Wish you weren't there

I never knew that George Pullicino, Minister of Rural Affairs and the Environment, has turned his ministry into a travel agency. The title of his article published on January 16, Wish You Were There, set me reminiscing about the old days spent in Yorkshire, England often being pestered by a stocky old fellow trying to earn a few bob - shillings - selling "wish you were here" postcards and other meaningless items. The locals used to call him Humpty Dumpty for the way he used to bounce about chasing and pestering his prey, who were generally tourists to the area.

Now the scenario with Mr Pullicino vis-à-vis the Sant'Antnin plant is about to enter a new phase − that of intensive fallacious propaganda paid for by public funds. The minister, accompanied by his leader, invited us to witness the transformation of Sant'Antnin Valley. Like most valleys in Malta which are protected, this one in particular − known as Wied Iz-Ziju − is listed as a conservation area.

I wonder what Saint Anthony is thinking looking down at this valley, facing a four-storey high shed 100 metres long with three gigantic tanks producing and storing biogas with chimney flares like candles in the wind profaning his chapel.

Was there any need for Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to exaggerate his amazement and look in marvel as if staring at the eighth wonder of the world when from his kitchen window he followed what is now the total destruction of what was once a beautiful natural valley?

Mr Pullicino beckoned us residents to pay tribute to WasteServ and Mepa for manipulating the whole process, vitiating the site selection exercise and shoving environmental health hazards on Marsascala residents' heads. If he wanted to be honest and transparent with his boss and his entourage during that visit, instead of showing the "before and after" photos of the Sant'Antnin plant he should have displayed, for all to see, the 21-page blocked investigation report commissioned by the Mepa Audit Office.

Here it is worth mentioning that two years have passed since the idea of the "family park" was launched by WasteServ and Minister Pullicino, but since then nothing has transpired. No doubt that was a big ploy to deceive us residents before the 2006 council elections. Now we learn from the horse's mouth that both the family park and the other alternative site locations for the remaining three recycling plants will have to wait until after the general elections. Very convenient indeed!

I urge Mr Pullicino to invite our neighbours from Naples to come and sample an espresso and a cornetto in our fabulous state-of-the-art recycling plant but at the same time I advise him to take a look at the example of his Italian colleague Clemente Mastella who stepped down as Justice Minister at the hint of Mrs Mastella's involvement in a magisterial inquiry. The person responsible behind the promotion of Mepa's deputy chairman should follow suit.

Alas, what is making me wonder is Marsascala's local council reaction to Mr Pullicino's open day invitation. Organising coffee mornings with top notch entertainment, exclusive fashion shows with rowdy line dancing, all to follow in the coming weeks as part of a vast venue campaign to distract our attention of what's in store for us the Marsascala residents. Honestly, I do not wish anyone to be there − especially in summer − when all the rubbish trucks start emptying their unpleasant loads of household, restaurant and hotel goodies.