Labour adopt updated environmental policy

The Labour Party yesterday adopted an updated environmental policy document which leader Alfred Sant said demonstrated direction and leadership.

The document was adopted unanimously by party delegates at the end of a two-day extraordinary general conference.

Closing the conference yesterday, Dr Sant said what the MLP was proposing would be implemented when in government. However, doing so did not only depend on the government but also on each and everyone's ability as a people to come up with an alliance able to face the environmental crisis. This crisis would first be weakened and then eliminated, he added.

Dr Sant said the prevailing environmental crisis was reflected in the people's health and a sick society could never be a free society that lived peacefully.

He said asthma had reached worrying levels, incidence of eczema had risen and there had also been suggestions on the possibility of more cases of cancer due to environmental reasons.

Dr Sant spoke of the need to generate more work and fresh opportunities. A Labour government would not deter economic growth but this could not take place at the expense of environmental decay. The right balance had to be struck.

He said a national effort had to be made in order to keep the problem of waste in check and so solve the pollution problem. Thus, the MLP in government would solve the Maghtab and Qortin problems as it would also successfully address the roads problem.

A Labour government would insist on the enforcement of regulations and the state would take all necessary measures against those not observing such regulations. There was space for everyone and the MLP would not accept a division between environmentalists and hunters and trappers or between the small self-employed and residents.

In contrast, Dr Sant said, the Nationalist government had given up on drawing up a strategy for the environment. The deal struck by the government with the European Union did not reflect the country's needs and the results would be huge bills without the problems being solved.

Dr Sant pledged that a Labour government would operate on the lines of a partnership with all those demonstrating goodwill. "Those not against us are with us and those with us will receive what they deserve," he said.

He said two party groups were working on proposals to boost the fight against drugs and to take the country out of the economic stagnation it was in.