The article published on the 12th of September 2008, entitled “Public consultation continues on eco-Gozo project,” states that the Minister for Gozo, the Hon. Giovanna Debono together with other Ministry officials currently working on the eco-Gozo project, are holding a series of meetings with various groups and other Gozitan entities in connection with the public consultation process, which was launched in this regard.

A process of consultation can only mean in this context, one thing, that whoever conceived the idea of eco-Gozo in the first place and those who are now laden with the task of pursuing it, do not have a clue of what it is all about. Otherwise why this process of consultation? Consultation about what? Does the term eco-Gozo convey any definite meaning or vision to anyone? To me it does not. Before inaugurating a process of consultation one must have at least some vague idea where one wants to arrive. Does anyone have any idea? I seek to be illuminated.

Somebody has suggested the promotion of a sustainable energy program for Gozo which does not depend so much on fossil fuels. And then as a corollary to that, there is the suggestion of the introduction of wind energy. I have the impression that this is nothing more than an exercise in circumlocution, or rather the wasting of funds in organizing of all kinds of fora and phantom groups that will regale us with hundreds if not thousands of pages of tedious reports which are never brought to fruition. Are we also hoping for some sort of EU patronage only to end up having to explain away the evanescent and proverbial windmills?

Speaking of wind mills, maybe those who are now flaunting this newly conjured up idea, parroting what they have heard from the world-wide media should pause to reflect that as recently as1947 the powers that were, prohibited the operation of our traditional windmills to be substituted with similar mechanical contraption imported from overseas, only to serve as eco-friendly water pumps. Does this mean we are now going back to pre 1947 standards, this time with more emphasis on wind power to supply not only the grinding mechanism but also as a source of any kind of energy generation that one could think of?

Water has always been a commodity to be conserved especially in such a small country as ours. Our history is replete with examples of reservoir and aqueduct building. In fact contemporaneously with the prohibition of the operation of our traditional windmills, extraction of water from water shafts and deep wells that reach the water table was also outlawed. This did not prevent the rock face of this island being perforated and bored exhaustively and without regret. Hardly any action was ever taken by the authorities, and perhaps, it was just as well, because how would the agricultural needs for water supply be otherwise met? Water has always been a precious commodity, it was therefore never cheap and in the last decades the price of water has soared with bounds and leaps. The truth is, that no past administration has ever had a sound political strategy towards harnessing the water that nature provided us. The water reservoirs and dams that are with us to-day are an example of past wisdom and foresight, but evidence of latter day neglect and oversight.

Dr Alfred Grech

Permalink: Eco-Gozo did you say? – Dr Alfred Grech