Another Voice for Malta - Think Big Vote Green

Why is it in Malta's interest to have a third voice in the EU Parliament?

The 7th wonder of Gozo

On the anniversary of MEPA's enforcement to stop further construction of a 2-storey concrete building in Dwejra, Gozo, Alternattiva Demokratika celebrated symbolically this "first anniversary of shame" when the Party's two European Parliament candidates and members of the Gozo Regional Council visited the site.

Yvonne Ebejer Arqueros, AD's candidate in the forthcoming elections for the European Parliament remarked, "It is truly shameful that the Prime Minister, responsible for the environment and its impact on the tourist sector, failed to take action to safeguard this unique site in the Maltese islands. On the pretext that the Authorities are investigating irregularities concerning its approved plan, he permits such a scandal to remain stark naked a year later to all the thousands of visitors in guided tours to the Inland Sea."

During this press conference I stressed that for one whole year a number of environmental organizations have been appealing to the Prime Minister to settle various issues regarding this officially heralded Heritage Park, intended to be the first of its kind for Gozo.

This project stuttered from its very beginning when MEPA took over one and a half years to sanction the Dwejra Action Plan. In March 2007 European Union funds for this project were no longer available. Since then no steps were taken for the continued protection of this site; consequently, we have today a glaring scandal of this advertised heritage zone, listing 80 irregularities ranging from illegal structures, unsanctioned extensions of stone quarries and illegal dumping of construction waste and other refuse on public pathways.

Dr Arnold Cassola emphasized, "It is absolutely urgent that an illusory Management Board wakes up from its deep slumber, and that site managers are appointed according to the recent recommendations of the European Union which had provided adequate funds for the continued protection of this site. The Dwejra Management Board shoulders a grave responsibility and is urgently requested to settle the issue of this monstrous concrete structure already one year on since MEPA declared these works to be in contravention to its own approval plan."

"It is unfair that whereas the ordinary citizen faces stiff fines, Government and its affiliate authorities carry on in their routine administrative tasks as if no illegalities did ever occur. The public silently stands to watch these injustices."

Prof Cassola concluded by saying, "Alternattiva Demokratika again calls upon the Gozo Associations, especially the Gozo Tourist Association and the Gozo Chamber of Commerce to represent, as they are bound to do, the issues that interest Gozo best, to positively criticize where needed and not to prioritise their political alliances at the cost of delayed development of Gozo as a European region."

Int x'tahseb mis-sena l-gdida 2009?

Jien nahseb li ser tkun sena interessanti.

Probabbli tul ix-xahar ta' Jannar in-nies jibdew jircievu l-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma. U dan ser ikun ta' thassib ghall-maggoranza tal-familji bi dhul medju. Izda f'Marzu, imbaghad, ghax ikunu waslu l-elezzjonijiet, il-Gvern ihabbar trahhis fir-rati tad-dawl u l-ilma. Soltu storja nsomma.

F'April jrid jinbidel il-President u jkollna president jew presidenta, li suppost tgawdi ir-rispett ta' ghadd kbir ta' Maltin u Ghawdxin. Ma nafx kemm il-gvern nazzjonalista li m'ghandux il-maggoranza assoluta tal-voti tal-poplu Malti u Ghawdxi, jerga' jissogra jinnomina xi politikant iehor nazzjonalist. Nittama biss li ma jintghazilx xi hadd li jkun maghruf kemm hadem ghal xi partit izda mhux ghall- pajjiz.

