WATCH: Gudja Residents Also Didn’t Want Airport But Government Took A Decision, Environment Minister Says On Marsaskala Marina Plans
Given the option, all residents of localities housing essential national infrastructure like the airport and freeport would choose for it to be placed elsewhere, but ultimately it is a government’s job to decide what the country needs and to take a decision, according to Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia.
The minister was a guest on yesterday’s episode of Lovin Daily where he discussed a number of subjects linked to his portfolio, including the recent controversy surrounding plans for the construction of a marina in Marsaskala.
The project has elicited widespread condemnation from residents and environmentalists alike with the Marsaskala local council also having voted in favour of opposing the project.
“A government needs to decide at the end of the day. There is an element of ‘not in my backyard’ too,” Farrugia said.
“Right now we’re building the new waste-to-energy plant. People live there, they don’t want it, and if there were to be a vote they would vote against it, but it has to happen somewhere.”
“I can point to the Malta freeport or the airport. Nobody in Gudja wants the airport there,” he continued, adding that a referendum among Gudja residents would surely result in a vote in favour of moving it elsewhere. “I’m not saying we should discard that vote, I’m just saying I’m not surprised by it.”
He said that at the end of the day, if Malta needed another marina then it was up to the government to take a decision, skirting around whether he personally felt a marina was required.
Farrugia also acknowledged the need for better dialogue between the government, local councils and citizens.
Transport Malta, which issued a call for proposals for the project on Friday, has justified the plans on the basis of the bay having been earmarked for a marina back in 2006 when the present local plan was approved.
Proposing change in local plan political suicide
When it was pointed out to Farrugia that Malta’s local plan is now 15 years old, he acknowledged that some changes were needed but stopped short of proposing a change.
“We’re simply implementing what was agreed upon in 2006. If a family of five has a terraced house and according to the local plan they qualify for a 4+1 – three apartments for the children and a penthouse for the parents, should we tell them that they can’t do that?
“So far no party has declared that they will change the local plans. What we are saying is that we will review the SPED and then we’ll decide from there. No party in Parliament, or that hopes to be in Parliament, is saying that they would change the local plans.”
Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development (SPED) is the policy document underpinning what development is acceptable according to the local plan.
Farrugia said this was currently under review in what is expected to be a three-year process. A decision, he said, would have to be taken in the next legislature.
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