Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/281887
Opinion 25 T omorrow the MEPA board is going to be asked to approve the controversial application to permanently berth the gas tanker in Marsaxlokk bay. Of the original fifteen members, three board members are not going to participate in the proceedings. While one of them has a shareholding in the company that submitted the application, the other two were engaged as consultants in the Environment Impact Assessment process. This means that it will be up to twelve people to decide the fate of Marsaxlokk bay. Twelve people will cast their vote either in favour of government or in favour of those who are opposing this application. The latter include the residents of the Marsaxlokk, Marsascala and Birzebbugia area who, in their absolute majority, do not wish to see the tanker anchored inside the bay. Those who publicly disagreed with the proposal include also the Fishermen's Co-operative, which did not mince words in saying that it is a mistake to anchor the tanker inside the harbour. I was particularly struck by their words "We did not go to Oxford or Cambridge but we know what can happen here. If the ship is to be moored inside the bay we need a breakwater." Their concerns were echoed by the captain of the proposed tanker vessel when contacted by a local newspaper and Din L-Art Helwa. Amongst other things, this respected environmental NGO is stating that an integrated risk assessment study should be carried out before the permit is granted. Alternativa Demokratika are also urging caution and insisting that government publishes all the facts and studies before taking the application forward. Joseph Muscat is classif ying all these objectors as PN lackeys. It is amazing how much can change in twelve months. What happened to the notion of a Movement? What happened to the ideal of people with different interests and even different political views working together towards a common goal? This government has very quickly adopted an 'us and them' mentality. Anyone who does not agree with government becomes part of the Opposition, anyone who dares question it is labelled as negative, and anyone who objects automatically becomes a Nationalist. This cannot go on. In our small corner of the world everything becomes extremely political. Everything becomes blue or red, which often results in a number of people shying away from even expressing a public opinion let alone taking a public role in society. Social dialogue has become a social murmur and those who try to speak are often drowned by a glitzy media campaign. It is fast becoming a sorry state of affairs. Government is bulldozing through this application, putting the consideration of time above all other (including safety) considerations. During the Parliamentary debate earlier on this week, Minister Konrad Mizzi confirmed that no maritime impact assessment was carried out. Despite the heav y maritime traffic and activity in the bay, government has inexplicably decided that it is not necessary to study how the permanent berthing of a 300-meter long vessel is going to impact the port. No reports were published to prove that this berthing would not impact on the operations at Freeport. Will the turning circle of the large container vessels be impacted? Government is saying that Transport Malta carried out some simulation tests that prove that operations in the bay will not be affected. Why where the results of these tests not made public? What were the parameters of these tests? This is the same Transport Authority that some months back controversially changed its position on the Mistra village development, giving its go- ahead despite the serious traffic issues that this project will create. The Occupational Health and Safety Authority, which is chaired by a Labour Member of Parliament, commissioned an expert report. The expert said the project as proposed is safe as long as there are no sources of ignition in the region. This disclaimer basically dilutes the effectiveness of the whole report because that area is not and will never be an ignition-free zone. To become an ignition-free zone it must practically be rendered free of human activity. How can one of our busiest ports ever be termed an ignition-free zone? The Occupational Health and Safety Authority apparently did not deem it fit to question this assumption. This is a strategic project that will have a considerable impact on the generation of energy in our country. It deserves the full attention of everyone and no shortcuts should be taken. Having said that, even basic logic dictates that it is safer to have the vessel moored some miles outside the port than inside right next to the power station and very close to thousands of domestic dwellings. Despite all these questions, doubts and shortcomings, government is going ahead and pushing for an early approval of the planning application. Government has gone through hoops to push this application through. With all other authorities towing the government's line, I cannot see MEPA doing any differently. I very much suspect that tomorrow will be a sad day for the residents of Marsaxlokk, Marsascala and Birzebbugia. Their appeal has so far fallen on deaf ears. Their last hope is that twelve people sitting around that table in Valletta tomorrow will give heed to their concerns unless of course we have a dramatic turn of events from the government side. I for one am not holding my breath. Stefano Mallia is a Nationalist candidate in the forthcoming European Parliamentary elections. maltatoday, SUNDAY, 23 MARCH 2014 Joseph Muscat is classifying all these objectors as PN lackeys Stefano Mallia 26, Independence Avenue, Mosta MST12. 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