Budget 2009: giving Gozitans what they deserve!

It is very true that the General Election is nowhere near. You can tell by the reaction to the Budget 2009 by the two 'main' Gozitan entities called:

1) Gozo Business Chamber

2) Gozo Tourism Association

What did these two organisations have to say about this buget? NOTHING! At least up to now: NOTHING.

Did you ever hear about the phrase fart catchers? Well here you have an example!

Usually in the past two years we read a lot of appluads to the Gozo Minister. This time, these businessmen seem not to be effected by the increase of the price of the diesel and petrol. Nor are they showing concern about the massive increase in the water and electricity bills.


well well.... Much can be said about respect and self respect! How can we gozitans expect other to respect us if we do not respect ourselves in the first place?

BUDGET MEASURES EFFECTING GOZITANS: AD'S REACTIONS



At a Press Conference held in Gozo, Arnold Cassola, Chairperson Alternattiva Demokratika, stated that, once again, the measures planned for Gozo lacked precise time frames to indicate the start and expected completion dates of the projected reforms.

Government's declared intention to embark on a reform of the public transport service as a first priority is praiseworthy. However, it is not known when this exercise is due to be finalised nor has any reference been made to the Gozo Channel monopoly which is supposed to end by this year.

I commended the Government on its commitment to develop Gozo's economic activities based on the principle of sustainability and specifically aimed at substantially improving the tourist product. I also praised Government's plans to consolidate the fishing and agricultural sector and the promotion of organic farming. However, against this overall positive background, Government needs to explain why it has not yet put an end to all the speculation about the Ta' Cenc and Ramla l-Hamra projects by declaring its firm and unequivocal rejection of both projects which run counter to any sound agricultural policy. Furthermore, Government has failed to declare its position on the proposed marina and tourist village projects at Hondoq ir-Rummien which surely prejudice any attempt to promote sustainable tourism. Moreover, the new water and electricity bills are going to affect the few manufacture industries left in Gozo as well as the tourist industry.

With reference to Gozo's natural resources, Ireiterated that the Government should do all that is possible to distribute second class water, produced from the sewage treatment plant, to farmers, instead of wasting it by throwing it into the sea. I also referred to the fact that, despite the expenditure of over 6 million euro on Capital Projects, the Ministry did not manage to find the necessary funds to complete the two important roads from Dwejra to San Lawrenz and the main road from the Heliport to Rabat. I augured that Government will not only keep its word to finalise these road projects but also ensure that all the funds allocated are spent with due diligence and will not repeat situations where projects are stopped soon after inception due to lack of funds, as happened in the case of the Mgarr Terminal (from LM4 Million the expenses went up to Lm15Million!).

The Green Party has also noted that, while Government recognises the need for the creation of new jobs in Gozo, it has failed to announce any concrete measures. All that was mentioned for 2009 was a joint action plan between the Ministry for Gozo and Malta Enterprise.

Prof. Arnold Cassola stressed that the only way to create jobs in Gozo is by putting an end, once and for all, to the existing culture of clientelism and by giving due encouragement and assistance to all those, irrespective of their political leanings, who are ready to help in the sustainable development of existing jobs and in the creation of new ones.

Arnold Cassola commented on the effects of the petrol and diesel price hikes and explained how these “will adversely affect Gozitan Workers twicefold”. “Owing to the inefficient public transport service in Malta and Gozo, workers have no alternative but to use their own cars to go to work in Malta at considerable expense”.

Prof. Cassola concluded by strongly recommending that the frequency of the public transport service from Cirkewwa to the University should, at least, be doubled and that the operating hours should be better adjusted. These measures would go a long way in helping to reduce the hassle and stress currently being faced by the over 900 Gozitan students commuting to Malta.

Yvonne Ebejer Arqueros for MEP

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpages%2FSupport-Yvonne-Ebejer-Arqueros-for-MEP%2F45848675621&h=4f5490dd9429a072898a2487971bd078

Arnold Cassola for MEP

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Support-Arnold-Cassola-for-MEP/32067413885

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:

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.

Gozitan University students in Malta

We met the Gozitan University Student group (ĠUĠ). It was one of the most honest meetings I attended to in these recent days.