F'Gunju wiehed irid izomm f'ghajnejh li l-Maltin u l-Ghawdxin kollha ser ikun mitluba jivvutaw u jaghzlu membri ghal Parlament Ewropew u ghal numru ta' kunsilli lokali. Hawnhekk il-poplu ser jerga' jfakkar lill-gvern li huma ghandhom il-poter fuq il-vot taghhom. Allura ma nistaghgibx li nerga' nara manuvri ma' xi kategoriji ta' votanti, bhalma gara bejn Gonzi u dawk li bnew illegalment fl-Armier lejlet l-elezzjoni generali. Lanqas nistaghgeb jekk, minkejja li l-insib spicca fl-1 ta' Jannar, in-nazzjonalisti jippruvaw jilghabu xi loghba ohra mal-kaccaturi u n-nassaba. Probabbli wkoll naraw xi applikazzjonijiet miftuha ghal-xoghol mal-Gvern u forsi anke xi sorprizi fil-hatriet. L-esperjenza urietna li l-kilba ghal poter taf taghmel minn kollox.

Mill-banda l-ohra, nahseb li nibdew naraw xi rizultati ta' xi riformi mwieghda qabel l-elezzjoni. Fosthom dik tal-ligi tal-kera, tal-kunsilli lokali u tat-trasport pubbliku. Inhoss li din ta' l-ahhar hija l-aktar wahda li ser tolqot b'mod immedjat lil ghadd kbir ta' nies. Ironikament, ir-riforma tat-trasport pubbliku suppost tibda mill-gzira t'Ghawdex, fejn it-trasport pubbliku huwa kwazi inezistenti – allura anke jekk inzidu xi rotta, din tkun okkazzjoni tajba fejn nistghu naqtghu xi zigarella u narawhom fuq l-ahbarijiet tat-tmienja ghax xi hadd jiddeciedi li din l-ahbar ghandha news value. Interessanti naraw kif Austin Gatt u Govanna Debono ser jahdmu flimkien biex ma jirfsux kallijiet.

Bil-haqq insejt ir-riforma tal-MEPA! Bhal hafna tibdiliet ohra li saru huwa inutli li tbiddel il-work practice jekk ma tbiddilx il-work ethics. Nifhem li din ta' l-ahhar ser tkun bicca xoghol iebsa ghal Lawrence Gonzi, li nehha din ir-responsabbilta' minn idejn George Pullicino. Id-diffikulta' tibqa li wara li darrew lin-nies jemmnu li 'mhux kemm taf imma lil min taf', issa jriduna nahsbu b'mod iehor. Ma nahsibx li taht tmexxija ta' gvern immexxi minn partit wiehed wahdu f'kollox, 'kollox huwa possibbli'.

Nahseb li din is-sena wkoll tibqa is-sena tas-skiet u fomm maghluq fuq affarijiet li suppost isahhu d-demokrazijka f'Malta Ewropeja. In-nies mhux ser jinsew il-manuvri li nkixfu lejn tmiem is-sena li ghaddiet mill-e-mail ta’ Pawlu Borg Oliver fejn talab lill-Gvern jerga' jibda jghaddi lill-Partit Nazzjonalista informazzjoni personali u sensittiva ta' nies privati li jkunu marru ghandu b'xi ilment jew talba ghal ghajnuna. Ghalhekk mhux sorpriz li matul din is-sena wkoll, Lawrence Gonzi jibqa' sieket dwar dan ukoll.

Mill-banda l-ohra, zgur li din is-sena ser nisimghu hafna kliem ta' ottimizmu kemm mit-tmexxija nazzjonalista u anke mit-tmexxija laburista. Diskorsi.

Fuq livell internazzjonali, nahseb li hemm stennija dwar il-hidma tal-President Amerikan Barak Obama. Nahseb l-akbar stennija hija kif dan l-ewwel President Afro-Amerikan ser jahdem favur il-paci u s-serhan tal-mohh f'dinja mbezza' mill-kunflitti, traffikar tan-nies f'pajjizi b'mod irregolari, gwerer, guh u ngustizzji.

Nahseb li naraw tibdiliet drastici dwar il-politika Ewropea rigward dak li kien jissejjah is-suq hieles f'dinja globalizzata.

Indunajna issa li s-sinjur aktar ma jkollu aktar irid, xi drabi b'detriment ghal min hu ifqar. Nahseb li fejn qabel il-gvernijiet tal-pajjizi hallew liberta’ assoluta lis-suq b'rizultat li l-ekonomija dinjija falliet; issa naraw li l-gvernijiet ser ikollhom jaghtu kaz aktar il-harsien socjali tac-cittadini taghhom. Allura nistenna li nara Ewropa aktar socjali.

