Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/580873
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 4 OCTOBER 2015 News 3 TIM DIACONO THE new environmental author- ity that will be formed through the demerger of the Malta Environ- ment and Planning Authority must conduct a feasibility study on a proposed motorsports track, Front Harsien ODZ have insisted. "The government is clearly tied down to pre-electoral commitments to construct the track, but we will insist that no part of it be construct- ed on land outside development zones," FHO spokesperson Michael Briguglio told a public meeting in the Front's Valletta offices to discuss the group's future. The group was formed in the af- termath of the announcement of the American University of Malta being built outside development zones, leading a protest that attract- ed some 3,000 people calling for the repeal of the AUM. MaltaToday journalist James Debono, one of the Front members, said that if built, the track shouldn't be accompanied with speculative development as has been proposed in the government's expression of interest. "Given Malta's size limitations, the government should have com- missioned a study on the track's fea- sibility before issuing its expression of interest," he said. "Otherwise, we risk falling into a free-for-all for any proposal. What if somebody now proposes an artificial mountain?" The public meeting was attended by some 40 people – including rep- resentatives from environmental NGOs, a handful of PN councillors, TV presenter Salvu Mallia, and Al- ternattiva Demokratika chairperson Arnold Cassola. Cassola was vocal in his rejec- tion of the racecourse, arguing that Malta was simply to small to accom- modate it. "The track will incorpo- rate 800,000 square metres and will definitely have to pass through ODZ land," he said. "Malta is simply too small for a motorsports track." Terra Firma chairperson John Paul Cauchi argued that farmers in Siggiewi, the locality rumoured to be earmarked for the motor track, were worried about the impact of the proposed development on their business. "Is this a government that listens or one that simply hears?" he asked. "We must listen to the con- cerns of farmers and other residents on the ground, and make sure that their concerns are publicized." PN Marsaskala councillor John Camilleri questioned whether the track could actually incorporate part of Malta's existing roads and be used for a few days a year, similar to the Monte Carlo track. 'We have enough petrol stations' – Cassola The public discussion was also dominated by debate over the con- struction of petrol stations, in light of the recent proposal of three such proposed developments in ODZ land in Kirkop and St Paul's Bay. Arnold Cassola's stance was sim- ple and straight to the point. "Malta has enough petrol stations, and any new petrol station must substitute an existing one," he said. While Briguglio criticised the rate at which ODZ petrol stations are mushrooming, his successor as AD leader took a more sober approach. "Strange as it may sound, building a petrol in station in ODZ land is logical, for health reasons," he said. "The problem is that a new govern- ment policy allows petrol stations in ODZ land to be built over 3,000 square metres, which simply opens the door to further development." Front urged to change name, expand its green focus Debate also zoomed in on the ex- istential future of the Front, that was originally set up earlier this year to oppose the construction of the pri- vate university at Zonqor Point but has since zeroed in on other envi- ronmental issues. Veteran environmentalist activ- ists Prof. Edward Mallia and Al- fred Baldacchino suggested that the Front change its name so as to reflect an expansion of its fo- cus – from simply ODZ-related issues to more general environ- mental ones. "Will the Front congratulate the government if it decides to build the motorsports track, but not on ODZ land?" Mallia ques- tioned. He also dismissed a call from philosophy lecturer Colette Sciberras for the Front to po- sition itself as a movement in favour of "sustainable develop- ment". "Sustainable development has become too much of a buzzword, and I think we should find a new name behind the concept we want to rally behind," he said. A suggestion for the Front to organize itself as a federation for green NGOs was also shot down, with Briguglio insisting that the Front shouldn't overlap and clash with the Terra Firma Collective. Academic and FHO spokesper- son Shaun Grech hit out at crit- ics who dismissed the Front as a some smokescreen for the Na- tionalist Party. "Partisan politics is Malta's plague – people who criticise the government are seen as part of the Oppositon's inter- nal mechanism." Front wants feasibility study for motorsports track Motorsport: No role for Environment Authority in site selection JAMES DEBONO QUESTIONS on the role of new Environment Authority in se- lection process for motorsport racecourse are "hypothetical", the environment minister Leo Brincat has told MaltaToday. No role is envisioned for the new Environment Authority in the selection process for the new motorsport race- course, after a call for expression of interest was issued on Tuesday. "Your questions regarding the new proposed E n v i r o n m e n t Authority are somewhat hy- pothetical since the Authority has not even yet been set up," a spokes- person for Brincat replied when asked whether the EA will have any role in the se- lection process. The establishment of the Envi- ronment Authority is imminent, awaiting final approval from parliament after parliamentary discussion on the MEPA de- merger laws was finalised before the summer recess. When presenting the demerger bill in parliament in July Brincat had promised that "the govern- ment would ensure that the au- thority was a stakeholder in de- cisive national processes". Brincat had also warned "an extra day without a demerger was not in the interest of the environment". The fact that the authority still has to be set up is now be- ing used as an e x - c u s e f o r its ab- sence in the selection process for what could be a major test for the government's environ- mental credentials. Moreover, Leo Brincat was tight-lipped when asked wheth- er he agreed with the govern- ment's decision not to exclude bids which would propose land outside development zones. "The decision to issue an EOI for a motor sports race course was taken at a government level in line with government's electoral commitment," his spokesperson replied. In its manifesto the Labour party simply promised "to evalu- ate seriously a racetrack for mot- orsport" and promised to involve "stakeholders" in the "identifica- tion of a site", "possibly with pri- vate sector" investment. Instead of identifying the site following consultation with stakeholders, the government has simply de- cided to choose from sites pro- posed by the private sector. Brincat failed to answer Mal- taToday's question on whether it would have been more appro- priate for MEPA to identify ad- equate sites before the issue of an expression of interest. This is the second time that environmental experts are not being involved in the site iden- tification of a controversial project that requires a large amount of land. The initial se- lection process for the site of the American University of Malta was conducted by the MEPA chief executive's office without any involvement of MEPA's En- vironment Directorate. In an introduction to the call for expression of interest pub- lished on the privatisation's unit website, bidders are informed that in their bids they have "to ensure that the development tak- ing place respects and adheres to the Natura 2000 directive and other sustainable development directives if applicable". From left: James Debono, Michael Briguglio and David Pisani Edward Mallia (far right) said sustainable development has become just another buzzword Leo Brincat