| Media Release: 25/07/02 Front Kontra l-Golf Course Demonstration This Saturday In a press release issued today, the Front Kontra l-Golf Course said that last Tuesday's public hearing organised by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority about the proposed Golf Course at Tal-Virtu' "confirmed that the proposed development is not supported by the farmers and civil society, is unsustainable and should not be granted permission." The Front also said that a demonstration will be held on Saturday at 10am in Valletta in solidarity with the farming community at Tal-Virtu'. The Front Kontra l-Golf Course said "The public hearing confirmed that major negative impact on farmers and agriculture will result if the proposed golf course is developed. It was also confirmed that the proposed development violates the agreement between the Maltese Government and the Vatican. Furthermore, it was also confirmed that almost all the 98 farmers at Tal-Virtu' are opposing the project. Indeed, 90 farmers have written to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority to confirm this fact. Besides, it is evident that the golf course project is not supported by civil society. In fact, at least 18 agricultural, social, environmental, cultural, religious and political organisations are opposing the project" The Front Kontra l-Golf Course re-affirmed its public invitation to all consultants appointed by AX Holdings to carry out the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) "to publicly declare that they have or had no financial or business interest in AX Holdings." With regard to the EIA itself the Front Kontra l-Golf Course said that it has written to MEPA to ask for an independent audit of economic projections in order to confirm whether these projections are actually backed by proper scientific evidence and are not based on mere speculation. The Front is also appealing to MEPA to extend the deadline for submission for comments on the EIA "as too little time was given to civil society to submitt comments on such a large-scale project." The Front Kontra l-Golf Course concluded that a public demonstration will be held this Saturday 27th July, at 10am in Valletta. The demonstration will commence at Freedom Square. "We appeal to all those who want to safeguard agriculture at Tal-Virtu' to participate in the demonstration. All agricultural land and farmers in Malta would be threatened if the proposed golf course is granted permission, as a dangerous precedent would be created, putting at risk all other farmers and agricultural land if proposals for development on this type of land are put forward." Michael Briguglio for the Front Kontra l-Golf Course Stqarrija Media: 25/07/02 Demostrazzjoni tal-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors nhar is-Sibt Fi stqarrija mahruga llum, il-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors qal li l-laqgha publika organizzata mill-Awtorita' Maltija ghall-Ambjent u l-Ippjanar li saret nhar it-Tlieta dwar il-proposta ghall-izvilupp ta' korsa tal-Golf f'Tal-Virtu' "ikkonfermat li l-izvilupp propost m'ghandux appogg mill-bdiewa u mis-socjeta' civili, huwa insostenibbli u m'ghandux jinghata permess." Il-Front qal ukoll li ser issir demostrazzjoni nhar is-Sibt fl-10am fil-Belt Valletta bhala turija ta' solidarjeta' mal-komunita' agrikola f'Tal-Virtu'. Il-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors qal "Il-laqgha publika ikkonfermat li ser ikun hemm impatt negattiv kbir fuq il-bdiewa u l-agrikoltura jekk tigi zviluppata l-korsa tal-golf. Kien ikkonfermat ukoll li l-izvilupp propost imur kontra l-ftehim bejn il-Gvern Malti u l-Vatikan. Barra minn hekk gie ikkonfermat ukoll li kwazi l-bdiewa kollha minn 98 bidwi f'Tal-Virtu' qed jopponu l-progett. Sahansitra 90 bidwi kitbu lill-Awtorita' Maltija ghall-Ambjent u l-Ippjanar biex jikkonfermaw dan il-fatt. Ghalhekk, hija evidenti li l-proposta ghall-korsa tal-golf m'ghandiex appogg mis-socjeta' civili. Filfatt mill-inqas 18-il organizazzjoni agrikoli, socjali, ambjentali, kulturali, religjuzi u politici qeghdin jopponu l-progett." Il-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors rega' ghamel stedina publika lill-konsulenti kollha li gew appuntati minn AX Holdings biex jaghmlu l-Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) "biex jiddikjaraw publikament li m'ghandhomx jew ma kellhomx l-ebda interess finanzjarju jew kummercjali f'AX Holdings." F'dak li ghandu x'jaqsam ma' l-EIA innifsu, il-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors qal li kiteb lill-MEPA biex jitlob ghall-awditjar indipendenti dwar il-previzjonijiet ekonomici biex jigi kkonfermat jew dawn il-previzzjonijiet humiex ibbazati fuq evidenza xjentifika u mhux fuq spekulazzjoni. Il-Front qed jappella wkoll lill-MEPA biex jestendi d-data ta' l-gheluq ghall-kummenti dwar l-EIA "minhabba li inghata ftit wisq zmien lis-socjeta' civili biex jintbaghtu l-kummenti dwar progett daqshekk kbir." Il-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors ikkonkluda li ser issir demostrazzjoni pubblika nhar is-Sibt 27 ta' Lulju, fl-10am fil-Belt Valletta. Id-demostrazzjoni ser tibda fil-Pjazza tal-Helsien. "Nappellaw lil dawk kollha li jridu jipprotegu l-art agrikola f'Tal-Virtu' biex jippartecipaw f'din id-demostrazzjoni. L-art agrikola u l-bdiewa kollha f'Malta ikunu mhedda jekk l-izvilupp propost jinghata permess, minhabba li jkun inholoq precedent perikoluz, u ghalhekk kull bidwi u art agrikola jkunu mhedda jekk isiru proposti ohrajn ghall-izvilupp fuq din it-tip ta' art." Michael Briguglio ghall-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors |
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