Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/516462
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 24 MAY 2015 News 3 TIM DIACONO THE launch of a new front calling for the protection of outside devel- opment zones (ODZ) was yester- day attended by government whip Godfrey Farrugia and his partner and fellow Labour MP Marlene Farrugia. 'Front Harsien ODZ', led by so- ciologist and former Alternattiva Demokratika chairperson Michael Briguglio, and academic Shaun Grech, was launched outside the new parliament building in the presence of around 40 people. The front was set up in retaliation to the proposed development of a private university at Zonqor Point, taking over 90,000 square metres of pristine land. The front's goal is thus to safeguard ODZ sites such as the one located at Zonqor Point. But yesterday's frontline was made all the more colourful with the inclusion of government party whip Godfrey Farrugia and Labour MP Marlene Farrugia, his partner. As whip Farrugia is effectively responsible to issue instructions to MPs on how to vote in parliament, which puts his 'rebellion' on the proposed private American Uni- versity of Malta – a brainchild of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat – on a collision course with the party. When asked how he would vote if the university proposal culminated in a parliamentary vote, Godfrey Farrugia said that he was confident that the government would find a compromise before it even reaches that stage. "After a period of reflection, I believe that the government will reach a just compromise that re- flects both the need to keep devel- oping economically and the need to sustain the environment, particu- larly agricultural land," Farrugia told MaltaToday. "We need to take it step by step, but the Prime Minis- ter would not have asked the public to suggest alternative sites for the university if he was not truly ready to seek a compromise." Joseph Muscat's attempt at so- liciting public opinion online was made only after the outrage that followed a heads of agreement with Jordanian construction firm Sadeen Group to build the univer- sity at Zonqor Point. He has faced opposition from all environmental NGOs, the Maltese archdiocese, and the Nationalist Party. On his part Farrugia said that the compromise would probably in- volve splitting the university across more than one site. When asked how he would vote if the final pro- posal involves the construction of part of the American University of Malta on Zonqor Point, Farrugia said that it's "too early to tell" and that he will make a decision based on the final proposal. While this is Godfrey Farrugia's first foray into the public against the development of Zonqor Point, partner Marlene has been vocifer- ous about it from the start. Invoking former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff's battlecry of 'Malta l-ewwel u qabel kollox' (Malta first and foremost), Marlene Farrugia warned that the entire country stood to lose if the university is constructed on virgin land at Zon- qor Point. She again lashed out at the La- bour Party, warning that their "ex- tremely strong publicity machine" was not showing the people the full truth. "Labour are claiming that they will give the people a natural park, when in reality Zonqor's natural beauty has always been the people's to enjoy," Farrugia said. "If some- thing gets built on Zonqor, then the people will be losing out." She called for the American Uni- versity of Malta to be sited inside historic forts. "That way, people will also get to enjoy the heritage of restored forts," she said. "We can have the best of both worlds." "If this project goes ahead, we will condemn the people to an ir- reversible environmental poverty. We have defeated financial and literacy poverty, but once a zone is lost from the environment, it is lost for good." 'Strongest-ever environmental backlash to a project' On his part, Michael Briguglio hailed the public backlash to the university project as the "strongest and most widespread opposition to a proposed project in Malta" that he has ever seen. "Environmental awareness has definitely increased in Malta and I am confident that we can stop this development," Briguglio said, hark- ing back to the success of the civil opposition against the develop- ment of a golf course in Rabat. He praised the "bravery" of MPs Godfrey and Marlene Farrugia for speaking out and ensuring that Malta and its natural environment are truly "taghna lkoll", reiterating Labour's electoral slogan. He insisted that Front Harsien ODZ will not accept any alterna- tive to the current university pro- posal that includes construction on ODZ land. "33% of Malta's build- ings are unused, so an alternative solution can definitely be found," Briguglio argued. While he plans for the front to outlive the university proposal, Briguglio insisted that it will place all its focus on opposing the Zon- qor development and not "deviate as some would have us do". NGOs propose forts Three eNGOs, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth Malta and Ramblers Malta, have proposed three forts for the siting of the American University of Malta: Fort St Rocco, Fort San Salvatore or Fort Ricasoli. "Each of the three forts is very well connected. Fort San Salvatore is serviced by roads which already connect the public to St Edwards College and De La Salle College. Though Fort Ricasoli is presently earmarked for other uses, along with Fort St Rocco it is ideally lo- cated along Triq Santu Rokku, a large road currently in use for ac- cess to SmartCity, a great advantage since the University will start off at SmartCity while the new campus is being built," Martin Galea De Gio- vanni of Friends of the Earth said. Astrid Vella of FAA also high- lighted the fact that two Church schools to be built in Għaxaq were only marginally smaller than the Zonqor project, and would obliter- ate more than 77,000 square me- tres of agricultural land, including rubble walls and mature trees. The eNGOs appealed to the Church au- thorities to reconsider making use of this site for these schools in order to provide an example of how these environmental issues should be handled to the benefit of society. Environmental opposition to Zonqor development ready to test Labour Labour MP Marlene Farrugia (centre) on the frontline of the campaign against ODZ construction at Zonqor Point