Media Release: 27/07/02 Front Kontra l-Golf Course Holds Demonstration in Valletta The Front Kontra l-Golf Course held a demonstration in Valletta today to express its support of the agricultural community at Tal-Virtu', under threat from the proposed development of a golf course. The proposal covers an area as large as Sliema. In a statement issued to the press, the Front Kontra l-Golf Course said "All agricultural land and farmers in Malta would be threatened if the proposed golf course is granted permission, as a very 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." 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 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 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. "A clear conflict of interest and bias charaterises the socio-economic analysis within the EIA. To confirm this one need only keep in mind that AX Holdings are co-authors of this analysis." The Front is also appealing to MEPA to extend the deadline for submission for comments on the EIA "as too little time - only six weeks - was given to civil society to submit comments on such a large-scale project." The Front Kontra l-Golf Course is made up of the 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, the University Chaplaincy, Malta Organic Agriculture Movement, Kopin, Farmers' Central Co-Operative Society. The website of the Front Kontra l-Golf Course may be accessed at http://nogolfmalta.cjb.net Michael Briguglio for the Front Kontra l-Golf Course Stqarrija Media: 27/07/02 Demostrazzjoni tal-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors fil-Belt Valletta Il-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors organizza demostrazzjoni fil-Belt Valletta llum biex jesprimi l-appogg tieghu lejn il-komunita' agrikola f''Tal-Virtu', li hi mhedda minn proposta ghall-izvilupp ta' korsa tal-golf. Il-proposta tkompri mhedda ta' art kbira daqs tas-Sliema. Fi stqarrija ghall-mezzi tax-xandir, il-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors qal "L-art agrikola u l-bdiewa kollha f'Malta ikunu mhedda jekk l-izvilupp propost jinghata permess, minhabba li jkun inholoq precedent perikoluz hafna, u ghalhekk kull bidwi u art agrikola jkunu mhedda jekk isiru proposti ohrajn ghall-izvilupp fuq din it-tip ta' art." "Il-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 Kontra l-Golf Kors kompla "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 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. "Jezisti kunflitt ta' interess u pregudizzju car fl-analizi socjo-ekonomika ta' l-EIA. Biex jikkonferma dan, wiehed ghandu jzomm f'mohhu l-AX Holdings huma ko-awturi ta' din l-analizi." 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 hu maghmul mill-Ghaqda Bdiewa Progressivi, Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party, Friends of the Earth (Malta), Nature Trust, Il-Kappella ta' l-Universita', Il-Moviment Malti ghall-Agrikoltura Organika, Kopin, Il-Koperattiva Centrali tal-Bdiewa, Moviment Graffitti, Inizjamed, Move! Organisation, L-Ghaqda Vegetarjana, L-Ghaqda Residenti ta' Pembroke, Zminijietna, Alternattiva Demokratika Studenti, Eco - Il-Fondazzjoni Ekologika, u International Animal Rescue. Il-website tal-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors tinsab f' http://nogolfmalta.cjb.net Michael Briguglio ghall-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors |
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