Bulleting the Reasons Why the Tal-Virt� Golf Course Proposal should be rejected Adrian Grima The proposal to build a golf course at Tal-Virt� doesn�t make economic, cultural, social, or legal sense because it: � is in clear breach of the 1991 international agreement between Malta and the Holy See � proposes the kind of �development� that has destroyed large stretches of the Maltese landscape and robbed it of its character � violates the Structure Plan of the Maltese Islands. The policy relevant to golf courses specifically excludes the siting of golf courses on the kind of good quality agricultural land (POLICY TOU 12) one finds at Tal-Virt� � proposes to uproot almost a hundred farmers and to destroy their knowledge of a large stretch of rich agricultural land that goes back hundreds of years � does not respect the rights of 92 farmers working the agricultural land in the area who have signed a declaration against the proposed golf course on the land and presented it to the Vatican, the President of Malta, the Archbishop of Malta, the Apostolic Nuncio in Malta, and the Prime Minister � was turned down by the Planning Directorate (the planning experts) of the Planning Authority for a number of reasons, including the fact that it is a Rural Conservation Area; that the potential threat on the water resources (upper perched aquifer of central Malta) is unacceptable; and that it will increase soil erosion � would consume an unsustainable amount of precious water in a thirsty country where farmers are sometimes told there is not enough water to go round. An expected impact of climate change in the Mediterranean would be to intensify water scarcity in the region. According to indications given by the developers� consultant to the Water Services Corporation and reported by Il-?ensillum, the proposed golf course would consume a quantity of water equivalent to the consumption of 19,000 people � in a future increasingly threatened by global warming, Malta shall have less (or rather no) water to spare on mega-projects that are water-intensive and provide meagre returns � would threaten to contaminate Malta's main drinking water supply - the Mean Sea Level Aquifer � because of the risk of seepage into this aquifer of the agro-chemicals applied to the fairways. The seepage could occur due to the nature of the underlying geological formation, as warned by the Malta Resources Authority in its submission to MEPA of 12/06/2002 � would pose an unacceptable threat to our biodiversity by the use of the paspalum vaginatum turf proposed by the developer, a highly invasive grass which the EIA admits could cause 'irreversible' problems if it were to 'escape' from the perimeter of the golf course � is an irreversible project that would therefore destroy the landscape and the underground waterways for ever � would destroy more of the rich agricultural land that Malta needs so much. Malta is already losing an average of two square kilometres per year. We should be working on recovering farmland, not accelerating the rate of loss. � runs counter to other sustainable kinds of development, like organic farming, agritourism, health tourism and ecotourism, that empower the local farming community and could serve as an ideal location for thousands of Maltese students who want to experience a rich rural environment and see the promotion of positive farming practices. MEPA has already approved a project for the creation of a centre for organic farming in the area run by one of the farmers � it would demolish the existing rubble walls and rebuild them elsewhere. The heritage lies in where they are today undisturbed since the hands that built them � would only exacerbate the loss of character, in terms of landscape and culture, that has had such a negative impact on the quality of life in Malta and our potential to attract tourists. An indepth analysis that has been presented to MEPA has shown that the economic benefits claimed by the developer in terms of job creation, tourist arrivals and other areas are largely based on assumptions and mere speculation. Official Government research has shown that tourists identify environmental degradation, and not the lack of an 18-hole golf course, as a major liability of the Maltese tourist industry � can never make of Malta a �a premium golfing destination� when golfers are spoiled for choice in larger countries � would spoil the landscape around the historical city of Mdina � could endanger the city of Mdina itself by destabilising its foundations through excessive drawndowns of water from the underlying aquifer. Italian consultants have reported to the Maltese government that Natural changes, such as drought shrinking the blue clay, are threatening Mdina. Given such a precarious state no extraction from the aquifer on a scale necessary for a golf course (as proposed) should be allowed. Apart from the Archbishop and the Church weekly Il-?ensillum, a large number of local organizations have declared publicly that they are against the project. These include the Progressive Farmers Union, Din l-Art ?elwa, the Jesuit Province in Malta, Friends of the Earth (Malta), Nature Trust, Moviment Graffitti, Alternattiva Demokratika, Inizjamed, Move! Organisation, ?minijietna, Alternattiva Demokratika ?g?a?ag?, International Animal Rescue, Azzjoni Po?ittiva, Vegetarian Society, Pembroke Residents Association, University Chaplaincy, Malta Organic Agriculture Movement, Kopin, and Farmers' Central Co-Operative Society. A number of leading foreign institutions and organizations that have spoken out against the proposed golf course at Tal-Virt�, including the Parco Nazionale dell'Aspromonte, Altreconomia, CRIC, CTM-Altromercato, International House and Etimos in Italy; Friends of the Earth (Middle East); the Eco Village Network in Turkey; CRIDA and Allee in France; and European Perspective in Greece. These organizations recalled that �Malta has ratified the Barcelona Convention and is a signatory of the UN Convention to combat Desertification,� and they called on the relevant Maltese authorities to �desist from proposing and supporting projects that are unsustainable.� They said that the golf course proposed for the Tal-Virtu area �should be rejected� because �agricultural land should be protected and improved because it has a value that far exceeds the price that a developer may be willing to pay for it.� The European Union is giving direct subsidies to Malta to increase its cultivation of vines from 400 hectares to 1000 hectares and to produce up to 150 tonnes of olive oil. At present we are nowhere near reaching these handsome economic targets. In order to do so, Malta must recover more agricultural land and not destroy the precious land and human resources that are left. Malta needs truly wise, innovative and forward-looking projects that meet the needs of the present and respect the rights of future generations; it needs to invest in organic farming, agritourism and ecotourism that have a positive longterm effect on a country that is fast losing its character and quality of life, and its appeal to tourists. By rejecting the proposal for this golf course that would destroy one of the most beautiful areas on the island forever and uproot a hundred farmers and their families, MEPA, as it is duty bound to do, will send a clear message to everyone that Malta needs to stand by its precious natural and human resources and allow them to flourish. N.B. This article is largely based on research carried out by the Front Against the Tal-Virt� Golf Course. Inizjamed is a member of the Front. Adrian Grima B.A. (Gen.), B.A. (Hons.), M.A., Ph.D. Coordinator, Inizjamed 14 March, 2004 |
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