Victory For Young Żurrieq Farmers As Fields Saved From Road Development
Two young Żurrieq farmers appear to have won their fight to protect their fields from a proposed road to cater a private development.
Annalisa Schembri and Robert Bondin Carter both come from a long line of farmers who have tilled the government-owned land in the Tal-Bebbux area.
However, their future was thrown into doubt when a nearby landowner proposed a project, including a road that would have cut through their fields.
The farmers publicly pressured the government to save their land, including through a feature on Lovin Malta, and it looks like their efforts have finally paid off.
When Owen Bonnici was appointed Lands Minister in May, Bondin Carter immediately reached out to him and the minister promptly set up a meeting with both farmers, Planning Minister Clint Camilleri, the Żurrieq local council and an NGO that represents the community.
“We were all on the same page in this meeting,” Bondin Carter told Lovin Malta.
“Although Owen Bonnici said that the council’s proposal to grant the land permanent protection was unnecessary, he pledged that the road wouldn’t be developed.”
“The road was the marker of abuse and the fact it won’t happen is a true victory.”
Bonnici confirmed the outcome of this meeting in Parliament.
“We won’t permit any kind of development on government-owned agricultural land in Tal-Bebbux. Full stop, fresh line,” he said.
PN MP Toni Bezzina welcomed the news and said the developer’s planning application proposing the construction of a road must now be withdrawn.
Annalisa Schembri welcomed this decision as a “step in the right direction”.
“I’m now waiting for a follow-up on the Minister’s words to do what’s needed, for an immediate resolve of the current situation with the PC application,” she said.
“I also hope that we can continue the conversation about agricultural land to avoid this situation from being repeated and avoid the same experience happening to other farmers around Malta – common sense must prevail in such situations instead of fighting for what is obvious.”
“We need to look at long-term plans, to avoid the same situation or similar applications to put us back to square one in the future. We need real policy change.
“I also would like to express full gratitude to all the journalists who were interested in our story because they are the legs to our words, ideas and values and without them and the NGO’s who supported us from day 1, the pressure on the political class would not have been effective.”
“They gave us the courage to continue this fight as we felt less alone in our journey.”
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