| FRONT KONTRA L-GOLF COURSE MEMBERS: Progressive Farmers Union, Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party, Friends of the Earth (Malta), Nature Trust, Eco - The Ecological Foundation, Moviment Graffitti, Vegetarian Society, Pembroke Residents Association, Zminijietna, Alternattiva Demokratika Studenti, Inizjamed, Move! Organisation, International Animal Rescue SUPPORTERS: University Chaplaincy, Malta Organic Agriculture Movement, Kopin -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Media Release: 22/06/02 Golf: Farmers Present Petition to Prime Minister The Progressive Farmers Union has presented a petition to the Prime Minister signed by almost all the farmers working the land at Tal-Virtu' in an appeal to safeguard agricultural land threatened by the proposed golf course, the Front Kontra l-Golf Kors announced today Copies of the petition were submitted to the President of Malta, the Papal Nuncio, the Archbishop and all members of parliament. The petition appeals to the Prime Minister Dr Eddie Fenech Adami to use his power to take away the farmers' desperation brought about by the Planning Authority's decision to go against the Structure Plan by considering the proposal to develop a golf course on prime agricultural land, and inviting AX Holdings to submit an Environmental Impact Statement, which is now under review. The farmers also appealed to the Prime Minister to ensure that the Agreement between the Government of Malta and the Holy See of 1991 be fully respected. The Agreement provides that former Church land used for agriculture and transferred to the State cannot be put to other uses (Article 2.2). The seven square kilometers targetted by AX Holdings is former Church land. The petition states that "We appeal that you take into consideration the fact that taking land from farmers and giving it to third persons is not legal. We encourage you to note that according to Christian morality it is not correct to take the little that is enyoyed by the many and give it to one company. We appeal that you take into consideration whether it is just that while other farmers will benefit from substantial government aid to grow vineyards, this right shall be taken away from us Tal-Virtu' farmers to the benefit of another company." The farmers also explained that should the golf course be developed, they would be deprived of the benefit from the thousands of liri which they had invested there. At its meeting on 19 June the member and supporter organisations of the Front Kontra l-Golf Kors unanimously declared their support of the farmers' petition. The Front Kontra l-Golf Kors also expressed the opinion that in their view the flyers entitled 'Give Malta Golf' being distributed by AX Holdings contained many mistruths and misleading arguments. "Contrary to what AX Holdings is stating, it is not true that most farmers have 'signified their interest in receiving 'key money' for each tumolo of land in their tenure". Nor is it true that other farmers "are opting for land in lieu, or are choosing to stay in the area, working the number of fields that will be incorporated into the [proposed] golf course project''" the Front stated. "Similarly, it is not true that 'local organisations are increasingly pledging their support to the Verdala golf course.' " Instead, numerous environmental, agricultural, social, religious and political organisations that have publicly declared their opposition towards the Golf Course at Tal-Virtu'. These include Din l-Art Helwa, Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party, Friends of the Earth (Malta), Nature Trust, Progressive Farmers Union, University Chaplaincy, Malta