Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/478858
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 15 MARCH 2015 10 MIRIAM DALLI A White Paper piloted by the parlia- mentary secretariat for health is set to provide people a legal framework by which they could decide to be- come organ donors, or not. Organ and tissue donation and transplantation provide a second chance at life for thousands of peo- ple each year. In Malta, some 2,000 people sign up to be organ donors every year, ranking Malta among the highest donor rates in Europe. Yet, organ donors do not always have the last word, as the final deci- sion ultimately lies with the next of kin who have to give their consent for organ removal. The planned law would ensure that a person who signed up to become an organ donor would have their re- quest honoured. Last year, some reported 30,000 individuals were registered for organ donation. Yet, the list of patients waiting for an organ donation remains substan- tial. Near the end of 2014, some 80 to 85 patients were still waiting for a kidney, while 15 patients – through- out the year – successfully received kidney transplants. Ten were from cadaver donors. A heart, and 13 cornea transplants were also per- formed. During the previous year, 15 pa- tients received a kidney from de- ceased person and three from living donors. MaltaToday is informed that the White Paper, set to be launched for consultation in the coming weeks, will provide people with four princi- ples: the soft opt-in; the hard opt-in; the soft opt-out; and the hard opt- out. The aim is to have a more coor- dinated approach with all stakehold- ers involved. The soft opt-in principle would see the removal and use of organs permissible only if consent from the potential donor's next of kin has been obtained after the donor's death. The deceased would have in- dicated the wish to be a donor dur- ing their lifetime. The hard opt-in proposal would be based on the organ donor's ex- press decision to become a donor, abolishing the consent of the do- nor's next of kin. In the case of the soft opt-out, the removal and use of organs would be permissible unless the deceased opted out during his or her lifetime. Nonetheless, it would still remain imperative that the deceased donor's next of kin consent is obtained. The hard opt-out system would al- low the removal and use of organs from deceased persons unless the deceased person had formally opted out of donation during lifetime. In this case, the deceased's decision cannot be overturned by the next of kin. The availability of donor organs is often a question of life and death for patients requiring a transplant. With transplantation now a com- monplace technique, one of the main factors limiting the number of transplants is the shortage of or- gans. According to the Council of Eu- rope, each day, on average, 12 peo- ple died across the EU while waiting for a transplant. In December 2008, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a Directive that defines quality and safety requirements for human or- gans intended for transplantation, and an action plan for improving co- operation between member states in this field. JAMES DEBONO TUMAS and Gasan Holdings will be investing €70 million in the pro- posed Mriehel Towers project which consists of four cylindrical tower blocks, comprising 16, 18, 20 and 14 storeys respectively, sitting on top of five basement levels. The application for the mega devel- opment was presented in October by the Tumas and Gasan groups, who are also partners in the ElectroGas power station consortium, on a site adjacent to that of the present Gasan head office on the Mriehel bypass. Contacted by MaltaToday, Ray Fenech, director of Tumas Group insisted that the company did not re- quest the inclusion of Mriehel in the zones identified for high rise develop- ment in a planning document approved by MEPA last June. "An opportunity came and we took it," Ray Fenech told MalaToday, while outlining ambitious plans to turn Mrie- hel into a business hub. Mriehel was not included among the localities that will be considered for high-rise build- ings of over 10 storeys, when a policy regulating building heights was first issued for public consultation in No- vember 2013. This meant that the public never had any chance to com- ment on the choice of this site. But then Mriehel was added to the list just before the policy was ap- proved in June. Din l-Art Helwa president Simone Mizzi is still questioning the legality of the process. "Mriehel was never included in the public consultation process for high rise development in the first place and as such the right and legality to build towers in the area is question- able," she said. Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar co- ordinator Astrid Vella also claims that this site was included in the high-rise regulations abusively, as it was included after public consulta- tion. Planning Ombudsman David Pace had also criticised the inclusion of Mriehel in the approved zones where high rise development can take place. The sites where over- 10 storey buildings are allowed are Gzira, Qawra, Paceville, Tigne, Marsa and Mrie- hel. A blueprint for Mriehel When asked about the impact on long distance views which are deemed signifi- cant by a MEPA screening report, Fenech replied that the impact will be fully assessed in the Environment Impact Assess- ment which will include photomon- tages of the development as seen from various sensitive views. Fenech is aware that the major hurdle for high-rise in Mriehel is its impact on the line of vision between Valletta and Mdina. But according to Fenech prelimi- nary studies made before the ap- plication was presented indicate News White Paper on organ donation to allow opt-in, opt-out principles Mriehel Towers: Gasan and Tumas invest €70 million Din l-Art Helwa and FAA question legality of inclusion of Mriehel in high rise zones APPLICATIONS FOR RECREATIONAL FISHING OF BLUEFIN TUNA The Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture will be receiving applications from interested persons having a vessel registered for recreational fishing under national provisions, and who are interested to participate in the recreational fishing of bluefin tuna during the relevant season, which is set from the 16 June 2015 to the 14 October 2015. Applications may be collected at the following addresses: MINISTRY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, THE ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Għammieri Ngiered Road, Marsa MRS 3303 Attention: Ms Lucienne Cassar Or Fisheries Office Mġarr, Gozo Attention: Mr. Mario Tabone Applications together with the supporting documentation are to be submitted to the same addresses from 23 March to 6 April 2015, from 8am to noon. An administrative fee of €20 is to be paid by cheque to the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture on submission of the application. Other modes of payment will NOT be accepted. Late applications will not be considered. For further information, please contact the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture on telephone 22921111 or via email to infofisheries.msdec@gov.mt Simone Mizzi said Mriehel was never included in the public consultation process for high rise development in the first place and as such the right and legality to build towers in the area is questionable MATTHEW VELLA ENVIRONMENTAL NGO Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar has questioned plans by the Gasan and Tumas groups to build a four-tower structure at Mriehel, and its effects on the commercial property market with a dampened demand for such property. FAA coordinator Astrid Vella said that MEPA officials had confirmed that at present levels of demand for commercial premises, the glut of properties will leave semi-vacant stock. "The proposal to build four com- mercial towers at Mriehel could jeopardise the commercial success of other complexes. The Paola A4 Towers and Skyparks have not yet been filled, Smart City and Metrop- olis have stalled, while Pendergar- dens Towers, the Exchange Business towers, the Farsons Business Park, Townsquare and Xemxija Towers projects are at various stages of de- velopment. Is it realistic to expect that all these projects will be taken up, or will we waste more precious land on projects destined to remain semi-vacant and like many of the showrooms built in the past?" Vella asked. The Gasan and Tumas groups will be investing €70 million in their towers, which will rise 14, 16, 18, and 20 storeys high. MEPA's high-rise policy paper was slammed by the Ombudsman when Mriehel, a site that hosts land owned by the Tumas Group of Companies and the Gasan headquarters, was included as an area for multi-storey development after the public con- sultation on the high-rise policy had already closed. "Contrary to MEPA's policy of clustering tall buildings, this 18-sto- Mriehel's four towers 'a sore thumb' vista – FAA CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 Anonymity for IIP applicants was an important condition laid down by citizenship concessionaires Henley & Partners, something that was vigorously op- posed by the Opposition. When in November 2013, the gov- ernment started making concessions to change the IIP, deputy prime min- ister Louis Grech had told MaltaTo- day that the names of IIP passport holders would no longer be secret. While that statement was believed to mean that the names would be published in the regular quarterly lists, when the government moved its amendments to citizenship laws, it totally removed the clause that man- dated the publication of naturalised citizens' names; replacing it with the clause appointing a regulator, who compiles an annual report on the IIP without including any personal data of applicants. The Opposition opposed the re- moval of the clause, saying that the names should not remain secret. The IIP regulator's report so far has revealed enormous interest from Russian citizens – over half of the 459 applications. Fishing out the new citi- zens of Malta in this year's list will be quite a chore. No concrete details on passport buyers