Instead of villas and private pools at Ramla l-Hamra Bay

Instead of villas and private pools at Ramla l-Hamra Bay we are proposing a number of sustainable and ecological projects for Ramla l-Hamra.

Everybody assumes that the spectacular landscape value of the valley and the bay at Ramla constitute a fundamental point of reference for tourism in Gozo. Such a natural asset is an attraction to all those visiting the island and therefore benefits all other existing tourist businesses in Gozo. I feel that it is then obligatory to prevent the threat of opportunistic development in this area which would also damage the Gozo tourist product as a whole.

In view of the outcome by the MEPA Planning Appeals Board, I question whether the Appeals Board would have been so considerate with a common citizen. The developers’ appeal in front of MEPA should have been declared null and void, the same way as it would have been to any common citizen who fails to follow procedures accordingly.

On the other hand, I would like to propose specific sustainable and ecological projects for Ramla l-Hamra Bay instead of villas and private swimming pools:

1. MEPA should truly safeguard the environments around Ramla l-Hamra by including the whole area in the EU funded and protected programme of Natura 2000;

2. Heritage Trusts and NGOs should be supported in obtaining EU funds to transform the whole Ramla area as an international heritage site;

3 Re-establish its archaeological remains;

4. Highlighting its geomorphologic features and habitat that supports endemic flora and fauna while ecological walks and expeditions could take place under professional guidance;

5. Promote Ramla for a Blue Flag bay status;

6. Ensure that Ramla l-Hamra remains free from light pollution, a characteristic sought avidly by our visitors;

7. Its spectacular landscape value should not only be protected but promoted as an ideal location for astronomical observation; and

8. The state should claim back the land from the Ulysses Lodge proprietors, to remove the abandoned building, restore the partially concreted-over Roman pathway to its former self and holistically restore the whole area.

I would like to invite whoever is responsible for gathering ideas from the general public with regards to the Eco-Ghawdex project to take any of these suggestions on board. I do not mind that (as most often) the Green Party doesn’t take any credit, as long as there is the will to truly implement this project for the benefit of present and future generations.

Victor Galea

AD Spokesman for Gozo
Gharb

It-Turisti...żibel...armihom...aħraqhom...keċċihom

Aleander Balzan huwa ġurnalist ieħor li nħoss li qed jipprometti ħafna f'dak li hu ġurnaliżmu investigattiv. Barra minnhekk, mill-mod kif jikteb jidher li għandu għal qalbu dak li fil-kotba jissejjah 'il-patrimonju Malti'.

Aleander huwa ġurnalist ma' Il-Kulħadd, u l-Ħadd li għadda kiteb rakkont interessanti li semmih "Teżor arkeoloġiku jinbidel f'miżbla". Nissuġġerilkom taqraw dan ir-rapport ta' Aleander billi tagħfas HAWN u tifmhu 'l ghaliex qed insemmi din l-entry fil-blog bit-titlu ta' 'It-Turisti...żibel eċċetra, eċċetra.


Irrid nirringrazzja lill-kunsillier ta' l-AD f' Ta' Sannat John Mizzi li għogbu jmur jieħu r-ritratti fl-inhawi Ta' Lambert fix-Xewjika, sewwa sew fuq ix-xaqliba l-oħra ta' Ta' Cenc - propju fejn hemm il-heliport u fejn xi tnejn tal-qalba qed ighidu li t-turiżmu f'Għawdex għandu bzonn l-airstip sabiex ikampa....ara l-blog tal-gozoairstrip hawnhekk.



Din id-darba John Mizzi ma ġiex arrestat talli mar jieħu dawn ir-ritratti f'dan il-post tal-biki. Tiftakar meta il-pulizija tar-renju t'Ghawdex ħassru r-ritratti kollha ta' John meta dan mar ħa r-ritratti f'Wied l-Infern waqt li tal-MEPA ġew inaddfu l-ħniżrijiet li għamel is-sindku taż-Żebbug? Jekk insejt, tista' taqra HAWN.



Imma tiġix tgħidli li int u tara dawn ir-ritratti ma tħossx rabja ġo fik tafx!


L-aktar meta is-Supretendent tal-Wirt Kulturali għadu kemm ippubblika r-rapport annawli tiegħu u appella lill-MEPA sabiex l-inħawi kollha f'Ta' Ċenċ ikunu protetti (skedati).

