When Moviment Graffitti activists marched in protest against construction mania, they beat their drums right up to the Malta Development Association’s doorstep.
Their battle, though, is not against the all-powerful lobby group or its garrulous leader Sandro Chetcuti, its members would have you believe.
“We marched there because they represent Malta’s development sector,” author-turned-activist Wayne Flask tells #TimesTalk. “We are against excessive construction. Excess is bad in all its forms – excessive food, excessive speed, and excessive construction, too”.
The group’s call to arms drew several hundreds to the streets of Guardamangia last week – but it was far from the thousands who seem to belch complaints onto social media every day.
Mr Flask, though, sees things differently.
“I didn’t expect as many people to show up,” he says. “Malta does not have much of a protest culture”.
Would the protest have drawn a bigger or smaller crowd had it been directed towards the government?
“I couldn’t say”.
Mr Flask is slightly less coy when asked what he would do if he owned a vacant plot of land. Would he rush to build it, much like the people he often takes issue with?
“I don’t have a vacant plot. But if I did, I would probably build something which doesn’t stretch to five floors or whatever the law permits. That’s a problem we have – people build as much as they’re allowed to, without consideration for their surroundings."
Wayne Flask on....
A court decision to annul db Group's Pembroke permit
“It could be (a temporary victory). But without the help of residents and citizens who crowdfunded our appeal, it would never have been possible. We know, though, that we won the battle rather than the war."
Oversupply of property
"Individuals stand to lose the most. I would hope large-scale developers building giant towers will have done their homework. Otherwise they’ll end up having made Malta ugly with little to show for it."
Moviment Graffitti’s image
"We’re still outcasts. Our ideology leans left, but it is our message which is the most important thing – and it has remained more consistent than that of any political party."