had expressed an interest in starting up a transport service between the two islands, but he said that the government was against such a service being run on a chartering basis, insisting that such a service should have a set schedule. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt tisfaction lowest in Valletta What the Maltese think of their capital city PHOTOGRAPHY BY AUDREY LIENARD Cultural facilities Public transport State of streets Sports facilities Public spaces Retail Air quality Noise level Cleanliness Life in general But Valletta is among nine EU capitals among the 20 least satisfied cities: Bucharest (17%), Athens (21%), Madrid (25%), Sofia (26%), Paris (33%), Roma (34%), Valletta (35%), Budapest (37%) and Prague (39%). Valletta is also among seven EU capitals where fewer than half of respondents are satisfied with their city's sports facilities. These include Athens, Bratislava, Sofia, Vilnius, Bucharest, Valletta and Riga. Noise did not appear among the top three issues for respondents in any of the cities surveyed. However, it should be noted that this issue was cited by a third of respondents in Prague (33%) and by 22% in Valletta. Foreigners in the city The survey also shows that 58% Satisfied 37 37 52 45 42 82 35 52 53 88 of Maltese residents think that the presence of foreigners is good for Valletta. This indicates that the Maltese are more suspicious of foreigners than residents in Stockholm, Dublin, Brussels and Paris. But they are more positive about the presence of foreigners than residents in Rome and Naples. 75% of Maltese residents feel safe living in Valletta. The level of safety is higher than Marseilles, where only 32% feel safe, but lower than Amsterdam, where 84% feel safe. Luxembourg, where 91% feel safe, emerges as one of the safest cities. 68% think that most residents in Valletta can be trusted. This compares well to Athens, where only 20% think that a majority of fellow inhabitants are worthy of trust. But it is significantly lower than cities like Oslo and Reykjavik, where 81% think that most residents in their city are trustworthy. Michelle Muscat (right): "There is a lack of awareness about autistic behaviour" Six schools to open their playgrounds to autistic children JAMES J. PISCOPO FIVE primary schools in Malta and one in Gozo will open their playgrounds to autistic children during the weekend, Michelle Muscat announced yesterday morning. Addressing a press conference on behalf of Autism Parents Association, Muscat, the wife of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, said this was the next logical step after this project was introduced this summer in St Paul's Bay primary school. "There is a lack of awareness about autistic behaviour. These children need safe playgrounds and open spaces where they can spend their time with some liberty and independence. This will also provide the parents with peace of mind since their children will be in a safe environment," Muscat said. People with autism have issues with non-verbal communication and a wide range of social interactions and activities. Experts believe that autism presents itself during the first three years of a person's life. The primary schools, chosen by the same association, are the primary schools of Dingli, Marsaxlokk, Mġarr, Attard, Fgura and Sannat (Gozo). Muscat encouraged Gozitan families to take part in this programme since current participation in Gozo was low. The playgrounds will open on Fridays between 5.30pm and 8.30pm, Saturdays between 2pm and 5pm, and on Sundays and public holidays between 10am and 5pm. This initiative is open to children of all ages and it will be free of charge. Michelle Muscat, who serves as Honorary Chairperson of the association, also announced that the Christmas cards sent by the prime minister will be designed by autistic children. Unlike previous years, there will be a set of six Christmas cards that will be chosen from the artworks submitted. Artworks can be submitted to the Autism Parents Association at P.O Box 30 Marsa, or to the OPM in Castille. They will be accepted until the end of this month. Sparks fly between Education Minister, Opposition leader over stipends EDUCATION Minister Evarist Bartolo will be suing the PN media for libel and challenged Opposition leader Simon Busuttil to repeat outside parliament that he [Bartolo] had ordered the removal of stipends for students at the Higher Secondary sitting for 'O' level studies. "I challenge Dr Busuttil to repeat his accusation outside parliament so I'll be able to slap him with a libel suit... just like I'll be slapping the Nationalist media," Bartolo said. Bartolo yesterday evening tabled a list of consultants employed by the Education Ministry. The ministry has retained a number of consultants who served under the Nationalist administration but has also engaged new ones. Questioned about the ministry's investigation into how a circular had been issued without "the minister's knowledge", which ordered the removal of stipends for Sixth Form 'O' level students, Bartolo said the investigation report will be published and available for public scrutiny. At one point, Bartolo accused Busuttil of "being late as usual" after the leader of the opposition asked about the ministry's investigation. "The investigation has already been concluded," the minister said. Busuttil however was quick to quip that during Bartolo's previous tenure as minister, he had "been caught meddling with the stipends system". This prompted a harsh reply by Bartolo, who said that "as far as he knew he was speaking in Maltese and not in Chinese," and that the opposition should wait for what he assured was a fair and just report which his ministry conducted. "Stipends will not be reduced... contrary to what former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi did when he effectively sliced the amount each student received," Bartolo said.