After a disastrous assault on the Amazon jungle under the Presidency of the extreme right winger Bolsonaro, when vast tracks of the Amazon jungle were destroyed and exploited by the high and mighty, including cocaine cultivation by criminals, the new Leftist/Unionist President Lula Da Silva, has taken the courageous initiative to assemble nine other neighbouring countries to join in the fight against the Amazon destruction.

Two other nations from Africa, representing the two sides of the Congo have also joined this laudable initiative.

Under the previous Brazilian President, vast tracts of the Amazon, sometimes larger than a whole European Country were wiped out and taken over by multi-national companies, criminal gangs, cattle farms, timber cutting and the mining of minerals, all of them indirectly or directly permitted by the Authorities.

The sole aim was to fatten their pockets and all of those permitting these atrocities. It didn’t matter if the rest of the world would suffer the grave consequences of these vast “Deforestation’s.”

It was a huge relief to the rest of the world that finally, Brazil and all the countries in South America, which also have a part of the Amazon, joined forces to fight against this wanton destruction joined by the two sides of the Congo which also enjoys similar wild forestations.

What a relief for all the rest of the world to follow. What a relief for Governments leading the fight against corruption, greed of the exploiters, to trample on the world’s given rights of its citizens.

All abiding world citizens, who hold close and follow in their hearts the laws of civilisation, law and order, must support and applaud these drastic steps by the Brazilian President and all the other nations joining in this righteous fight for the world’s survival.

Climate Change

All over the world, people are witnessing the disastrous effects that climate change is inflicting upon our way of life. Storms, fires and heatwaves are now a common event. Numerous warnings have been issued by the world’s scientists, but the high and mighty, including Governments, did not take these warnings seriously, not even now when so many disastrous effects are happening around the world.

The Local Situation

Malta, as in other areas around the world was also affected by these heatwaves, as can be verified by all those that suffered due to the recent power cuts caused by the overloading of the electrical distribution system.

We are also suffering more flooding of streets when rain falls on our islands which is due to the excessive building frenzy, the usual flow of such rain waters has been blocked and more water diverted into the streets, which cannot cope with such amounts of water. Thus damaging flooding is happening all over the islands.

We don’t have any forestations in our islands, but we do now have a jungle of endless concrete caused by the ongoing building frenzy, together with never ending illegalities. Our way of life and village cores are being completely and systematically destroyed by greedy speculators.

We are not blessed with jungles or forests, and only have very limited lands, but the local speculators are rampantly taking over the precious few lands and open spaces which still remain, destroying what is left of our pleasant environment and covering it with yet more concrete monstrosities.

New Laws Envisaged

New laws are being envisioned by the local authorities, however, these new laws, in my personal view and also the vast majority of the population, lack any proposal to stop immediately the plethora of illegalities of buildings without permits which are then sanctioned by the Authorities with a ridiculously low fine.

The citizens are clamouring to know how the “greedy few” can be allowed to take over the people’s lands and then after they build on them, the Authorities sanction their illegalities in exchange for a trivial fine?

How is it that our once pleasant and peaceful village cores are all being totally destroyed by these greedy few with the blessings of the Authorities?

Compare this with the citations given by wardens for illegal parking or other small contraventions, here the laws are strictly adhered too. But the gross abuses and illegalities of unauthorised buildings and the taking over of public lands by greedy individuals, these are sanctioned and blessed.

I do believe that the Government administers the lands and laws in the “Name Of the People, For the People” and “By the People,” so why on earth do these Authorities sanction this takeover of our dwindling public lands?

I for one vehemently protest against these abuses. I say let’s follow the Brazilian President Lula Da Silva in assembling all other countries in fighting what rightly belongs to the citizens of our islands, not these avaricious speculators and abusers.

There is absolutely no time to be lost in implementing this desperately needed “Right” over “Wrong.”

Lino DeBono

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