What really is taking place at Wied il-Mielah?

After the Gharb Local Council spent 200,000 euros during the first phase of the 'environmental project' at Wied Il-Mielah thanks to the help of Structural Funds for Malta (2004 – 2006), the Council has again been granted aid for its second phase of this. This time the aid provided is approximately €570,000 under the Cohesion Fund (2007-2013). This project is co-financed by the Parliamentary Secretariat for Public Dialogue and Information and the Gharb Local Council.

I am not going to ask into whose pockets these money are going.

However, did or is anybody monitoring what is really taking place here? I doubt it or else somebody is keeping a closed eye (no surprises in this republic).

The photos of some works taking palce here speaks volumes. Why do one need to destroy the natural rock formations in order to be replaced by 'unprofessionally done rubble walls?

In this photo to your left you can see how the natural rocks are being dug out and with the same stones, somebody tried to make a rubble wall instead. If this is not a waste of money what is then?

Can you spot the difference?

Why is the raw seawage overflow still in motion even though the valley and discharged into the sea without being treated whatsoever?

Look at the raw sewage running along this picturesque valley. Thank god you believe in that you can't smell it while reading. Does the Gharb council really treat this place as a gem?

The EU Commission is aware of delays in meeting the requirements to ractify the situation. It is hoped that the Commission will scrutinise the implementation of environmental legislation as regards this matter and I hope that you and I will not be fined if the Commission will start a legal infringment procedures including application to the European Court of Justice.



Malta has an obligation to have ALL watsewater treated before discharge into the sea by March 2007 and hence my (and your) government is infringing the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive.

Dears
Prim Minister
PS for Dialogue
Gharb LC
Gozo Minister
Water Services Corp.
Health Inspectirate
MEPA (?)

Please wake up.

X'inhi l-pozizzjoni tan-Nazzjonalisti dwar il-qerda ta' l-ambjent f'Ghawdex?

Kemm qieghdin tajjeb kos hux!

Waqt il-protesta tal-Mushrooms fl-Gharb, is-sindku Nazzjonalista ta' l-Gharb talab lil Partiti politici sabiex jaghmlu l-pozizzjoni taghhom cara dwar l-ambjent f'Ghawdex!

Kieku staqsa lil Partit tieghu nahseb kien ikun ahjar.

Xejn personali sur Sindku imma mhux sewwa li tipprova titfa' lil kulhadd f'keffa wahda.

Ezattament bl-Ingliz ighid hekk:

"The Council applies all Gozo politicians to declare publicly their position against the distortion of Gozo environment and countryside with a development in an ODZ zone." ara HAWN

Mur ghidilhom lin-nies li jien bhala Kelliemi ta' l-AD ghal Ghawdex kien ilni nigri wara s-sindku sa minn Novembru tas-sena l-ohra sabiex issir konferenza stampa dwar dan il-kaz!? Kien gie anke l-perit Cacopardo u l-Profs Cassola.

Minkejja kollox pero' inhoss li ghandi nirringrazzja lis-sindku u l-kunsill lokali ta' l-Gharb ghal pozizzjoni li issa hadu fl-interess tar-residenti ta' Triq Frangisk Portelli u tal-madwar.

Issa l-kunsill ghandu l-istqarrija ufficjali ta' l-AD dwar dan. Tghid ser ikollu xi rispons minn naha tal-PN u l-PL li huma jirrapprezentaw?

Niddibuta. Jew?

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STQARRIJA STAMPA

05/09/2009

Ghandu jinstab sit iehor ghall-impjant tal-faqqiegh - AD

Alternattiva Demokratika tappoġġa lir-residenti tal-Għarb fl-oggezzjoni tagħhom għall-impjant tal-produzzjoni tal-faqqiegħ ftit metri l-bogħod miż-żona residenzjali, il-Villagg tas-Snajja Ta' Dbiegi u 200 metru biss il-bogħod mill-Lukanda Kempinski San Lawrenz.

Il-Perit Carmel Cacopardo, kelliemi ta’ AD dwar l-Iżvilupp Sostenibbli u l-Gvern Lokali qal li minn eżami tad-dokumenti tekniċi sottomessi ma jirriżultax minn fejn ser jinġieb il-ħmieġ tat-tiġieġ li ser jintuża fil-produzzjoni tas-substrate għall-faqqiegħ. Imkien ma jingħad dwar jekk l-industrija tat-tiġieġ f’Għawdex hiex f’posizzjoni li tippovdi dak meħtieġ għall-proġett tal-produzzjoni tal-faqqiegħ fl-Gharb.

Minn dak li hu magħruf jirriżulta li f’Għawdex m’hemmx biżżejjed irziezet tat-tiġieġ biex jistgħu jissuplixxu l-impjant għall-produzzjoni tal-faqqiegħ u allura dan ser ikollu jinġieb minn Malta.