Fuq livell personali, nahseb li ser tkun sena fejn ser inkompli nitghallem hafna affarijiet godda fosthom kif norganizza l-quccija ghat-tifel, li f'Mejju 2009 jaghlaq sena.

U INT?

ara l-link billi taghfas hawnhekk.

Good news from the EU Petitions Committee

I was one of the petitioners to the EU petitions commitee regarding the Ramla l-Hamra villas and pools development. The other petitioners are Michael Bajada, another AD member on the Gozo Regional Committee of Alternattiva Demokratika and the other one was by a good friend of ours who resides in Malta. On Tuesday the Petitions' Committee of the European Parliament met to examine our three different petitions against the building proposal of villas and pools at Ramla l-Hamra in Gozo

The Green Party Chairperson Arnold Cassola in a statement issued today said that Alternattiva Demokratika is delighted at the fact that the Ramla l-Hamra project has been shelved by the Maltese government.


At the hearing, the EU Commission announced that the Maltese government had stated that the project has been abandoned and MEP Simon Busuttil who sits on the Petitions Committee confirmed this. We are elated at this success in stopping such an unsustainable project from materializing.

It seems too good to be true, but bat least we can confirm this news from Brussles. What is actually happening here in Malta is another story of course.

Mepa should truly safeguard the environment around Ramla l-Hamra by including the whole
area in the EU-funded and protected programme of Natura 2000. Heritage trusts and NGOs should be supported in obtaining EU funds to transform the whole Ramla area into an international heritage site and protecting its archaeological remains. We now expect that Ramla bay be promoted to Blue Flag bay status.

In the light of the government's electoral promise to transform Gozo into an eco-island, the state should claim back the land from the Ulysses Lodge proprietors in order to remove the abandoned building, restore the partially concreted-over Roman pathway and restore the whole area. Gozo needs new, modern sustainable jobs which would ensure the protection of the environment whilst promoting high quality tourism.

Id-Drenaġġ f'Għawdex

L-aħħar li ktibt fil-blogg huwa dwar 'Salty Valley' jew aħjar Wied il-Mielaħ (ara HAWN).

Semmejt l-irwejjaħ tad-drenaġġ li wieħed ixomm waqt li jasal qrib it-Tieqa Naturali ta' Wied il-Mieħal.

Min ma marx f'Wied il-Mielaħ?

Gonzi mar u ħa ritratti sbieħ jiltaqa' mall-press ftit qabel l-elezzjoni tal-Kunsill lokali ta' l-Għarb. (ara ritratt)

Anke lill-Fenech Adami ħaduh hemm. Saħansitra Peppi ta' Xarabank mar hemm jieħu l-filmati bħala eżempju ta' kemm morna tajjeb mill-fondi ta' l-Unjoni Ewropeja.




Govanna marret kemm-il darba u wkoll jidher li ġibdulha ftit ritratti mhux ħażin.

Ġibdulha ritratt mas-Sindku u ma' l-eċċellenza tagħha Danuta Hubner, Kumississarju ta' l-EU. (araw it-ritratti bit-tieqa ta' Wied il-Mielaħ fil-background).



Iżda l-akbar ċerimonja saret kien meta ġiet f'Wied il-Mielaħ l-Eċċ. Tagħha Danuta Hubner. Jidher li dak inhar kien il-bnazzi u allura drenaġġ inixxi ma kienx hemm fil-Wied. Dak inhar niżlu xi nies mill-Għarb lebsin l-għonnella bħala parti miċ-ċerimonja (li ma tantx aħna neqsin minnhom) taż-żjara tal-Kummissarju Ewropew li qaltilna ma nafx kemm il-elf Euro ser tagħtina sabiex Wied il-Mielaħ jiġi riabilitat (ara r-ritratt). Kien hemm Ġorġ ix-Xemx u anke Peppi l-Munsuħa mar idoqq l-argunett ta' l-idejn. In-nies ta' l-Għarb ittamajna li r-riħa tad-drenaġġ mill-wied għal ġol baħar forsi ser tieqaf darba għal dejjem. Kemm morna żmerċ!




