Moviment Graffitti this morning called on Infrastructure Malta and Minister Chris Bonett to reveal the exact reason behind the decision to prune 145 mature trees along Valley Road, between Msida and Birkirkara, warning that the work could be “another example of the blatant disregard” for trees, and “an exercise in pure and condemnable butchery.”

The organisation also sought assurances that any work would be conducted by qualified and competent persons, and would be subject to round-the-clock monitoring by the authorities, citing its “sensitive” and “delicate” nature.

The tender document, issued by Infrastructure Malta, provides for the hard pruning of the trees’ canopy by up to six metres, and stipulates that the canopy must be thinned out. It also requires the removal of any low-hanging branches, and of branches close to touching the nearby buildings.

In an open letter addressed to the agency and the Minister responsible for it, Moviment Graffitti questioned the need to thin out the canopy, noting that the benefits of the practice are disputed. It also shed doubt on the need to prune any of the trees by 6 metres, arguing that this would “utterly destroy” the canopy.

The organisation noted that light pruning of low-hanging branches and those that may be too close to the buildings on either side is understandable, but does not reflect the tender issued by Infrastructure Malta.

Moviment Graffitti pointed out that the trees provide clean air and shade in an area of heavy traffic, and counteract the pollution generated by the hundreds of vehicles passing through the road each day.

“The trees are an invaluable asset to the people working in the offices and showrooms along Valley Road, not to mention to the buildings themselves, which are shielded from the smoke and dust generated by cars,” it said.

The activist organisation also drew attention to the large number of birds that roost in the canopy, describing the cluster of 145 trees as “an important ecosystem within the harbour region’s urban conglomeration.

Moviment Graffitti further expressed its concern that the contractor selected as the preferred bidder “does not appear to have any prior experience in managing projects of such size that require considerable sensitivity.”

“We are concerned that the tender issued by Infrastructure Malta sought only to choose the cheapest bid, without any consideration for the bidders’ competence,” it said.

Moviment Graffitti concluded: “We stress that works of such a delicate nature should be conducted with maximum care and supervision, and only to the extent that is absolutely required.

“Going further than is required to secure the integrity of buildings and safety of people would simply be another example of the blatant disregard for the important role of trees in the urban environment, and an exercise in pure and condemnable butchery.”

The questions sent by Moviment Graffiti to Minister Chris Bonett and Infrastructure Malta are:

1. What is the exact plan for the trees in question? Will any of the branches making up the canopy be pruned

2. What is the reason for the “hard pruning”, and why is a limit of “up to 6m” provided, when this would utterly destroy the canopy?

3. Can you provide the ERA permit allowing this work to be conducted, that was referred to in the tender document?

4. Has any evidence of previous work of similar scope been requested of the preferred bidder? If so, has this been found to be satisfactory?

5. The Minister has indicated that Infrastructure Malta will be on-site to supervise the work. Can the Agency indicate the extent of this supervision, and whether it is round-the-clock, daily, weekly, or ad hoc?

6. Can Infrastructure Malta guarantee that the job will be carried out with the expertise and sensitivity required?

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Infrastructure Malta mhix kapaċi tagħraf id-differenza bejn it-tiżbir u t-tbiċċir

Il-Moviment Graffitti jiddeskrivu ż-żbir sa 6m tas-siġar tul Valley Road bħala “sfreġju totali”

Il-Moviment Graffitti dalgħodu talab lil Infrastructure Malta u lill-Ministru Chris Bonett biex jiżvelaw x’kienet ir-raġuni eżatti wara d-deċiżjoni biex jinżabru 145 siġra matura tul Valley Road, bejn l-Imsida u Birkirkara, u wissew li dawn ix-xogħlijiet jaf ikunu “eżempju ieħor tan-nuqqas sfaċċat ta’ rispett lejn is-siġar, u att ta’ sfreġju totali li ħaqqu kull kundanna.”

L-għaqda talbet ukoll li jiġi assigurat li kwalunkwe xogħol isir minn persuni kwalifikati u kompetenti, u li jkun soġġett għal monitoraġġ regolari mill-awtoritarijiet minħabba li dan huwa xogħol ta’ natura “sensittiva” u “delikata”.

Id-dokument tas-sejħa għal offerti, maħruġ minn Infrastructure Malta, jippermetti li jsir żbir qawwi tal-kanipew tas-siġar sa sitt metri, u jistabbilixxi li l-volum u d-densità tal-kanipew tas-siġar iridu jitnaqqsu. Jistipula wkoll li friegħi li qegħdin fil-baxx u friegħi li kważi jmissu l-bini tal-madwar iridu jiġu mneħħija.