Dan kollu, żied jgħid Victor Galea kelliemi ta’ AD għal Għawdex, juri mhux daqstant li l-proġett m’għandux isir, imma li postu la hu fl-Għarb u probabilment l-anqas f’Għawdex.
Mhux ta’ b’xejn li l-Project Description Statement, żied jgħid Galea, ikkonsidra numru kbir ta siti alternattivi. Għax l-ebda waħda minnhom m’hi aċċettabbli. Is-sit tal-Għarb bħas-sit tax-Xewkija hu wisq viċin l-abitat. Għandu għaldaqstant jinstab sit alternattiv.

Ralph Cassar

PRO - AD, The Green Party

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I suggest you have a look at the contribution by Perit Carmel Cacopardo on this subject (mushrooming of the eco-island) by clicking HERE.

Another ODZ to be destroyed: "Gozo residents are used to rural odours"

This comment by the developers of the proposed mushroom factory at the prestine agricultural lands at Ta' Dbiegi, should be deplored by all people who got some common sense.

This comment was reported this Sunday on MaltaToday by journalist James Debono.

The report says that a proposed mushroom factory earmarked for an outside development site near the five-star Kempinski San Lawrenz resort has attracted concern from MEPA’s natural heritage panel. The panel said that the factory could produce offensive odours in the vicinity of Gozo’s crafts village and the holiday resort, despite the mitigation measures being proposed by the developers.

Forget the above Kempinski Hotel for the moment....forget the crafts village for the moment....

What about the residents on Triq Frangisk Portelli (in Gharb) and the wehreabout who are just few metres away from this proposed development?

It is most arrogant that the developers of the 'farm' have claimed in an environmental planning statement that residents are used to “rural odours” since manure is used to fertilise the surrounding fields.

How can one compare the CO2 emissions, specifically the amount of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions that will be emitted by the process of the mushroom facgtory to the fertilisation added to the agricultural land once a year before ploughing takes place after the first ain?

Is it that possible that MEPA or the developers are truely not aware that the aerobic/anaerobic decomposition of the manure to be used in the mushroom cultivation process is a big generator of GHG emissions (CO2, methane, ammonia)?

Thank goodness that the Naturtal Heritage Panel commented that the odours could negatively affect the Ta’ Dbiegi crafts village and other residential units in the area. “The total elimination of these risks is well-nigh impossible,” the panel stated.

While the Environmental Project Statement (paid by the developers) says the scheme will not impact the landscape, the natural heritage panel expressed its concern on the loss of high quality agricultural land.

Much was written about this proposed development in yet another Outside Development Zone (ODZ) in Gharb way back last year. The applicant is proposing a 14,000 square meter (14 tumoli) construction within an ODZ area. The area is designated, within the relevant Local Plan, as land of agricultural value. The area is also included within the Linear Country Parkways and Circular Walking Routes in the Local Plan. The proposed development will effectively dwarf the crafts village since its total roofed area is almost twice the size of the entire crafts village.

In my opinion, one of the best contributors was a 'foreign' Gharb resident who wrote specifically on this proposed development in yet another ODZ: "Please Stop The Rape of Gozo For Ever"

Now it appears that this became a concern for the 'local' Gharb residents as well. At least they are directly concerned about what is to happen in their own backyard.

I understand that this is quite a shallow vision of what people here in Malta say that 'we like the environment'. It seems that people 'wake up' when an environmental disturbance would take place in their own vicinity. But I just hope that Gozitans will finally realize that "today it is me tomorrow it is you". So it is very important that at least now we ALL support each other.

Just a note: The developers are listed as one of the "List of persons entitled to priority boarding on the Gozo Channel Company's Vessels" together with HE the President and HE the Prim Minsiter amongst others.

The people voted in Gharb - 5 votes made the difference

GĦARB (23)
Registered voters 1180 Votes cast 860 Invalid votes 33 Quota 138 Valid votes 827

Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party	COUNT
(AD)	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Galea Victor	99	104	104	104	106	110	110	112	119
Partit Laburista	COUNT
(PL)	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Brooke Lisa Marie	122	129	141E	138E	138E	138E	138E	138E	138E
Cassar Kevin	59	62	78	79	80	85	85	0	0
Muscat Emanuel	67	77	85	87	90	90	90	164E	138E
Muscat Jacob Joe	38	41	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Partit Nazzjonalista	COUNT
(PN)	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Apap Agius David	298E	138E	138E	138E	138E	138E	138E	138E	138E
Cassar Joseph	32	67	69	69	76	0	0	0	0
Cassar Raymond	64	93	94	94	106	151E	138E	138E	138E
Refalo Alison	23	45	45	45	0	0	0	0	0
Vella Carmen	25	71	71	71	90	106	119	122	124E
Non Transferable Votes	0	0	2	2	3	9	9	15	32
TOTAL	827	827	827	827	827	827	827	827	827

Candidates Elected
1	Apap Agius David (Partit Nazzjonalista)
2	Brooke Lisa Marie (Partit Laburista)
3	Cassar Raymond (Partit Nazzjonalista)
4	Muscat Emanuel (Partit Laburista)
5	Vella Carmen (Partit Nazzjonalista)

Guidelines for the retrieval of undelivered Voting Documents for the Gharb Local Council Election on Saturday, 6th June 2009.

Not voting means nothing except letting others to make your choices for you. In Gharb, five people are going to get elected anyway. It might be too late after the 6th of June to make your voice heard!