It was a nice meeting, but at the same time I felt saddened. I said to myself that nearly fifteen years have passed and yet the Gozitan students are still being treated like rubbish, same as it was in my times. It is difficult to understand the suffering if you do not experience it.

However, it was nice to listen to the Gozitan students voicing their opinion. In our days, these opportunities did not exist.

They wanted to meet Alternattiva Demokratika and I hope that they found an ear which can truly listen to them. Apart from Arnold Cassola, Andre Vella, a representative of Alternattiva Demokratika Youths (ADZ), was also present. Michael Bajada from Munxar came representing the Gozo Regional Committee.

Everyone should be aware of the Gozitan students’ sacrifices; day by day they cross over to Malta in the early hours of the morning to study, or they spend the week in some apartment and they only return to Gozo in the weekend. On the other hand, Maltese students, after university, probably go home to a warm meal. In the morning they find clean clothes, and to make it in time for the first lectures they would not need to board a ferry.

I feel that those who think that the Gozitan complain, they are not really understanding what it entails to go to and from Gozo and Malta. Those who cross over to Gozo once in a year for a holiday do not really understand.

I don’t want to depict the Gozitans as victims. This experience, from an early age, nurtures an independent identity in the Gozitan student. He would be able to face all the challenges involved in an independent way of life, like money management, the hiring of the apartment, the food, the social or solitary life of the Gozitans in Malta, and public transport, amongst others. The same problems I used to face many years ago.

But the ĠuĠ committee is determined to address these problems in a serious manner. They are thinking of updating their website and from simply a website wherein one looks for an apartment in the vicinity of university, they are thinking of building a website updated with work and press releases that this hard-working committee is engaged with.

During our meeting, the members of the ĠuĠ committee mentioned the challenges and the discouragement they received from the authorities regarding their journey to Malta, especially the public transport and the ferry crossing. They also mentioned the way some students are treated by owners of the apartments they hire during the academic year; moreover, none of the Gozitan students are given the opportunity to use the University residence, since the University prefers to hire out this residence at a higher rate to the foreign students rather than the Gozitan students.

The lack of digital information of the books in the library of the University Centre in Gozo was also mentioned, together with the need to make more use of the video conferencing facilities that are kept in the University Centre of Xewkija. It seems that this equipment was bought to be kept stowed away in a kind of wardrobe.

The Authorities should give more heed to what the Gozitan students are saying. I believe that now after these students got together for a press conference with Alternattiva Demokratika, we should soon here of the PN and the MLP following suit. Let it be the day!

The infamous Public Transport Authority should understand, once and for all, that because of the laid-back attitude of some of the drivers, or the lack of trips from Valletta, many a times students end up having to wait for long hours in winter for the ferry back to Gozo. Of course … it is not them that the next day they have to wake up early again to catch the ferry back to Malta.

And what about the fact that the drivers of the public buses do not allow the Gozitan students to board the bus if they have more than two bags? They do not know that these bags most probably would be full of dirty stinking clothes that the Gozitan student takes with him home to wash.

The Gozitan students today form 10% of the University students in Malta. As Prof. Arnold Cassola, the leader of the party, said during this press conference, “The Gozitan students do not need favours but more respect as citizens in whom the country is investing for the future. It is certain that the Gozitan students do not need to be treated as second-class citizens.”

Heartfelt greetings to ĠuĠ.

Visit their site on http://www.gug.org.mt/

Festa tal-qara aħmar fil-Manikata

Illum Marju bgħatli SMS u qalli li ser jagħmlu festa tal-qara aħmar. X'aktarx il-Ħadd 2 ta' Novembru. Staqsieni jekk tal-Kabozza nitħajjrux immorru ndoqqu.
Ftit ġimgħat ilu konna morna għall-festa ta' dan l-uniku raħal rurali li fadal f'Malta.(ara HAWN)

M'ilux, tiftakru lki ktibt biċċa bit-djalett tal-Għarb (ara HAWN). Issa Marju bgħatli poeżija bid-djalett ta' Ħal-Qurmi. Għax insejt ngħdilkom, propjament Marju minn Ħal Qormi....u mar jgħix il-Manikata. Aqrawha daqsxejn, Tassew taqbel ma' daż-żmien tas-sena meta l-ġimgħa d-dieħla jidħlu ġartita tfal ġodda fl-iskejjel madwar malta u Għawdex. Imsieken.