Imma l-isbaħ ritratt huwa tal-Kummissarju Ewropew tipponta jdejha lejn irħama kommemorattiva li għadha mwaħħla fil-post sal-ġurnata tal-lum. Mhux faċli taraha. Imma jekk tħares lejn il-wied u tibda tara d-drenaġġ inixxi fit-triq tal-wied....propju hemmhekk issib l-irħama kommemorattiva ta' l-Eċċellenza tagħha.




Ilni nitkellem ma' nies mir-raħal dwar jekk bħali iddejjaqhomx ir-riħa taqsmek tad-drenaġġ li hemm f'dan il-wied pittoresk. L-omerta' pero' hija nkredibbli. Donnu kulħadd jibża jiftaħ ħalqu li ma jmorrux jagħtuh xi transfere jew biża' "li lit-tifla ma jdaħħluhielix mal-gvern". Din il-ġimgha John Mizzi
minn Ta' Sannat ċempilli u qalli bil-'complaints' li qed jaslulu minn turisti li jgħażlu li jiġu Għawdex għall-mixjiet qalb il-kampanja. Ovvjament dawn l-ilmenti huma dwar id-drenaġġ ħiereġ mill-wied u li jibqa' nieżel fil-baħar. Interessanti li meta ghedtlu biex jiġi biex jieħu sehem f'konferenza stampa, dan qalli li ma jridx "li ma jmorrux il-kaċċaturi jagħmlu għalija meta nkun waħdi bit-turisti f'dawn l-inħawi". Tassew għedt li huma ħafna li għadhom iħarsu l-interessi tal-but milli tal-pajjiż!





Illum għidt li l-aħjar hu li nagħmel dmiri bħala cittadin li dejjem ħallast it-taxxi u għalhekk ktibt lill-Pollution Section tal-MEPA. Hekk l-aħjar li wieħed jagħmel: imur f'ras il-għajn mill-ewwel.


Ma taqbilx?



U ktibtilhom hekk:


Sinjur/a,

Nixtieq inressaq l-ilment tiegħi formalment bħala resident mill-Għarb, bħala tax-payer u bħala individwu li għandi r-raba' fl-inhawi ta' Wied il-Mielaħ.

Ta' sikwit nisimghu fuq il-mezzi ta' l-istampa ftaħir dwar fondi kbar li ntefqu mill-Fondi Strutturali Ewropej (2004-06) u fondi oħra li akkwista l-Kunsill Lokali ta' l-Għarb sabiex jiġi riabilitat Wied il-Mielah fl-Gharb (Restauration and Management of Strom Water Project).

Minkejja dan kollu ir-riħa ta' drenaġġ taqsmek għadha persistenti sal ġurnata mqaddsa tal-lum. Barra minnhekk, issa li beda l-istaġun tax-xita, il-ħama u d-drenaġġ huwa evidenti għaddej mill-wied u jibqa nieżel fil-bahar.

Tista' tikkonfermali jekk:

1) hemmx sezzjoni fil-MEPA li tiehu hsieb li dawn l-irwejjaħ mid-denaġġ għaddej fl-apert jieqaf minnufih;

2) Jekk huwiex normali li d-drenaġġ jitħalla jibqa' ħiereġ mill-wied u jibqa' sejjer fil-baħar;

3) Jekk 'flow' ta' drenaġġ hekk fl-apert jagħmilx sens mall-kunċett li qed jadotta l-Gvern Nazzjonalista f'dak li qed isejjah bħala Eko-Għawdex;

4) X'pass qiegħdin jittieħdu jew ser jittieħdu sabiex l-ilment tiegħi jasal f'ras il-għajn u jissewwew dawn il-ħsarat ambjentali u l-'health and safety hazards' li jaffaċċjaw nies bħali li jgħaddu minn dan il-wied. Dan minbarra dawk it-turisti li jgħażlu li jiġu jżuru 'l Għawdex tagħna għall-mixjiet qalb il-kampanja u japprezzaw il-wirt naturali tagħna. Żgur li ma jista' qatt ikun li japprezzaw d-drenaġġ f'wiċċ il-wied u l-intejjen ta' rwejjaħ li dan iġib miegħu.

