Hands off agricultural land

In the space of a few weeks, Times of Malta – always very sharp and conscious of this country’s old, present and future social, economic and political problems – featured a number of items about the serious problem of land space and utilisation and the seriously related agricultural problems that Malta is facing.

Two academic dons from MCAST, a formal leader in this paper about the real current land use emergency (July 20), strong objections to fresh attempts to build on Għargħur farmland and a host of other examples where agricultural land is being moved into development plans of various sorts, all of this should make our whole people to wake up to what is really happening.

Agricultural land must remain agricultural land. File photo: Times of Malta

Ever decreasing local production of agricultural products is surely sourced in the fact that ever more land in Malta is being lost to so-called ‘development’. And the simple question immediately arises: if (and it is a big ‘if’) the Planning Authority regularly reviews and changes its policies according to national realities, then what is holding it from immediately announcing that, henceforth, all land which now or, say, for the past 10 years, has been utilised for agricultural purposes cannot – even after whatever form of legal sale or transfer – be used for any sort of development. In simple terms, agricultural land must remain agricultural land.

By having such a nationally announced policy, much of the present disastrous trend can possibly start to be reversed. It will become attractive for young entrepreneurial farmers to engage, once again, in fruit and cereals production, in animal husbandry, in short, producing annually more, not less, food for the people of this country.

Not to accept this is to continue to condemn Malta to becoming ever more and more dependent for its livelihood on foreigners.

John Consiglio – Birkirkara

Valletta’s despoliation

My family and I have happy memories of an enjoyable holiday in Malta and Gozo in July 1996, staying at the Hotel Imperial, Sliema. When our young daughter felt unwell and shivery (despite the temperature), the manager kindly provided a comforting hot-water bottle.

My late father had disembarked at Valletta when serving with the Royal Navy during World War II and sometimes talked to me of his recollections.

I was saddened, therefore, to read Francis Vassallo’s heartfelt lament for the despoliation of Valletta’s distinctive bay-windowed properties by ugly cement blocks and uncontrolled loud music blaring in restaurants.

Another example of Hutber’s Law: improvement means deterioration.

I wonder, do Maltese women still wear faldettas? 

Duncan McAra – East Dunbartonshire, Scotland