Dingli trees and ERA
I refer to Alfred Baldacchino’s gratuitous assessment of ERA’s performance in tree management, especially with respect to Dingli trees, which appeared in the Times of Malta (April 10).
I am writing the following in my own personal capacity and not representing ERA in anyway. A technical reply from ERA should be appearing too. However, I feel duty-bound to make a number of points, since he singled me out for his treatment, as chairperson of ERA.
It may come as a surprise to the gentleman but I am equally pained by the loss of a single tree, wherever it may occur, especially in this country of ours where the sprawling concrete is spreading like cancer. However, I am also pained, though not surprised, when efforts to protect nature go beyond facts and have to resort to fake facts.
I will here limit myself to two points raised in the article.
ERA board minutes of the meeting held on October 10 are quoted by two sentences taken out of context and then the article continues to reach wrong conclusions such as: “ERA feels that the Dingli trees are not part of an ecosystem”. Rubbish.
For the benefit of true ‘fact-checkers’, I am here quoting the whole part of the minute:
“CEO discussed the fact that a schemed road does not require a planning permit and, hence, consultation with ERA (which is consulted during the PA process) has not occurred. The contractor submits a road works permit to the Transport Malta and ERA’s feedback is given accordingly. This feedback has been forwarded and no interventions were executed to date on these trees. Deputy chairperson suggested that such permissions ought to be assembled in a holistic process. While chairperson agreed with this suggestion, one should only be limited to ERA’s responsibility so far.”
In simple words, while the board was showing its concern that applications for tree interventions should be assessed in a comprehensive manner, I was agreeing to this, but stating the obvious: that is, in doing so, ERA has to stick to its regulatory role as determined by law. By no stretch of imagination can an unbiased commentator reach the conclusion of this gentleman.
Among other things, he also states that: “During 2019-2020, ERA granted Infrastructure Malta 843 permits for the removal of trees, some of which were centenarians”.
Nonsense. The facts: during 2019-2000, ERA decided 30 permits submitted by IM involving trees. These involved uprooting of 704 trees, transplanting of 369 trees, pruning of 281 trees and compensatory planting of 4,944 trees. No centenarian trees were removed as part of the works approved through these permits.
Incidentally, during this period, a number of regulatory actions were taken and administrative fines were issued related to tree interventions to the same operator. But these facts are considered unimportant by this gentleman because they do not fit his dismal view of the authority.
I do not need to continue any further. So much for information and fair comment versus misinformation.
Victor Axiak – Tarxien
Island under threat
Unless something is done with immediate effect, the sad fate that Sliema has endured will spread to every town and village in Malta and Gozo.
The crane, that portent of destruction, is now also ubiquitous in Gozo. Furthermore, a threat to the Ġgantija temple’s integrity is on the horizon. If that application sees the light of day it will put into jeopardy a World Heritage Site dating back to 5,620 BC. Most readers recall the horror and outrage worldwide at the blowing up of the Bamiyan Buddhas, which had survived for 1,500 years until a single monstrous act by the Taliban reduced them to rubble.
When Sliema, a 19th century seaside resort with streets named after British governors and Russian aristocrats came under direct attack in the 1980s, the integrity of our architectural patrimony was seriously compromised.
The 19th century Maltese architects, engineers, craftsmen and stonemasons who designed and built the houses and mansions on Sliema’s iconic coast must have turned in their graves as their life work was demolished. Quality buildings in the neo-classical style which graced Tower Road as well as art nouveau and art deco buildings were demolished.
Rows of terraced Georgian and Victorian houses were pulled down to make way for unremarkable cement blocks of flats that haven’t even weathered well. In less than a decade, Sliema’s fate was sealed. In no time at all, fine examples of Malta’s 19th century and early 20th century architecture were wiped off the map and it wasn’t just Tower Road that suffered this cataclysm.
Sadly, the list is endless and bitter tears of regret should be shed at the devastation. Judging by what is going on we will never learn as the rate of disfigurement is now a daily assault all over.
The terrible fate that Sliema endured has become the norm. Even if this senseless destruction of our built-up patrimony is challenged and stopped for good the damage done to Malta is already irredeemable.
Madeleine Gera – Valletta
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