Mehmuz ma' din l-email qed nibaghtlek ritratti (4 b'kollox f'din l-email) li ħadt illum stess it-3 t'Ottubru 2008. F'e-mail separata ser nibagħtlek ukoll filmat tas-sitwazzjoni li sfortunatament ma tidhirx fuq il-mezzi ta' l-istampa lokali.

Sabiex l-ispetturi jsibu l-post eżatt ta' l-overflow, bizzejjed li jsibu l-irħama kommemorattiva (mehmuża fl-email) tal-H.E. Danuta Hubner, Kumississarju ta' l-EU, peress li l-agħar parti tad-drenaġġ jinstab eżattament quddiem l-eċċellenza tagħha.

Noffri s-servizzi volontarji tiegħi biex jekk trid, meta l-ispetturi jiġu jispezzjonaw dawn l-inħawi jistgħu iċempluli u jien stess nurihom fejn eżatt jinstab dan id-diżastru ambjentali.

B'hekk żgur ħadd ma jkun jista' jgħid li 'ġie u ma ra jew xamm xejn'.

Grazzi u nitolbok iżżommni infurmat.

Victor Galea
130, Triq il-Knisja Għarb, Għawdex.
Mob: 79017017

Hawn dan il-video rated AO - arah jekk trid:

The left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing

Imagine what you would do if ...

In the peak of summer you receive such an email, exactly on the 7^th of August.

I would like to inform you that my Permanent Secretary is in receipt of the attached correspondence from the Office of the Prime Minister.

In this connection your attention is drawn to the fact that on the basis of paragraph 7.2.2.4(a) of the PSMC you may not hold the post of Secretary General with the Alternattiva Demokratika. Notwithstanding this, paragraph 4.7.2.1 of the PSMC allows public officers below Scale 5 to avail themselves of unpaid leave in order to occupy a statutory post in the central executive of a political party.

You are thus kindly requested to inform either my Permanent Secretary or the undersigned of your decision on the matter. For your information the e-mail address of my Permanent Secretary is as follows: joseph.b.micallef@gov.mt.

Your early attention to the matter would be highly appreciated.

A few minutes later you receive this:

Dear Mr Galea,

Further to my e-mail which I have sent you this morning and my subsequent teleconversation pl note that the Office of the Prime Minister is awaiting a reply from you today.

Referred for further necessary action from your end, pl.

And so on the same day I replied as such:

Following your e-mail communication this morning, kindly note that I am forwarding this communication to the Chairperson of Alternattiva Demokratika Prof. Arnold Cassola.

I am sure that you understand that although communications between the OPM and your permanent secretary were dated the 17th July 2008; I am only being informed now through your communications yesterday and this morning.

I am sure that you understand that for me to take a decision on this very same day is unrealistic.

May I also ask for a clarification: Could you kindly scan for me what paragraph 7.2.2.4(a) of the PSMC says exactly? Otherwise you may indicate from where I can access this information.

Moreover I understand that paragraph 4.7.2.1 of the PSMC is irrelevant. I was forced to renounce my interest in applying for the post of College Principal for the sake of my love for country - thus being the secretary of a political party which represents 23,000 voters at national level, i.e. 9.4% of the whole population.

Your offices may wish to be informed that for the service I am rendering to my country and to the 23,000 voters I represent, I am NOT BEING PAID A SINGLE EURO CENT by my party.

I therefore applied for the post of an Education Officer which is not "a public officer below scale 5".

