Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/275833
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 12 MARCH 2014 News 6 Metsola presents petition on LNG tanker to European Parliament GDP up by 4.4% over 2012 MAT THEW VELLA GOVERNMENT welcomed NSO figures which showed a 2.4% in- crease in GDP in real terms last year. Noting that Malta's growth rate compared favourably with that of the EU which stood at 0.1% while that of the eurozone shrinked by 0.5%, government said that the growth registered last year was twice that of 2012 and 2011. Moreover, the government pointed out that the NSO figures contrasted sharply with the nega- tive outlook the leader of the op- position, Simon Busuttil, tried to give. Figures published today, show that the Gross Domestic Prod- uct (GDP) last year amounted to €7,186.4 million, an increase of 4.4 per cent when compared to 2012. In real terms, GDP went up by 2.4 per cent. Production During 2013, growth in gross value added was mainly gener- ated by the following economic activities: professional, scientific and technical activities; admin- istrative and support service ac- tivities; electricit y supply; water supply; waste management and remediation activities; public administration, education and health activities; transportation and storage; accommodation and food service activities; informa- tion and communication; and fi- nancial and insurance activities. Other growth industries includ- ed: real estate activities; arts, en- tertainment and recreation; and agriculture. A drop in gross value added was registered in manufac- turing and construction. Expenditure Approach Last year, total final consump- tion expenditure in nominal terms increased by 2.6 per cent when compared to 2012. In real terms, total final consumption expenditure increased by 1.3 per cent. Gross fixed capital forma- tion increased in nominal prices but declined in real terms. Real imports and exports decreased over 2012. Income Approach Compared to 2012, GDP at cur- rent prices increased by €306.0 million, and is estimated to have been distributed into a €131.5 million increase in compensation of employees, a €125.2 million in- crease in gross operating surplus of enterprises, and a €49.4 million increase in net taxation on pro- duction and imports. Considering the effects of in- come and taxation paid and re- ceived by residents to and from the rest of the world, Gross Na- tional Income (GNI) at market prices for 2013 is estimated at €6,738.4 million. Government to assess feasibility of exporting waste Tender to provide technical assistance on incineration shelved four days before election JAMES DEBONO THE current government is not excluding incineration as one of its long-term solutions to the waste problem, though it intends to carry out a study on the fea- sibility of exporting waste to be incinerated abroad before taking a final decision, MaltaToday has learned. It also emerges that although incineration was on the agenda of the previous government for years, studies had not been final- ised by the last general election, to the extent that a tender on technical assistance on the devel- opment of a waste to energy facil- ity was shelved on the eve of the election. The current government is in the process of undertaking two cost-benefit analysis studies – one on waste-to-energy in Malta as well as on the exportation of waste to third countries given the spare capacity many incin- eration plants in Europe have, and their excessive demand for waste imports from various other European countries – something which is reported to be leading to reduced fees being charged. Botched tender A tender for technical assist- ance on the development of a waste-to-energy facility planned by the previous government was shelved on 8 March 2013 – two days before the election. MaltaToday is informed that there were three main bidders, but the evaluation committee concluded that no qualitatively or financially worthwhile ten- der had been received. In view of this, all bids were deemed non- compliant. In the first draft of the waste management plan issued in 2009, an incineration plant was pro- posed in Marsaxlokk close to the power station. But subsequently the government postponed the decision and indicated that a site had still to be chosen. Despite this standing commit- ment in favour of incineration, studies were still being conduct- ed. Recently speaking on TVM, Opposition shadow minister Charlo Bonnici claimed that the government was just playing for time on this issue. Although there have been im- provements to incineration tech- nologies which reduce emissions, incinerators need a large, fixed supply of waste to operate, and are built to run for many years thus creating a massive demand for waste for many decades. Environmentalists are gener- ally concerned that incinerators discourage efforts to increase recycling and waste prevention and investment in other waste treatment alternatives such as composting. Incineration was first consid- ered by a committee appointed by former Minister George Pul- licino. In 2009, a waste incinerator was proposed in the government's waste strategy. The Labour led council had opposed these plans. The issue of incineration was not addressed in the recently-ap- proved waste management plan. The government is already un- dertaking a study to either iden- tif y the site of a new landfill or to prolong the life of the existing landfill. Environmentalists are generally concerned that incinerators discourage efforts to increase recycling and waste prevention and investment in other waste treatment alternatives such as composting Compensation for violation of rights reduced at appeal CHRIS MANGION THE government saved €16,000 af- ter a Court of Appeal reduced the compensation owed to four former stevedore foreman for the violation of their human rights from €6,000 to €2,000 each. Back in 2007, the men, Anthony Attard, Armando Chircop, Anthony Spiteri and another Anthony Attard filed a Constitutional application claiming a legal notice promulgated in that year forced them and other port workers to retire at 61. The suit was filed against Union Haddiema Magħqudin, the Malta Maritime Authority, the Prime Minister, the Minister for Competi- tiveness and Competition and the Attorney General, but the UHM and the authority were exonerated from paying damages. In September 2013, Judge Anthony Ellul decreed that the stevedore's li- cence was their property, and failure to renew their licences violated the men's right to enjoyment of their property. The Court awarded them €729,413 in compensation for lost salaries and ordered that each is paid €6,000 in damages for the violation of their human rights. The Prime Minister, the Minister for Competitiveness and Competi- tion and the Attorney General ap- pealed the judgement, arguing the amount of damages awarded was too much. At the same time, the plaintiffs also filed an appeal claiming their compensation was not enough. Chief Justice Silvio Camilleri and Judges Giannino Caruana Demajo and Noel Cuschieri ruled that the compensation awarded to the four men covered years when they were not performing their jobs. "That span of time could have been used to the plaintiffs' advan- tage, and the court cannot overlook such possibility," the court said. The three judges partially upheld the appeal filed by the defendants and reduced the compensation owed to the four men for the violation of their human rights from €6,000 to €2,000 each. The Court confirmed that the plaintiffs should be paid the sum of €729,413 in damages for lost earn- ings. The appeal filed by the plaintiffs was rejected with the court stating that the first court took into con- sideration all variants and issues related to the loss of the former ste- vedore's jobs. MATTHEW VELLA NATIONALIST MEP Roberta Met- sola has urged the Maltese govern- ment not to rush with a proposal to berth a floating LNG storage vessel in the middle of Marsaxlokk bay, due to its proximity to the villages of Marsaxlokk and Birzebbugia. The LNG vessel will be berthed outside the new Delimara gas plant to provide natural gas to the power station. Metsola presented her petition, now supported by over 3,000 peo- ple, saying that there was no mari- time impact assessment carried out on the project and that the risk to residents would be greatly mitigated should the tanker be berthed outside the bay, with proper security zones around it. Metsola also said that the project may run contrary to the provisions of the EU's SEVESO Directive, and that the impact on people's lives, the environment, businesses, fishermen and their boats was not properly taken into consideration by the gov- ernment. Metsola reiterated her call for the European Commission to investigate any risk to public safety. "This project runs totally opposite to what is being done by other EU governments that have taken all the necessary precautions with similar projects. An expert in the field re- cently said that the consequences of a gas leak would be disastrous for Malta and 91% of residents in the ar- ea agree with him. There is simply no need to take unnecessary risks and rush things through," Metsola said.