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| Author: Joseph Farrugia Date: 04.12.2001 Talking Point - Golf course project 90% of farmers wish to retain tenancy The article by AX Holdings chairman Angelo Xuereb (November 5) was typical of what was expected of any company`s chairman. Emotions are never associated with a company. Indeed, a company is likely to feel uncomfortable when emotional arguments are brought to bear on its projects. However, his article contained some truths. At long last Mr Xuereb has stated publicly that every Maltese, farmer or not, knows that one cannot evict any person from tenanted land or property. Please let me remind Mr Xuereb that at the public hearing held by the PA on this particular project, I was given only three minutes` time to defend the union`s members` case. I had only time to inform the PA board that the land in question could not be taken away from the tenants and a constitutional case had already decided in favour of a tenant. On the instructions of my lawyer, I informed the farmers that if anyone receives any note of termination of tenancy, court action would have to be taken. Now, since everyone knows his position at law and that over 90 per cent of the farmers wish to retain their tenancy and that "nobody in Malta can be evicted from a title to his tenure", court action will be resorted to if they so desire. So it might look rather funny, not to say senseless, on Mr Xuereb`s part to spend so much money on an EIA, PR exercises and God knows what else, in a futile attempt to take possession of the tenure. The PA knew this. Was Mr Xuereb being taken for a ride? I do not think so. Most Maltese, including Mr Xuereb, know what the law states. This is a free country. I have always told the union members that the decision to cede or not to cede their tenancy is theirs and theirs alone. But please Mr Xuereb, now that you have quoted the law very correctly, kindly tell those farmers who wish to keep the title to the land they till that you are not interested in their plots. Do this publicly. The quicker you do it the better for those who want to enter the viticulture venture now that the going is excellent. This is the only logical action expected of any gentleman of your stature. The farmers have a right to till their land (a factual reality) as much as Mr Xuereb has to dream that golf tournaments will be daily fodder for the local and foreign sports pages. They do earn part of their income from that area. You cannot put 92 farmers to work on 15 hectares of land which if turned into vineyards or olive groves will need just two workers to cultivate them. Hiring of a score for pruning and harvesting for a few days will be all the manpower required. Yes it is a shame if these are evicted. These are human beings. Their lifestyle would be simply torn to shreds. This is no fiction. Mr Xuereb writes as if he is doing the farmers a favour while those who are in favour of this project would love to see it materialise but not in their own backyard. May I remind everyone that all farmers of Malta, through their unions, are against their colleagues being evicted because sensitiveness, like charity, begins at home. Mr Farrugia is secretary, Ghaqda Bdiewa Progressivi. |
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