| FRONT KONTRA L-GOLF COURSE PRESS RELEASE 20/02/04 The Front Kontra l-Golf Kors agrees that decisions should be taken on the golf course applications as the farmers cannot be left worrying about their land for life. At the same time the law of Malta and the Structure Plan have to be followed. Each individual application for a golf course should be studied on its own merit and comply with Structure Plan policy that states that golf courses should be approved on land that is either derelict or in need of environmental improvement. For an application for a golf course to be approved it must comply with Structure Plan policies, and certainly the application for a golf course under the Verdala hotel should be rejected for a number of reasons: the fact that it will have a deleterious impact on the lives of farms and farmland; the fact that it will use unacceptable volumes of water; the fact that if the application is to be approved would have to break international law: the Vatican / Malta Government agreement. Moreover those proposing golf courses continue to claim that Malta would benefit from golf tourism, no studies have been presented to show that a golf course would be more beneficial to Malta's economy. The studies presented by the developer related to the Verdala golf courses do not properly weigh the economic, social and environmental benefits against the cost of the proposed golf courses and in the same studies, the benefits are exaggerated. Certainly the application for the Verdala golf course should not be approved. The Front Kontra l-Golf Kors is made up of Progressive Farmers Union, Friends of the Earth (Malta), Nature Trust, Moviment Graffitti, Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party, Inizjamed, Move! Organisation, Zminijietna, Alternattiva Demokratika Zghazagh, International Animal Rescue, Azzjoni Pozittiva, Vegetarian Society, Pembroke Residents Association and is supported by University Chaplaincy, Malta Organic Agriculture Movement, Kopin, Farmers' Central Co-Operative Society James Debono for Front Kontra l-Golf Kors ____________________ Il-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors jaqbel li decizjoni dwar l-applikazzjoni ghall-bini ta' korsa tal-golf ghandha tittiehed u li mhux sewwa li l-bdiewa jibqghu jinkwetaw dwar x'se jsir minn arthom. Biex dan isir, il-Ligi ta' Malta u l-Pjan Strutturali ghandhom jigu mharsa. Kull applikazzjoni ghal korsa tal-golf ghandha tigi evalwata separatement u skond il-merti taghha. Fuq kollox, ghandha tirrispetta l-policy tal-Pjan Strutturali li tghid li talba ghal korsa tal-golf ghandha tigi accettata biss jekk tkun ippjanata li tinbena fuq art mhux ghammiela jew li ghandha bzonn titjieb ambjentali. Ghalhekk, l-applikazzjoni ghall-bini ta' korsa tal-golf taht il-Verdala ghandha tigi rriffjutata ghal bosta ragunijiet. Fost dawn ir-ragunijiet hemm l-impatt negattiv li din ikollha fuq l-irziezet u l-art ghall-biedja, l-uzu ezagerat t'ilma li jintuza', u l-ksur tal-ligi internazzjonali li giet iffirmata bejn il-Gvern Malti u l-Vatikan. Fuq kollox, min jippromwovi l-pjan ta' bini ta' korsa tal-golf jibqa' jtenni li din iggib titjib ekonomiku li ma jistax jintlahaq b'metodi ohra li huma aktar ambjentali u sostenibbli. Fost l-ohrajn, jissemma' l-gid ekonomiku li jigi mit-turizmu marbut mal-golf. Madanakollu, ma sar l-ebda studju li juri li dan huwa minnu. Studji saru, imma dawn l-istudji ma jipprezentawx b'mod bilancjat il-prezz u l-beneficji ta' korsa tal-golf, u l-beneficji huma minfuha. Ghalhekk, it-talba ghall-bini ta' korsa tal-golf taht il-Verdala m' ghandiex tigi accettata. Il-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors huwa maghmul minn Ghaqda Bdiewa Progressivi, Friends of the Earth (Malta), Nature Trust, Moviment Graffitti, Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party, Inizjamed, Move! Organisation, Zminijietna, Alternattiva Demokratika Zghazagh, International Animal Rescue, Azzjoni Pozittiva, Vegetarian Society, Pembroke Residents Association u huwa appoggjat minn University Chaplaincy, Malta Organic Agriculture Movement, Kopin, Farmers' Central Co-Operative Society. James Debono ghall-Front Kontra l-Golf Kors |
 |
 |