Electorate who have not received their voting document for the Gharb Local Council Election, may call personally and present their identity card at the Gharb local Police Station to collect their voting document during the days and office hours indicated below:

From Wednesday 20^th May until Sunday 31^st May:

Mondays to Saturdays: between 8.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. and between 3.00 p.m. and 8.00 p.m.

Sunday 24th May: between 9.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m.

Sunday 31st May: between 8.00 a.m. and noon

All applicants must show their identity card.
Every voter should ensure that the voting document is in his possession as nobody shall be allowed to vote without it on polling day, Saturday 6th June, 2009 at Gharb Primary School in Visitation Street from 7:00AM until 10:00PM

Thanks

Victor Galea

‘Green’ Candidate for the Gharb Local Council Election.

EU Update: Raw Sewage Discharge at Valley and into the Sea

During a Press Conference at Wied il-Mielah at Gharb, Arnold Cassola, Chairperson of Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party, said that despite the slogan of Eco-Ghawdex and the construction of a new municipal wastewater treatment plant with European funds in Gozo, raw sewage is still being discharged into the sea at Wied Il-Mielah in the north-west of the island.

Arnold Cassola was accompanied by EP election candidate Yvonne Ebejer Arqueros and myself as the AD Secretary General and spokesperson for Gozo.

Prof Cassola added, "It is understood that the local water utility, the Water Services Corporation (WSC) was supposed to build a pumping station at Wied il-Mielah to transfer the sewage coming out from the villages of Gharb, San Lawrenz, St. Lucija and Ghammar to the new sewage treatment plant at Ras il-Hobz - thus preventing the further discharge of raw sewage into the sea at Wied Il-Mielah. This has not happened."

"We understand that by March 2007, all sewage in Malta and Gozo had to be treated prior to disposal into the sea. This is not happening at Wied iI-Mielah, Gozo and this is therefore in violation of the EU Urban Wastewater Directive."

For this reason I informed the EU Commission about this violation of EU law.

During the press conference I said that Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green Party is therefore asking the Commission to intervene on this issue, which is not only endangering the biodiversity of the area but also the health of people in Gozo. Various written reports were sent to the MEPA section in charge but no answer was ever given.

We are also suggesting that given that a pumping station in Wied il-Mielah has not been built, the WSC should consider the construction of a small sewage treatment plant so that instead of pumping sewage all the way to Ras il-Hobz for treatment and disposal, the community in the west of Gozo could have a source of 2nd class clean and safe water within their community for irrigation and other 2nd class water uses - as a substitute for groundwater which is being extracted at an unsustainable rate.

This beneficial project would contribute to the cutting down on groundwater extraction and would save on the capital costs of laying sewage mains and resurfacing of roads, and also on the energy costs in pumping the sewage across the whole of Gozo, whilst getting nothing in return.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gft14ZSNDig

Let's hope that common sense prevails.

Cheers

Victor

Have you been to Salty Valley?

I remember well that many years ago, one of my nephews was here from Australia. I was still little. My brother Charlie told me to take his son to 'Wied il-Mielah'. I did and was happy to show my nephew around and explaining in 'English' the environs. And I thought that in English, 'Wied il-Mielah' should be translated into 'Salty Valley'. How funny.

I still remember the smell of drainage in this beautiful valley. In those years there were no commemorative marble plaques showing that EU dignitaries who visited the valley and no indications of the ceremonies which were to be held to celebrate the Euros from EU funding project for the rehabilitation of the valley.

Indeed, every now and then, we hear the Gharb PN Mayor and his Minister Govanna psoing for photos for the press on this site, in order to say that Gozo is to continue enjoying EU Funds, as the Gharb Local Council has succeeded in obtaining further funds for the Rehabilitation of Wied il-Mielah - not 'salty valley' anymore, but still an open drainage reserviour. Perpahs the MEPA enforcement section may like to pay a visit now that the rain season started rather than coming to gozo on a nice sunny day in Summer!

"Wied il-Mielah – towards an ecologically and culturally sensitive sustainable tourism is the name of the €600,000 project, which will be co-financed by 85% from the European Regional Development Fund. The project will give a touristic dimension to the works already carried out whilst respecting the environment."

Now imagine the tourists on this site TODAY, walking amongst the drainage flow going down from the valley to the sea! the smell is unbearable!

It seems that the rehabilitation of the valley are solely used for the construction of rubble of walls and bridges which have been destroyed, cleaning of the valley basin and resurfacing the road leading to the valley in order to make it more accessible .... yes they want more cars on eco-Ghawdex!

"Attractions including rustic furniture" - where over the drainage flow?

"Observation binoculars and audio visual equipment will be installed." - why? Perhaps to see closely the illegal hunting and trapping taking place on-site?

"The project will compliment the works carried out through the first phase also through the Structural Funds Program for Malta 2004-2006"

I wonder....

I honestly wish well for this project, but alas, if you find it hard to believe me, please have a look at the photo with the drainage flow taken today. Don't hope for any comments from the Gozo Toursim Assosiation. They have no flats or Hotels in this area.

Thank god that you can't smell it from the comfort of your home.