It’s Monday, March 22: Infrastructure Malta reappears at dawn like a Panzer division outside Warsaw, tear through rubble and party walls and commences its much-awaited butchering of an area in Dingli earmarked for roadbuilding sometime in the 1960s.
We stood in the way as promised. No plans were shown to the public, no expropriations signed, no regard to ODZ land and a medieval chapel. The justification for the “schemed road”, like the big jigsaw of which it forms part, remains a mystery.
It’s always amazing how convenient plans written under Nationalist administrations turn up to be whenever green spaces need invading for the sake of more traffic and the pretext of further development.
The first days of our action in Dingli confirmed that Infrastructure Malta has indeed become a mechanised beast whose rotors have spun out of the government’s control. Contractors and employees, even from IM’s bunker in Luqa, harassed residents and activists; from our live feeds, many saw heavy machinery used against us and an unpleasant incident involving a chainsaw. An IM executive appeared very enthusiastic to see protestors getting hurt and responded to our requests for paperwork with a lousy “inti biċċa ċittadin” (you’re just a citizen).
After three days, Ian Borg asked his cabinet colleague Aaron Farrugia to mediate and set up a meeting. And all seemed to be going well: we had also agreed on a neutral venue so that all parties would feel comfortable.
However, at the last minute, IM waded in requesting a meeting with two members from our group, without the residents, in its compound in Luqa. Over the weekend, the possibilities to hold this meeting crumbled, possibly because Frederick Azzopardi prefers the comfort of his own darkroom. Borg, therefore, withdrew the request saying our proposals were irrelevant and buckled down to Azzopardi’s diktat once again.
Two weeks later, still under pressure and with public opinion swaying against him, Borg reached out for a meeting on the same day, bypassing Farrugia completely, yet, suddenly accepting to discuss our demands. During the meeting, the minister could only justify the reason for the new road by saying that “I am the minister and I have the authority to do so…”
Interestingly, up to a few hours before that meeting, Azzopardi insisted loudly in the media that IM had all the necessary permits in hand to commence works, including those related to expropriations. It wasn’t really the case because, as early as Tuesday, March 23, the second day of our action, we had repeatedly asked IM staff to show us proof that the Lands Authority had in fact issued its clearance for expropriations to happen.
This meant that IM and its contractors were in breach of the law and trespassing on private property by simply barging in with their heavy machinery.
Azzopardi himself confirmed this much: after the meeting, an IM statement confirmed that the remaining property expropriations were being done through Lands. The plans issued publicly the day after – as per our initial demand – confirmed this too.
I am also particularly interested in a statement made by Azzopardi on the very same day of the meeting. On Lovin Malta, Azzopardi said that the Dingli saga had been ongoing since October and that IM only waited until March for the decision on an ERA appeal related to the pruning of carob trees to commence works.
The latter part is misleading: ERA’s decision on the pruning of the trees, in itself, is not a go ahead for IM to enter private or even government property. That said, if Azzopardi claims that everything was in order way back in October, how come expropriations are suddenly being rushed through Lands?
A few things became clear during these three weeks: Azzopardi can only snarl his teeth in anger within the confines of his office and his attempts to break us first, humiliate us later, failed miserably. This time, perhaps, he wasn’t afforded the luxury of having the RIU at his beck and call.
Farmers and residents noticing strange movements in their areas should seek legal aid and ask about their expropriation rights. Let’s say Infrastructure Malta leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to following protocols and the atmosphere in its offices isn’t exactly breathable. Don’t go to meetings on your own.
Elsewhere outside Dingli, the road-widening assault continues. Similar unannounced invasions in private fields have been reported in Żabbar, where signatures are being gathered against another needless project.
In Mġarr, unspecified roadworks are ongoing in a junction leading to private schools.
Nobody, local council included, seems to know much about all the digging in their own backyard.
Infrastructure Malta also pulled an incredible howler in Żejtun, where it razed a garden maintained by volunteers and handed the area over to a contractor. Classic IM behaviour.
I wonder what Borg’s cabinet colleagues think of all this, especially once disgruntled constituents start knocking on their doors. How many hectares of land have farmers lost in silence during the last four years? What is the cost of all the land being expropriated for the sake of roads, paid for by direct orders or even irregular pre-financing?
Our fight in Dingli isn’t over yet. We will remain vigilant, especially in the face of ODZ development facilitated by new roads and the laying of additional infrastructure.
Minister Borg may, thus, have to think twice before implying we have any territorial interest in Dingli. If anything, Dingli’s enemies come from out of town with little wish to preserve the town’s timeless beauty.
Beauty, subject to the minister’s authority.