Ma bkejtx fl-ewwel jum ta' l-iskola!

Ġbartuna minn ġa l-imqujol u minn qalb l-għelieqi
Bħal ilma li jaqgħad u jdur f’sink tal-kċina sa ma jinxturob f’serpentina sewda
U nblajna f’bini stramb dunnu l-isptur fejn ummi welldet ’l oħti ftit xhur ilu,
riħa ta’ ħalib, żejt tal-ħuta, gumom friski, lanċinmit u purfum.
Hawn ix-xemx ma tfaqqux iktar fuq rusna imma tidħol bess minn tieqa għolja biż-żebgħa mqaxxra
Minn wara purtieri qudma mdendla ma’ virga ħuxna u sewda tal-ħadid.

U kellimtuna bi lsien stramb.

Dur surot dar, ummi surot mummy u Ħal Qurmi sur Qormi.
U libbistuna ingravuta, differenti minn dik li darba libes missieri meta tellgħewh xhud il-qurti.
Dik il-lasktuwwa rqieqa u bajda li kellha fit-tarf tagħha
kienet agħar mill-ħannieqa ħamra u ħuxna tal-megħeż.

U libbistuna enifurmi li weqqgħet il-kultura tagħkem għaż-żufjett
u biddlet lilna f’maskaruti bujod u blu,
dunna ħabsin minn dawk li naraw fil-films tal-mikimaws.

B’libsa pulita aħna kunna nifhmu tibdila sura,
bħal ma jilbes in-nannu meta jmur jura ‘l San Bastjun ħiereġ mill-knisja.

U flok ħobż biż-żejt u t-tadum għall-fresk tal-bitħa ħdejn il-lumija,
kilna ħobż bil-butir f’bitħa fejn mijiet ta’ tful kienu qed jiġru ‘l hawn u ‘l hemm
qishem żnażan iduru ma’ rus ta’ bużbieża.

Imma niftakar sew. Sħubi bkew f’duk l-ewwel jum.
Jien ma bkejtx.

Malli ħreġt mis-serpentina u sebt ruħi f’dik il-kamra biswit il-lukijiet fit-tarf tal-kurutur
Sammart għajnejja fuq il-blekbord, qabbadt difrejja ġal-gumma friska sa ma kwużi ħreġt id-demm,

u ma bkejtx.

U meta rġajt lura d-dur,
irrakkuntajt ’l ummi bl-istess ton li bih kont inqerr għand Dun Viċens,
li jien bess f’nofs il-klassi ma xerredt l-ebda damgħa.

U llum nikxef snieni, jew li baqagħli minnhem, fi tbissima,
X’ħin niftakar li wara għexieren ta’ snin niġri minn skula għal oħra,
b’żarbun riħa ta’ ħamrija mxarrba u ta’ demel tal-megħeż,

Għodni kapuċi nħuros lejn il-blekbord mingħajr ma mmejjel rusi, b’għajnejja fissi fuqu,

U ma nibkix.

Ma nibkix...
...ħlief meta niftakar f’dawk li l-iskula serviet bess biex ittimbruthom ħmir
u tuthom passaport li fuqu hemm miktub:

l-imrieħel u l-għelieqi tagħkem huma bess għall-injuranti.
Aħna rfajnik nofs xiber mill-art u qed intuk permess tmur tiffunda taħt saqaf tal-pjanċi,
għad-dawl tat-tubi u r-riħa taż-żjut u n-najlon,
taħt tieqa għoja biż-żebgħa mqaxxra.
Biex idderri tista’ tiskappa ftit sat-tojlit tgerrem biċċa ħobż,
U hemm toqgħod toħlom bl-imrieħel li darba,
ta’ Ċanu, ta’ Massu u r-Roy,
kienu jirgħew taħt il-ħarrub u ċ-ċawsli
ħdejn Għor Ħanżir, fil-Ħandaq.

Marju Cardona