Alternattiva Demokratika and Partit Demokratiku, in a joint press conference, said that the construction industry “must be curtailed, not subsidised.”

Speaking in front of the offices of the Planning Authority about what they described as “rampant over development,” Carmel Axiak, spokesperson for Partit Demokratiku, said that “it is a well known fact that government after government in Malta have always rolled out the red carpet for the construction industry.”

“We are in a sorry state. The system favours the construction industry and property speculators. These people are given a free hand to do as they please at the expense of the environment and our wellbeing.

“Astronomical profits are being made while common people and workers have to pay through their mouths for a decent place to live in,” added Axiak.

“Prime Minister Abela said that good governance is a priority for his government, but in the same breath he said that he does not want to control the construction industry.

“Does this mean that developers will continue benefitting from the current free for all? Carmel Axiak stated that “two examples of shameless illegalities come to mind as an example of this free for all.”

According to Axiak “a cement plant in San Lawrenz Gozo is still operating despite an enforcement order by the PA. The owners of this plant are also allegedly involved in a case of false declarations about a huge development in Qala.”

He went on to say that, “these are only two cases of the many we hear about, who knows how many more such cases we remain unaware of?”

Carmel Axiak said, “state authorities do not really care about the huge environmental damage being caused every day, by private entities but also by state entities. The only thing they care about is a semblance of ‘progress,’ and probably making sure that ‘friends of friends’ are making a quick buck.”

He argued that, “we need serious people who do not have conflicts of interest to lead the Planning Authority. We need laws to be enforced, without fear or favour.”

Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo insisted that the building industry be curtailed.

He said, “the building industry should be curtailed in order to address overdevelopment and an environmental deficit which is spirally out of control. Government should desist from the spinning fairy-tales on environment and land use planning moving hand in hand in order to attain a misconstrued and imaginary balance.”

Carmel Cacopardo added that, “instead it should be understood once and for all that the current practice of land use planning without a serious consideration of its environmental impact is a basic recipe for the developing disaster,”

“The building industry’s greed has already caused too much damage. The MDA’s call over the years to make more “hay while the sun shines” followed from the clear government signals encouraging unbridled development,” he said.

Carmel Cacopardo went on to say that “AD calls calls on the government to immediately take steps to ensure that environmental deficit caused in part by the building industry is addressed. No one will bail us out. We have to address it ourselves.”

“The building industry keeps insisting on subsidies to address its construction waste. Some weeks ago it was reported that the management of two quarries at Ghar Lapsi and Mqabba had unilaterally decided to increase their dumping charges from €8 to €15 per tonne of construction waste,” he said.

He pointed out that, “in reaction, MDA lobbied for a subsidies and we learnt that government had agreed to provide incentives to the quarry owners to keep the price stable at €8 per tonne for at least another year and a half.”

“Unfortunately government has a perverted understanding of the polluter-pays environmental principle.” Cacopardo argued that “instead of ensuring that the construction industry cleans up its act and adequately addresses the question of how to deal with waste that it generates, the government is irresponsibly using taxpayers’ money to subsidise their mess.”

“The building industry could do with a substantial dose of good governance in the regulatory structures which oversea land use planning. It is about time that all members of the planning authority are subject to a public screening,” he said.

Carmel Cacopardo concluded by saying that “this would go a long way to nip in the bud and avoid appointing as members of regulatory bodies persons who have an interest in the further intensification of building development. The environmental deficit which has spiralled out of control will not be achieved by gimmicks but through concrete action.”

Photo: AD

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