Missing the bus

But why is it that as soon as there is general agreement that certain ingrained, currently being applied policies and actions need to change, out comes someone who sees and promulgates ideas that so clearly show misunderstanding of what needs to be changed, and how?

Pamela Cann Rodgers (October 19), arguing against the concept that numbers need to come down so we can maintain, indeed introduce, quality in much of our main economic activities, like tourism, clearly shows that she has a poor assessment of what real sustainability is.

Firstly, sustainability does not exclude stopping, immediately or gradually, or changing the direction of a policy. To simply say: “No to more permits for more hotels or holiday apartments” does not mean that those already here will have to stop their operations and close down. They are here, can continue to remain so and will only be permitted to expand or invest in more of the same if they tangibly show recurring 100% capacity usage with enhanced rates and higher profits.

Same goes for building and construction. Enforcing moratoria on more building in places like Sliema, St Julian’s, St Paul’s Bay and elsewhere in both Malta and Gozo does not mean all contractors will have to close down. Without permits being issued for even more apartments and demolishing existing buildings, contractors can still be engaged in other types of works in Malta and Gozo. (Someone once jokingly said that redoing completely the streets and pavements of the whole of the island is a task that can fully occupy them for a whole decade.)

Construction in Sliema.

Same for imported workers. Putting a definite stop to more TCNs but first conducting a thorough study and assessment of the needs in the health, catering, public cleansing, and hospitality sectors should not be an impossible task.

Yes, quality now absolutely needs to dethrone quantity in Maltese policymaking. Any doubters who have not yet understood that the word sustainability also includes “knowing where to stop and change” has simply missed the concept.

John Consiglio – Birkirkara

Water shortage

Due to climate change, it is predicted that the Maltese islands will experience decreasing rainfall in the coming years, with consequent increasing desertification.

What are we, the government and the people, planning to avert such a catastrophe?

Carmel Sciberras – Naxxar