“Both PN and PL consider environmental regulations as obstacles to the generation of wealth.” Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party said in a statment today, “AD considers that it is necessary that environmental protection is strengthened as this is a basic tool to improve the quality of life.”

Carmel Cacopardo AD Deputy Chairperson and Spokesperson on Sustainable Development and Home Affairs said that that it is “essential that the development boundaries last determined in 2006 be revised as due to the fact that there are over 70,000 vacant residential units there is no need for development on a large scale.

“In its electoral manifesto AD-The Green Party will once more be proposing that land which in 2006 was identified for development through the rationalisation exercise be excluded from being considered as suitable for development. There is also the need of a moratorium on large scale development as with such a large number of vacant dwellings we cannot continue wasting the country’s resources.”

“The 70,000 vacant residential units,” added Cacopardo, “are the equivalent of 9 times the residential area of Birkirkara. This signifies that Malta has the equivalent of 9 large ghost towns. To service these 70,000 vacant residential units the state has developed the required infrastructure unnecessarily. This unnecessary expenditure could have been easily channeled towards areas without vacant residential units in order to improve the existing infrastructure of our localities.”

“This position adopted by AD-The Green Party is in stark contrast to that taken by the other political parties who encourage continuously more building development,” said Cacopardo.

Carmel Cacopardo also spoke on the illegal boathouses at l-Ahrax tal-Mellieha. He stated that after years of inaction, secret meetings and electoral commitments between the PN/PL and the squatters it is time to take decisions. “The only decision that makes sense is that this land close to the seashore is returned to the community such that it be used to the benefit of all instead of the select few.”

Ralph Cassar, General Secretary and Spokesperson on Energy, Industry and Infrastructure spoke on the politics of energy, a sector which he emphasised has been neglected by Government for years on end.

“Enemalta has substantial debts which require repayment in a planned and sustainable manner. The PN led Government and Minister Austin Gatt in particular have lumped this country with a power station extension using the fuel which has the worst pollution performance.

“The PN in government has once more proven to all that it has no long term vision on the energy needs of this country. The Labour Party’s energy policy too leaves much to be desired. It promises cheap electricity without distinguishing between consumers who waste energy and those who make an effort at ensuring an efficient use of energy. Even though the Labour Party is justifiably critical of the BWSC choice for the Delimara power station extension, ironically for reasons unknown it supports the SARGAS proposal run on coal, a dirty fuel, using costly technology.”

“What the other political parties fail to state,” added Cassar, “is that the users who waste electricity have to pay up its full price. Families have to be assisted much more to make use of clean energy. It is only though investment in alternative energy technologies and through a fair sharing of the costs of electricity generation that the prices of energy can be stabilised.”

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