Space
In addition to the excellent exposition by Alex Torpiano on the obscenities that the Planning Authority is now hellbent on imposing on the citizens of formerly picturesque St Julian’s (‘The farce has to stop’, November 14), I would only add one thing. Everything that the PA does shows its total ignorance of what is meant by ‘space’.
Space is a thousand things all put together by the Lord for us to enjoy. Among other things, these are: views - close, from afar and from wherever; breathing good, clean air; room for the works of nature: trees, shrubs, running waters; room for health enhancement - walking, jogging, socialising, simple resting.
Increasingly, the planning regulator continues to show that it is in the tight strangling grip of powerful lobbies and that it will continue not to accept to follow a policy whereby the size and operations of the building and construction sector must absolutely be reduced from one year to the next in a country that is 17 miles long.
John Consiglio – Birkirkara
Bad deal for Gozo
The fast-ferry tender has become a saga much like a soap opera. It seems there is some hidden hand pushing one way resulting in proven carrier experts in the field being denied the job. That’s why I propose a liberalisation of the transport between Malta and Gozo and with different starting points and destinations.
A tunnel with one lane each way is a no-no for Gozo. Would it not be better for the billion euros it will cost to be spent on the sustainable development of the economy in Gozo?
Air transport connecting the islands has evaporated into thin air and we have long been denied a public swimming pool. It seems to have got stuck somewhere, like the fast ferry. Now we are even being denied the sports complex.
Also, it is obscene to build a primary school on the grounds of an existing secondary school. The open spaces where students can have their break have been restricted and the middle school has become surrounded by two construction sites. In Malta, it is OK to take an adequate area to build a school but, in Gozo, we had to ruin the middle school.
The perched villages are becoming ugly with industrious people building high rises on the ridges and Racecourse Street, in Nadur is still a disaster. With time, it got worse and now it is becoming better because the broken surface has a way of becoming even with time.
Maybe part of the blame should be put squarely on the Gozitans themselves. They do not speak out as much as the Maltese do.
They are happy with concessions in hunting and bird trapping and getting jobs with the government and they hail as benefactors the very same people who are impoverishing Gozo.
It was said that silence is golden but there is time to be prudent and there is time to be assertive. Otherwise, Gozo will become degraded and our open spaces and what is left of its natural habit will disappear forever.
Joe Portelli – Nadur
Letters to the editor should be sent to editor@timesofmalta.com. Please include your full name, address and ID card number. The editor may disclose personal information to any person or entity seeking legal action on the basis of a published letter.