Organic Agriculture Movement, Eco - The Ecological Foundation, Moviment Graffitti, Vegetarian Society, Pembroke Residents Association, Zminijietna, Alternattiva Demokratika Studenti, Move! Organisation, Inizjamed, International Animal Rescue and Kopin. In addition the Malta Labour Party has also expressed its opposition as has green politician of the year and Nationalist Member of Parliament Dr Jeffrey Pullicino Orland. "Unfortunately AX Holdings appears to the Front to be trying to mislead the public in order to attempt to gather support for its unsustainable golf proposal. The Front Kontra l-Golf Kors will keep on speaking the truth to safeguard agriculture and the environment and will not bow down to the arrogance of AX Holdings. We appeal to the board of the Malta Planning and Environment Authority to approve the recommendation of its own Planning Directorate and refuse permission for this unsustainable proposal." the Front said. A copy of the petition is attached with this Press Release Michael Briguglio for Front Kontra l-Golf Kors Stqarrija Media: 22/06/02 Golf: Il-Bdiewa jipprezentaw petizzjoni lill-Prim Ministru L-Ghaqda Bdiewa Progressivi ipprezentat petizzjoni lill-Prim Ministru li giet iffirmata minn kwazi l-bdiewa kollha li jahdmu r-raba' f'Tal-Virtu'. Fil-petizzjoni il-bdiewa qed jappellaw biex tigi ssalvagwardjata l-art agrikola li hi mhedda mill-izvilupp propost ta' korsa tal-golf. Dan intqal illum mill-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors. Kopji ta' din il-petizzjoni intbaghtu lill-President ta' Malta, in-Nunzju, l-Arcisqof u lill-membri parlamentari kollha. Fil-petizzjoni il-bdiewa qed jappellaw lill-Prim Ministru Dr Eddie Fenech Adami sabiex "bil-poteri kollha li taghtik il-kariga tieghek tnehhi minn fuqna dan il-qtugh il-qalb u d-disperazzjoni Ii gabet maghha decizzjoni li hadet L-Awtorita ta� l-Ippjanar meta din kontra kull prassi maghrufa qabdet u bdiet tikkunsidra ghal zvilupp zona li l-anqas biss qieghda fil-Pjan ta� Struttura." Il-bdiewa qeghdin jappellaw ukoll lill-Prim Ministru sabiex jizgura li l-ftehim ta' l-1991 bejn il-Gvern Malti u l-Vatikan jigi rispettat kollu kemm hu. Il-ftehim jghid li art agrikola li kienet tal-Knisja u li giet trasferita lill-Gvern ma tistax tintuza ghal skop iehor (Artiklu 2.2). Is-seba' kilometri kwardi li huma fil-mira ta' AX Holdings kienet art tal-Knisja. Il-petizzjoni tghid "Nitolbuk tikkonsidra il-fatt illi mhuwiex skond il-ligi li titiehed art minn ghand bdiewa biex tinghata liil terzi. Inhegguk taghti kas hekk huwiex korret skond il-morali kristjana li tiehu dik in-naqra li qed igawdu il-hafna sabiex tinghata lil kumpanija wahda. Nappellawlek tikkunsidra huwiex gust li fil-waqt li bdiewa ohra se tinghatalhom ghajnuna sostanzjali mill-gvern biex ikabbru dwieli fejn mhemx, ahna il-bdiewa ta taht tal-Virtu`se jittiehdilna dan id-dritt biex tiehdu kumpanija ohra, u dawk minna li hawwlu id-dwieli hemm bi spejjes ta eluf ta liri minn buthom se jigu michuda milli jgawdu l-frott ta� l-izvillup li ghamlu, u ukoll l-istess dwieli se jigu meqruda." Fil-laqgha tal-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors tad-19 ta' Gunju, l-ghaqdiet membri u l-ghaqdiet li jappogjaw lill-front iddkjaraw l-appogg taghhom b'mod unanimu ghal din il-petizzjoni. Il-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors esprima l-opinjoni tieghu ukoll li l-fuljetti li qed iqassmu AX Holdings dwar il-golf jinkludu argumenti qarrieqa. "Ghall-kuntrarju ta' dak li qed jghidu ta' AX Holdings, mhux vera li maggoranza tal-bdiewa urew interess li jircievu flus ghal kull tumolu ta' art li jahdmu. L-anqas m'hu veru li bdiewa ohrajn qed jaghzlu li jiehdu art ohra minflok