Mhux biss, iżda f'dan ir-rapport tiegħu, is-Supretendent saħaq li x-xaqliba l-oħra ta' Mġarr ix-Xini, cioe' in-naha tal-heliport magħrufa bħala Ta' Lambert, fadal siti arkeoloġici li għadhom
mhux tant maghrufa u ghaldaqstant jenħtiegu wkoll protezzjoni.

Propju dawn ir-ritratti li qed tara sieħeb!

Imma jekk tifli sew dawn ir-ritratti tibda tikkonferma li dan id-diskors bħal ħafna appelli oħra minn diversi sorsi, l-Awtoritajiet ta' Għawdex donnhom qed jipprteġu lil min imur u jeqred dawn l-inħawi fid-dawl tax-xemx.

U dan minkejja li l-gvern ta' maġġoranza relattiva (mhux aktar assoluta) jgħid (qabel l-elezzjoni) li ser jadotta l-vizjoni ta' l-Alternattiva Demokratika biex jibdel lil Għawdex fi gżira eku-loġika.


U allura kif ikkummentajt fir-rapport tal-gurnalist żgħażugħ Aleander, naħseb li għandi raġun ngħid li "jew il-Prim Ministru ma kienx jaf x'qiegħed jikkopja jew inkella tassew li l-pilastru ambjentali tmermer".

Meta tara dawn ir-ritratti tassew jaqbdek il-biki. Trid tkun bla skola kif igħidu, jew ala bieb il-ħanżira biex ma tgħidx x'arukaża!

Meta ser tifhem il-Ministru t'Għawdex illi l-ħarsien tal-kampanja u s-siti pre-istoriċi huma ta' valur enormi u jgħin fl-izvilupp ta' niċċa oħra ta' turiżmu li Ghawdex tant jista' jibbenefika minnha?

Possibbli għadha ma semgħetx li f'Għawdex jiġu wkoll turisti minħabba is-sbuħija naturali tal-gżira?

Biss biss jien naf ħbieb minn Malta li jgħiduli li jħobbu jżuru Għawdex propju minħabba l-kwiet u s-sbuħija naturali tiegħu!

Iltqajt ma' turisti li jżuru Għawdex propju minħabba r-rikkezzi fl-istorja tiegħu.

Naf ukoll nies li ġew Għawdex (u ħallew il-flus) propju 'l għaliex iħobbu jimxu fil-kampanja tagħna u jgawdu l-flora u l-fawna li huma biss jafu jsebbħu wiċċ gżiritna kif riedha Alla l-Imbierek.








Imma araw daqsejn dan ir-ritratt bil-kurċifiss fil-miżbla f'Ta' Lambert!





Min segwina qabel l-elezzjoni jiftakar li ħriġna manifest elettorali specifikament għal Għawdex u fost tant proposti oħra għamilna proposti ta' zviluppi ta' niċeċ ta' turiżmu differenti. (Ara HAWN). Semmjna fost l-ohrajn il-ħtieġa li jiġi żviluppat dak li jissejjaħ Turiżmu Reliġjuż. Jidher li anke hawnhekk infthemna ħażin ghax dan il-povru kurcifiss spiċċa twaħħal ftit ġimgħat ilu f'din il-miżbla Ta' Lambert, propju qrib il-bore hole tal-gvern. Tgħid dan ukoll parti mill-eku t'Ghawdex?




Kif qal sieħbi John Mizzi li għoġbu jieħu dawn ir-ritratti, "xi ħaġa tal-mistħija. Dan il-post irridu niehdu ħsiebu, irid jitnaddaf u meta jsir dan, irid isir taħt l-ispezzjonijiet ta' nies esperti biex ma jkomplux jintilfu strutturi storiċi".




U tiġux tgħiduli li kieku jien parti mill-kunsill lokali tax-Xewkija ħa noqgħod bi kwieti tafux!


Possibli li minn ħames kunsilliera (nazzjonalisti u laburisti) ħadd ma jagħmel plejtu? Kif ma semmietx dan id-diżastru meta is-sindkuwa attendiet il-famuża 'konsultazzjoni' dwar l-eku t'Għawdex fil-Wied tal-Lunzjata? Jien kont hemm u smajt sew x'intqal.