F’ittra miftuħa indirizzata lill-aġenzija u lill-Ministru responsabbli minnha, il-Moviment Graffitti esprimew id-dubji tagħhom dwar il-bżonn li jiġu mnaqqsa l-volum u d-densità tal-kanipew, filwaqt li ssottolineaw li hemm dubji serji dwar kemm din il-prattika ssarraf f’benefiċċji. Esprimew ukoll ix-xettiċiżmu tagħhom dwar il-bżonn li jinżabru s-siġar b’6 metri, hekk kif saħqu li dan “se jeqred totalment” il-kanipew tas-siġar.

L-għaqda nnutat li wieħed jista’ jasal jifhem il-bżonn għaż-żbir ħafif ta’ friegħi fil-baxx u ta’ friegħi li jistgħu’ jkunu qrib wisq tal-bini fuq iż-żewġ naħat tat-triq, iżda dan ma jirriflettix is-sejħa għal offerti maħruġa minn Infrastructure Malta.

Il-Moviment Graffitti saħqu li s-siġar jipprovdu arja nadifa u d-dell f’żona kkaratterizzata minn ħafna traffiku, u jikkumbattu t-tniġġis iġġenerat mill-mijiet ta’ vetturi li jgħaddu mit-triq kuljum.

“Is-siġar huma ta’ siwi kbir għan-nies li jaħdmu fl-uffiċċji u fix-showrooms tul Valley Road, u anke għall-bini nnifsu għax is-siġar iservu ta’ lqugħ kontra d-duħħan u t-trab iġġenerat mill-karozzi,” stqarrew l-attivisti.

L-għaqda ta’ attivisti ġibdet l-attenzjoni wkoll għan-numru kbir ta’ għasafar li jbejtu fil-kanipew tas-siġar, u ddeskrivew l-grupp ta’ 145 siġra bħala “ekosistema importanti fil-konglomerazzjoni urbana tar-reġjun tal-port.”

Il-Moviment Graffitti kompla jesprimi t-tħassib tiegħu rigward il-fatt li l-kuntrattur magħżul bħala l-offerent preferut “ma jidhirx li għandu xi esperjenza preċedenti fl-immaniġġjar ta’ proġetti ta’ tali daqs li jeħtieġu li jiġu ttrattati b’sensittività kbira.”

“Aħna ninsabu mħassba li s-sejħa għal offerti maħruġa minn Infrastructure Malta marret għall-irħas offerta, mingħajr ebda konsiderazzjoni għall-kompetenza tal-offerent,” tennew l-attivisti.

Il-Moviment Graffitti kkonkluda: “Aħna nenfasizzaw li xogħlijiet ta’ natura hekk delikata għandhom isiru bl-akbar attenzjoni u livell ta’ superviżjoni possibbli, u sal-estent biss li jkunu assolutament meħtieġa.”

“Jekk ix-xogħlijiet imorru lil hinn minn dak li hu meħtieġ biex jiġu żgurati l-integrità tal-bini u s-siġurtà tan-nies inkunu qed nassistu għal eżempju ieħor ta’ nuqqas sfaċċat ta’ rispett lejn l-irwol importanti tas-siġar fl-ambjent urban, u għal att ta’ salvaġiżmu pur u kundannabbli.”

Il-mistoqsijiet mibgħuta mill-Moviment Graffitti lill-Ministru Chris Bonett u Infrastracture Malta huma dawn:

1.     X’inhu l-pjan eżatti għas-siġar inkwistjoni? Il-friegħi li jiffurmaw parti mill-kanipew se jinżabru?

2.     X’inhi r-raġuni għala se jsir “żbir qawwi”, u għalfejn qed jiġi permess limitu li jasal “sa 6m”, meta dan se jwassal għall-qerda totali tal-kanipew tas-siġar?

3.     Tistgħu tipprovdu l-permess tal-ERA li jippermetti li dan ix-xogħol isir, u li saret referenza għalih fid-dokument ta’ sejħa għal offerti?

4.     Intalbet xi evidenza ta’ xogħol preċedenti ta’ ambitu simili mingħand l-offerent preferut? Jekk iva, din instabet li hija sodisfaċenti?

5.     Il-Ministru indika li Infrastructure Malta se tkun fuq is-sit biex tissorvelja x-xogħol. Tista’ l-Aġenzija tindika l-estent ta’ din is-superviżjoni, u jekk hux se tkun kontinwa, ta’ kuljum, ta’ kull ġimgħa, jew ad hoc?

6.     Tista’ Infrastructure Malta tiggarantixxi li x-xogħol se jiġi mwettaq bl-għarfien u s-sensittività meħtieġa?