Spazji Miftuħa aims to preserve access to public open spaces
A coalition of groups has been formed in response to a lobby’s sustained pressure on the open spaces of l-Aħrax and Miżieb. Spażji Miftuħa (“Open Spaces”) is made up of NGOs and local groups dedicated to the preservation of public spaces in Malta, also tackling issues related to the conservation of ecological features, the management of such sites and transparency.
Spazji Miftuħa was formed in response to a proposal by government to restrict access to the two woodland areas of l-Aħrax and il-Miżieb to a private lobby. As a coalition, Spazji Miftuħa is calling for other NGOs as well as formal and informal groups to register their endorsement. The coalition is also asking the general public to give its opinions about the proposed agreement on Aħrax and Miżieb by signing a petition and filling in a brief survey. In just a few days the petition has gained over 7,600 signatures. The petition, survey and endorsement form can be found on www.spazjimiftuha.org. Spazji Miftuħa’s Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/spazjimiftuha/.
The organisations, representing different spheres and public interests, especially those in the preservation of natural environment, are strongly in opposition to 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.
Spazji Miftuħa has also shown its dismay at the lack of a reply from the Prime Minister, whom they have asked for a meeting to discuss the Aħrax and Miżieb proposal. Noting that the Environment Minister has acknowledged the request, the group is disappointed that the PM has not found time to address the NGOs’ and indeed the general public’s concerns. “Closing off two popular spots for nine months would mean the end of any sort of activity in the areas except for hunting. There will be no camping, no picnics, no walks in these areas if the agreement goes ahead. This issue will affect all Maltese citizens, not merely our own members.”
In response to a statement issued by a lobby last week, the NGOs forming part of Spazji Miftuħa have no objection to the publication of all agreements related to the management of their sites. “We believe in the principle of transparency,” said a spokesperson for the coalition. “There should never be the need to file any freedom of information requests to obtain this information, which should always be immediately available in the public domain, without any secrecy whatsoever.”
The groups forming part of Spazji Miftuħa include:
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. Outdoor Recreation and Camping Association Malta
19. Ramblers Association Malta
20. The Grow 10 Trees Project
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Imnedija Koalizzjoni għad-Difiża tal-Ispazji Miftuħa
Spazji Miftuħa għandha l-għan li żżomm miftuħ l-aċċess għall-ispazji pubbliċi
Ġiet iffurmata u mnedija koalizzjoni ta’ gruppi bħala rispons għall-pressjoni mtennija ta’ lobby privata fuq l-ispazji miftuħa tal-Aħrax u l-Miżieb. Spazji Miftuħa hija koalizzjoni ta’ NGOs u gruppi lokali ddedikati għall-preservazzjoni tal-ispazji pubbliċi f’Malta, filwaqt li tittratta wkoll kwistjonijiet relatati mal-konservazzjoni tal-karatteristiki ekoloġiċi, il-ġestjoni ta’ dawn is-siti u t-trasparenza.
Il-koalizzjoni nfetħet wara proposta mill-gvern sabiex jiġi ristrett l-aċċess għaż-żewġ żoni msaġġra tal-Aħrax u l-Miżieb għall-benefiċċju ta’ lobby privata. Bħala koalizzjoni, Spazji Miftuħa qed titlob l-appoġġ ta’ NGOs oħrajn, kif ukoll to gruppi formali u informali fosthom għaqdiet ta’ residenti u ħaddiema. Il-koalizzjoni qed titlob lill-pubbliku sabiex jagħti l-opinjonijet tiegħu dwar il-ftehim propost fuq l-Aħrax u l-Miżieb, billi jiffirma petizzjoni u jipparteċipa fi stħarriġ. Fi ftit jiem biss, il-petizzjoni ġabret ‘il fuq minn 7,600 firma. Il-petizzjoni, l-istħarriġ u l-formola għall-għaqdiet li jixtiequ jagħtu l-appoġġ tagħhom jinsabu fuq is-sit www.spazjimiftuha.org. Il-paġna ta’ facebook tal-koalizzjoni hija https://www.facebook.com/spazjimiftuha/
L-għaqdiet, 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.
Spazji Miftuħa wriet ukoll id-diżappunt tagħha bin-nuqqas ta’ tweġiba min-naħa tal-Prim Ministru wara talba biex issir laqgħa u tiġi diskussa din il-proposta. Filwaqt li l-Ministru tal-Ambjent bagħat konferma ta’ riċevuta ta’ din it-talba, il-grupp jinsab diżappuntat bil-fatt li l-PM ma sabx ħin iwieġeb għat-tħassib tal-NGOs u tal-pubbliku. “L-għeluq ta’ dawn iż-żewġ żoni għal disa’ xhur tul is-sena jfisser li ma jistgħux isiru attivitajiet oħra f’dawn iż-żoni ħlief għall-kaċċa. Ma jista’ jkun hemm ebda kkampjar, picnics, jew mixjiet f’dawn iż-żoni jekk din il-proposta tiġi uffiċjalizzata. Din hija kwistjoni li taffettwa liċ-ċittadini Maltin kollha, mhux biss lill-membri tagħna.”
Fi tweġiba għal stqarrija ta’ lobby li saret il-ġimgħa l-oħra, l-għaqdiet li jiffurmaw parti minn Spazji Miftuħa ddikjaraw li ma għandhom xejn x’joġġezzjonaw għall-pubblikazzjoni tal-ftehimiet kollha tagħhom relatati mal-ġestjoni tas-siti. “Aħna nemmnu fil-prinċipju tat-trasparenza,” qal kelliem għall-koalizzjoni. “Ma għandu qatt ikun hemm bżonn ta’ talbiet biex tinkiseb informazzjoni skont l-Att dwar il-Libertà tal-Informazzjoni. Din l-informazzjoni għandha dejjem tkun disponibbli fid-dominju pubbliku b’mod immedjat, mingħajr ebda segretezza.”
Spazji Miftuħa tinkludi fiha dawn l-għaqdiet:
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. Outdoor Recreation and Camping Association Malta
19. Ramblers Association Malta
20. The Grow 10 Trees Project