Tridni nibla' dak li jgħidu, jiġifieri "Ma nafux min?" u ejja come on!

Jew din hija kwistjoni li min jaghmel li jrid iwerwer bil-vot lil dawn in-nies li ivvutajtielhom sabiex suppost iħarsu l-lokal tagħhom?

Illallu kieku jien x'nagħmel!

U mhux għalhekk min hu ala bieb il-hanzira jigi jitmejjel mit-turisti? żibel....armihom..aħraqhom. F'kelma oħra....keċċihom.

U allura skużawni tafx, imma kif nista' ma nikritikax lil dik li tissejjah Assoċċjazzjoni tat-Turiżmu t'Għawdex (il-GTA)? Dawk tal-GTA li dritt wara kull budget joħorġu fuq in-NET tv igħidu proset proset proset.

Nemmen li hemm wieħed jew tnejn ġenwini fil-GTA, imma bħal kull organizzazzjoni f'Għawdex li tiġi kkontrollata fis-sistema tal-medju evu jew forsi aktar reċenti...sistema ta' politika fewdali; dawn il-ftit ikollhom jgħalqu ħalqhom.

Mhux jien imma.

The Gozo feudal system

I would like to thank our local newspapers for publishing the press statement regarding Dwejra: an example of a political feudal system. Read original press Statement by clicking HERE.

Although all papers published this (with the exception of Il-Mument and in-Nazzjon); they all change the original title - as if it is not true that in Gozo we have a feudal system. Malta Today (Sunday edition) might not have published this press statement since this was sent to ALL media on Saturday. However Malta Today journalist James Debono published the names behind this madness. Read by clicking HERE.

The press on Sunday helped in creating awareness that people do care and what is wrong is wrong no matter who does it. Right?

For Example:
The Independent on Sunday changed the title to: Illegal structures at Dwejra. Click HERE to read it. The editor kindly choose to publish the link to this blog.

The Times of Malta (on-line) changed the tile to: Dwejra eyesore still there, AD complains. Click HERE and read the amazing amount of comments on-line by caring people like yourself. This features as the most e-mailed and most read item on the Times on-line.

The Sunday Times also changed the title to: Concrete monstrosity in Dwejra still standing. by clicking HERE you can also read the edited version.

L-Orizzont also featured this in its back page and called it: Id-Dwejra -ġerħa ta' żviluppi illegali. A very good account also referring to this blog, read HERE.

The media on-line also gave an account of this example or the rule of the jungle (as my colleague Carmel Cacopardo stated.

For instance:

The MaltaMedia.com referred to this as 'Government called to act on concrete structure' read link HERE.

The di-ve.com called it, 'Large concrete building in Dwejra not yet removed' and they also published the photo sent with the press statement; watch HERE.

Even TheMaltaStar.com did publish an account related to this example of a political feudal system. They also however changed the title to: 'Monstrous concrete structure still there' Read this from the link HERE.

Surprise surprise... MaltaRightNow.com (PN run-website like in-Taghna and Mument) preferred not to mention anything related to what echoes in eco-gozo. As usual in their Gozo section they like to give prominence to the Gozo Curia and religious events organised by particular priests and other things like this one HERE.

All in all, I am satisfied with the start of knocking down this concrete monster by creating a national awareness regarding this eyesore.


Next step is for our 300 AD 1st count voters, the many hundreds of 2nd preference voters and thousands of AD sympathizers to give feedback regarding the eco-Ghawdex project.

All households in Gozo received a lovely recycled flyer where our Minister is asking for ideas related to the Eco-Ghawdex project.

I already filled mine and sent it. Please fill in your (unless you already threw it in the bin).

Please note that no postage stamp is necessary if posted in Malta or Gozo.



I wrote thus, and you can easily remember the tune from The Sound of Music. Click on the video clip below in order to remind you the tune (just in case):

"Hi Minister for ALL the affiars and anything one needs from the state of Gozo,

Let's start from the very beginning....
a very good way to start....
when you preach you can say what you did and can do....
knock it down and you loose just one vote,
but can win none but some credibility.
PULL DOWN THE DWEJRA CONCRETE MONSTER

Thank you.

Victor Galea
from Gharb Ghawdex."