Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/823875
2 maltatoday, MONDAY, 15 MAY 2017 News M'hemmx x'tagħżel bejniethom. Ivvota AD. Greens pledge to uphold citizen interests, not of big business MATTHEW AGIUS THE Greens, Alternattiva Demokratika, have slammed both the Nationalist and Labour parties for holding the citizens' interests in contempt to pre- serve the support of business operators. Green candidates Simon Galea and Luke Caruana, who are campaigning on the 12th elec- toral district, addressed a press conference in Bugibba yester- day where they highlighted the fact that several beaches in the area have been contaminated by waste from tuna pens placed just offshore. Flanked by Arnold Cassola and Ralph Cassar, Galea said that no proper action had been taken by either the government or the relevant authorities to address the issue, leaving opera- tors free to breach the law. This, he said, was negatively impacting both local swimmers and the tourism sector in gener- al. It was only through pressure exerted by individuals that the authorities were constrained to take action, added Galea. Last summer, greasy white slime washed up along a num- ber of beaches around Malta, and was later found to have originated at fish farms situ- ated along the coast. The slime resulted in a widespread anger leading the Planning Author- ity to serve four tuna fish farm operators with an emergency enforcement order. Moreover, Caruana raised the issue that he said had faded from public consciousness: that of public beach encroachment. "Unfortunately, so many pub- lic beaches have been taken over throughout the years through both legal and illegal encroach- ments," Caruana said. "The coast should remain public and AD insists on beaches remain- ing public. All illegal develop- ments should be demolished and the land returned to the public, case in point are the Armier illegal boathouses." "AD has always been at the forefront in addressing issues which affect people's quality of life. Authorities are unfortu- nately more focused on trying to facilitate things for build- ing speculators, tuna pen op- erators and big business to the detriment of residents and the common citizen," Cassola said. "Instead of wasting your vote by voting PN or PL and getting more of the same, Vote Green, Vote clean." Greens: The coast should remain public and AD insists on beaches remaining public. All illegal developments should be demolished and the land returned to the public, case in point are the Armier illegal boathouses