As Ms Caruana Colombo stated in her request to your Perm Sec., I am currently a Teacher: "Mr. Victor Galea is substantively a Teacher on Salary Scale 9"

Thanks for your understanding and I appreciate further clarifications.

Regards,

Victor Galea

c.c Prof. Arnold Cassola - Chairperson AD

Immediately I received this:

Dear Mr Galea,

Thanks for your mail.

I have referred its contents to Ms Caruana Colombo at OPM.

Paragraph 7.2.2.4(a) of the PSMC is produced verbatim hereunder:

“ 7.2.2.4 Restrictions for officers inn Scales 1 to 13. Officers in Scales 1 to 13 are debarred from:

(a) holding office in party political organisations impinging on the political field. “

The above is referred for your information.

Barely 4 days later, I again receive this deadline:

Mr Galea,

Pl refer to the subjoined mail and your interim reply thereto.

It would be appreciated if you would give this Ministry a definite reply on the matter by return e-mail by not later than Friday 15 August 2008.

Thanks and regards.

But I did not wait for Santa Marija and replied as such, on the 13^th of August, and sent a copy to the leaders of the Parties. Thus the Prime Minister was informed directly by myself first and not through the media as was reported by The Times of the Republic of Malta. I also informed Muscat (MLP) and the he also choose to remain completely silent even though I ensured that my correspondence reached him through his secretary Ms. Henriette.

Dear Sir,

I refer to your e-mail of the 7th August wherein you drew my attention to provisions of 7.2.2.4(a) of the PSMC.

The said provisions states that "Officers in Scales 1 to 13 are debarred from:

(a) holding office in party political organisations impinging on the political field"

Subsequent to your letter and after carrying out the necessary checks it does result to the undersigned that I have been singled out for the implementation of these provisions of the Public Service Code when various other public officers have been permitted to hold office within the party structures of the Malta Labour Political Party and the Nationalist Political Party.

I consider that this is discriminatory in my regards and request that in view of your having permitted for years on end public officers to be active in the MLP and the PN you act in a similar manner in my respect.

I trust that you are fully aware of the political and legal repercussions of your discriminatory treatment and unprecedented actions in my regards.

I have always carried out my duties within the civil service in a professional, unbiased and apolitical manner and I consider that my political contribution is a free service to the democratic development of our nation.

Victor Galea

c.c. Prof. Arnold Cassola, Chairman of Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party

Hon Lawrence Gonzi, Prim Minister and Leader of the Nationalist Party

Dr. Joseph Muscat, Leader of the Malta Labour Party

*************************************************************************************

Today, from the online version of The Times, I am told that the left hand does not know what the right is doing. Read HERE

So, I need to thank my wife for having lived through these dark times with me while listening to the petards and marches of Santa Marija and while we rejoice with our baby, and our hearts aching in silence. I also thank the people who celebrated with us the christening of our son and with the look on their face showing us that they understand what we were going through.

A big thanks goes to the journalists of Malta Today who publicised the story of political discrimination so the Maltese and Gozitan people realise what is really happening in this country which was supposed to have become a full member of the EU some four years ago. (See HERE).

I am grateful to Lino Spiteri, writer and ex-politician, for the excellent article he wrote in the Times of Malta. (See HERE)

I also thank all those that were brave enough to comment on the online version of The Times, revealing their names and expressing their opinion.

I thank also many other people who sent me personal messages of support, including those I have never met or communicated with before.

And the members and friends of Alternattiva Demokratika that together we fought to demonstrate what we should be living through in the 21^st century.

I just hope that from this trauma affecting my family and I, some benefit will ensue.

I just hope you will pluck enough courage and realise that when it is YOUR RIGHT you should not be scared to fight for it.

I promise I will continue to do my work in the most dignified and professional manner.

I promise I will keep on struggling so there will truly be an alternative for the ‘democracy’ that we are witnessing today.

Thanks for the support and COURAGE.

Victor, Miriam and Savio