Graffitti takes direct action against Joseph Portelli’s illegal pools in Qala ODZ

by Gozo News · June 29, 2024

On Friday, Moviment Graffitti took a direct action at Gozitan developer Joseph Portelli’s illegal site in Qala.

This morning, activists stormed the site, temporarily occupied it, and carried out actions to draw attention to the fact that people like Joseph Portelli, and other developers, ”are systematically being allowed by our Government, politicians and authorities to wreak havoc on our country with absolute impunity.”

The activists are demanding that the Government keeps its word and enacts the appeals law reform with immediate effect. The current law allows developers to commence works and complete them while the appeal in front of the Planning Tribunal (EPRT) or the courts is ongoing.

They argued that ”the result of this – as we can see in Qala – is that projects that are having their irregular PA permits revoked by the courts, would have already been built.”

The organisation insisted that ”communities and organisations are having to bear the burden of appealing the obscene decisions of the PA, only for them to then have to deal with illegal buildings that no authority takes any effective action against.”

They stressed that ”the site of today’s direct action clearly shows the tremendous power wielded by the developers in our country and how our planning system is essentially rotten to the core.

Without any permits in hand, Joseph Portelli had started digging two enormous pools on ODZ land in Qala. No action was taken to stop him. Not only didn’t they stop him, but after a while they issued him with the PA permits.”

Graffitti stated,”we appealed this permit and won the case. But although the Court revoked the permit, the swimming pools had already been built – all because of our ridiculous appeals law. For this reason, this scar on our land – which is completely illegal – is still here to this day.”

”We can mention many other similar cases, such as the grotesque blocks in Sannat and Xewkija, a hotel in Mellie?a, and a part of this very same development in Qala.

”In fact, a good chunk of the monstrous building behind us is also illegal because its permit was revoked after we appealed it. But, just like the pools, it had already been built,” the activists said.

Graffitti pointed out that ”the absurdity of all this is reaching ridiculous levels. Two days ago, the Planning Tribunal rejected the residents’ appeal against a monstrous development in Mistra because, according to the Tribunal, the site has now been “committed” for development because of the works done. It is worth noting that it was the very same Tribunal that had allowed the works to continue while the appeal was ongoing.”

They added ”we are convinced that all this is not happening by chance. The environmental destruction that is ravaging Malta and Gozo is deliberate. We have a Government ruled by developers that is more intent on filling their pockets rather than safeguarding our common good and quality of life.”

The organisation highlighted the fact that ”it was Prime Minister Robert Abela himself who in May last year had stated that it does not make sense to carry out works while an appeal is ongoing. But today, more than a year later, there is still no sign of this law reform. Meanwhile, developers continue to ravage our country with the blessing of those who are supposed to keep them in check.”

”Last April we wrote to the Prime Minister asking him to change the appeals law and to remove Joseph Portelli’s illegal swimming pools in Qala’s ODZ. In our letter we had warned that if this is not done, then we would have no choice but to escalate our actions to ensure that basic decency is restored.

”Since then, the appeals law has remained unchanged, and Portelli’s illegal swimming pools are still here, untouched,” the activists said.

Moviment Graffitti concluded ”as we had promised, today we started escalating our actions. And we won’t stop here. We cannot remain silent and let greed and arrogance choke our country.”