NGOs Demand Meeting with PM, Environment Minister

A group of NGOs is asking government to immediately publish the full terms of any agreement regarding the transfer of the Miżieb and Aħrax open spaces to the FKNK, which was revealed earlier this week through the media. The NGOs are concerned that through this agreement, the general public will be unable to enjoy these areas for a period of at least nine out of twelve months, considering that the hunting lobby wants exclusive access during open seasons to hunt quail, turtle dove and also rabbits.

In its statement, the coalition of NGOs is questioning why the cordoning off of these two popular recreational spots and their transfer to one of the two hunters’ organisations was only made public through the media. In his proposal to the Cabinet, the Prime Minister not only bypassed the Lands Authority but also ignored the sentiments of the general public, which presently enjoys access to these areas for walks, picnics and camping.

“No details about this deal have been made public. This is definitely not the way to dispose of open spaces and we fully believe that the general public, and not a single lobby, should be given priority when it comes to open recreational spaces. In this particular moment, when most of the country is self-isolating at home, we find it appalling that a lobby can be given two large open spaces such as these, without proper consultation and in total secrecy. This is not the lobbying transparency we have been promised. Moreover, government does not have an electoral mandate to hand over open spaces to lobbies.”

The NGOs, representing different spheres and public interests, especially those in the preservation of natural environment, strongly oppose the:

• limitations on the appropriate public access to places of natural amenity, particularly to suit a small part of a minority group;
• continuation of this way of governing public assets;
• way in which Cabinet treats public assets as its own.

The NGOs are also demanding an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister and the Environment Minister, in view of the apparent lack of opposition to this project from within Cabinet itself. The decision should be postponed until there is a proper consultation process held with the general public, and affirm their intention to contest any decision taken on this matter in every way possible.

Signed by:

1. Archaeological Society of Malta
2. BICREF
3. Bicycle Advocacy Group
4. BirdLife Malta
5. Din L-Art Ħelwa
6. Extinction Rebellion Malta
7. Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar 
8. Franciscan Friars (OFM) Malta
9. Friends of the Earth Malta
10. Futur Ambjent Wieħed
11. Għaqda Siġar Maltin
12. Isles of the Left
13. Kamra tal-Periti
14. Kunsill Studenti Universitarji (KSU)
15. Moviment Graffitti
16. Nature Trust Malta
17. NASoM (Noise Abatement Society Malta)
18. Office of the Dean – Faculty for Social Wellbeing
19. Outdoor Recreation and Camping Association Malta
20. Ramblers Association Malta
21. The Grow 10 Trees Project

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Il-pubbliku jitlob ċarezza dwar it-trasferiment propost tal-Miżieb u l-Aħrax
L-NGOs jitolbu laqgħa mal-PM u l-Ministru tal-Ambjent

Grupp ta’ NGOs qed jitlob lill-gvern sabiex jippubblika immedjatament it-termini sħaħ ta’ kwalunkwe ftehim fuq it-trasferiment tal-ispazji miftuħa tal-Miżieb u l-Aħrax lill-FKNK, li ġie żvelat aktar kmieni din il-ġimgħa permezz tal-midja. L-NGOs huma mħassba li permezz ta’ dan il-ftehim, il-poplu mhux se jkun jista’ jgawdi dawn iż-żoni għal perjodu ta’ mill-inqas disa’ fuq tnax-il xahar, meta jikkunsidra li l-lobby tal-kaċċa tixtieq aċċess esklussiv matul l-istaġuni miftuħa għall-kaċċa tas-summien, tal-gamiem, kif ukoll tal-fniek.

Fl-istqarrija tagħha, il-koalizzjoni tal-NGOs qed tistaqsi għaliex l-għeluq tal-aċċess ta’ dawn iż-żewġ postijiet ta’ rikreazzjoni popolari u t-trasferiment tagħhom lil waħda minn żewġ organizzazzjonijiet tal-kaċċaturi saret pubblika biss permezz tal-midja. Fil-proposta tiegħu lill-Kabinett, il-Prim Ministru mhux biss qabeż lill-Awtorità tal-Artijiet iżda wkoll injora s-sentimenti tal-pubbliku, li jgawdi aċċess għal dawn iż-żoni għal mixjiet, pikniks u għall-ikkampjar.

“L-ebda dettalji dwar dan il-ftehim ma saru pubbliċi. Dan żgur mhux il-mod kif jintużaw l-ispazji miftuħa u nemmnu bis-sħiħ li l-pubbliku, u mhux lobby waħda biss, għandu jingħata prijorità fl-aċċess għall-ispazji rikreattivi. F’dan il-mument partikolari, meta l-biċċa l-kbira tal-pajjiż qed jiżola lilu nnifsu d-dar, insibuha diżgustanti ferm li lobby tista’ tingħata żewġ spazji miftuħa kbar bħal dawn, mingħajr konsultazzjoni xierqa u fis-segretezza totali. Din mhix it-trasparenza fill-lobbying li ġejna mwiegħda. Barra minn hekk, il-gvern m’għandux mandat elettorali biex jagħti l-ispazji miftuħa lil-lobbies.”

L-NGOs, li jirrappreżentaw sferi differenti u interessi pubbliċi, speċjalment dawk fil-preservazzjoni tal-ambjent naturali, qegħdin kompletament joppunu:

• il-limitazzjonijiet fuq l-aċċess pubbliku xieraq għal postijiet ta’ amenità naturali, b’mod partikolari sabiex ipaxxu parti żgħira minn grupp ta’ minoranza;
• il-kontinwazzjoni tal-mod kif jiġu governati l-assi pubbliċi;
• il-mod li bih il-Kabinett qed jittratta l-assi pubbliċi daqslikieku huma assi personali.

L-NGOs qed jitolbu wkoll laqgħa urġenti mal-Prim Ministru u l-Ministru għall-Ambjent, fid-dawl tan-nuqqas apparenti ta’ oppożizzjoni għal dan il-proġett mill-Kabinett innifsu. Id-deċiżjoni għandha tiġi posposta sakemm ikun hemm proċess ta’ konsultazzjoni pubblika xierqa, u jaffermaw l-intenzjoni tagħhom li jikkontestaw kwalunkwe deċiżjoni meħuda dwar din il-kwistjoni bi kwalunkwe mod possibbli.

Iffirmat minn:

1. Archaeological Society of Malta
2. BICREF
3. Bicycle Advocacy Group
4. BirdLife Malta
5. Din L-Art Ħelwa
6. Extinction Rebellion Malta
7. Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar 
8. Franciscan Friars (OFM) Malta
9. Friends of the Earth Malta
10. Futur Ambjent Wieħed
11. Għaqda Siġar Maltin
12. Isles of the Left
13. Kamra tal-Periti
14. Kunsill Studenti Universitarji (KSU)
15. Moviment Graffitti
16. Nature Trust Malta
17. NASoM (Noise Abatement Society Malta)
18. Office of the Dean – Faculty for Social Wellbeing
19. Outdoor Recreation and Camping Association Malta
20. Ramblers Association Malta
21. The Grow 10 Trees Project