dik li qed jahdmu jew li qed jaghzlu li jahdmu l-art li ser taghmel parti mill-proposta ta' korsa tal-golf. Bl-istess mod, mhux vera li ghaqdiet lokali qed izidu l-appogg taghhom ghall-korsa tal-golf", sostna l-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors. "Ghall-kuntrarju, numru kbir ta' ghaqdiet ambjentali, agrikoli, socjali, religjuzi u politici iddikjaraw b'mod publiku l-oppozizzjoni taghhom ghall-izvilupp ta' korsa tal-golf f'Tal-Virtu'. Dawn jinkludu Din l-Art Helwa, Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party, Friends of the Earth (Malta), Nature Trust, Ghaqda Bdiewa Progressivi, Il-Kappella ta' l-Universita', l-Ghaqda Maltija ta' l-Agrikoltura Organika, Eco - Il-Fundazzjoni Ekologika, Moviment Graffitti, L-Ghaqda Vegetarjana, Ghaqda Residenti Pembroke, Zminijietna, Alternattiva Demokratika Studenti, Move! Organisation, Inizjamed, International Animal Rescue u Kopin. Il-Partit Laburista esprima l-oppozizzjoni tieghu ukoll ghal din il-proposta, l-istess bhal m'ghamel il-politiku ambjentali tas-sena u membru parlamentari Nazzjonalista Dr Jeffrey Pullicino Orland. "Sfortunatament AX Holdings jidher f'ghajnejn il-Front li qed jipprova jizgwida lill-pubbliku sabiex jikseb l-appogg ghall-proposta insostenibbli ta' korsa tal-golf. Il-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors ser jibqa' jghid il-verita' biex jigu ssalvagwardjati l-agrikoltura u l-ambjent, u m'huwiex ser icedi ghall-arroganza ta' AX Holdings. Nappellaw lill-bord ta' l-Awtorita' Maltija ta' l-Ambjent u l-Ippjanar biex jilqghu ir-rakkomandazzjoni tad-Direttorat ghall-Ippjanar ta' l-istess Awtorita' u jirrifjutta din il-proposta insostenibbli," sostna l-Front. Kopja tal-petizzjoni hi mehmuza ma' din l-istqarrija. Michael Briguglio ghall-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors KORSA TAL-GOLF PETIZZJONI LIL-PRIM MINISTRU TA� MALTA MILL-BDIEWA LI JAHDMU IR RABA TA� TAHT TAL-ViRTU� 13 ta�Gunju, 2002 Ahna il-bdiewa li ghandna ir-raba fl-inhawi maghrufa bhala taht tal-Virtu` qeghdin inressqu quddiemek din il-petizzjoni sabiex int bil-poteri kollha li taghtik il-kariga tieghek tnehhi minn fuqna dan il-qtugh il-qalb u d-disperazzjoni Ii gabet maghha decizzjoni li hadet L-Awtorita ta� l-Ippjanar meta din kontra kull prassi maghrufa qabdet u bdiet tikkunsidra ghal zvilupp zona li l-anqas biss qieghda fil-Pjan ta� Struttura . Nitolbuk tikkonsidra il-fatt illi mhuwiex skond il-ligi li titiehed art minn ghand bdiewa biex tinghata liil terzi. Inhegguk taghti kas hekk huwiex korret skond il-morali kristjana li tiehu dik in-naqra li qed igawdu il-hafna sabiex tinghata lil kumpanija wahda. Nappellawlek tikkunsidra huwiex gust li fil-waqt li bdiewa ohra se tinghatalhom ghajnuna sostanzjali mill-gvern biex ikabbru dwieli fejn mhemx, ahna il-bdiewa ta taht tal-Virtu`se jittiehdilna dan id-dritt biex tiehdu kumpanija ohra, u dawk minna li hawwlu id-dwieli hemm bi spejjes ta eluf ta liri minn buthom se jigu michuda milli jgawdu l-frott ta� l-izvillup li ghamlu, u ukoll l-istess dwieli se jigu meqruda. Inhossu li bhala kap tal- Gvern taghna ghandek tara li l-ftehim li Malta ghamlet mas-Sana Sede ghandu jigi rispettat in toto u art agrikola tibqa uzata bhal tali . Nemmnu li dawn l-appelli taghna se jigu mismugha u li tghina sabiex dan l-inkwiet li qed jinholqilna jitwarrab halli nkomplu nahdmu dak ir-raba li missirijietna qabilna u issa ahna qedin b�hilitna kollha niehdu hsieb. Nifhmu li il-gvern biss li jholl u jorbot jekk tinbeniex korsa tal-golf fuq art li qed jamministra il-Gvern stess. Iffirmati : Bdiewa li jahdmu r-raba li qed jigi ipjanat li tinbena fuqu korsa tal-golf |
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