Ħondoq ir-Rummien should be declared public domain by parliament to protect it from development, Qala’s mayor has argued.
“We are requesting that all the parties go to parliament and pass a resolution so Ħondoq be declared public domain, with all the protection that goes with public domain,” Buttigieg said in a statement on Saturday.
“Local plans can be changed for environmental and social purposes - and the protection of Hondoq is a perfect example of changing a local plan for environmental, social and community reasons,” the mayor argued.
The idyllic Gozitan coastal area has been eyed by developers for well over a decade, with repeated attempts to build hotels, apartments and a marina there being stopped at every turn.
Activists have been demanding environmental protection for Ħondoq for years.
Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri has said he is against developing the area while the Nationalist Party has said that it would buy back land in the area to turn it into a national park if it were in government.
A public domain act passed through parliament in 2016 included Ħondoq as one of the locations proposed for protection, following a proposal to that effect by NGO Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar. But that law has languished in obscurity and remains unused, five years on.
Qala mayor Buttigieg said that seeing as all political parties had said they wanted Ħondoq to be protected, they should now put their words into action.
“No more delaying tactics, but the implementation of a plan to protect Hondoq, and fulfil the wishes of 1000’s of people, including 85% of Qalin who voted against the development of this jewel,” he said, in a reference to a 2002 referendum in which Qala residents voted.
Buttigieg had a clear message for MPs.
“Go to parliament and change the local plan - the same as you did in recent years when you changed property heights to be higher in Dingli; when you changed the local plan for Ta’ Qali which became a zone for commercial purposes with higher height limitations; and also when Ħal Ferħ became a residential zone instead of a tourist zone.”
“Even the European Courts concluded that local plans can be changed without need for compensation. Take this step so we will know for sure who is listening to us and who genuinely has the environment at heart,” Buttigieg said.