MDA on use of quarries to dump construction waste

The Malta Developers Association refers to the statement by the Minister for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change José Herrera on Government’s intention to take the harsh measure to expropriate privately owned quarries for the dumping of construction waste.

The MDA appreciates that there has been no direct Government interference on the dumping of this waste for a very long time. Today the country faces a crisis because it is getting harder and harder to dispose of this waste since few sites remain to address this problem.

While the MDA needs to address the very serious problem building contractors and developers are facing, with the situation having degenerated to the extreme that workers are being left idle, the majority of quarry owners are also MDA members. The Association intends to consult all its members before it presents its way forward to Government.

The MDA believes that the decision Government intends to take should be one that respects and safeguards also the rights of the quarry owners, while one has to understand the technical problems and their limitations. Above all, this action cannot be the right solution to this problem because it is only a temporary one and not a long-term solution.

Therefore, the MDA trusts a solution will be found that needs to be of benefit to the country without allowing the quarry owners to bear an unnecessary burden since they surely did not create this problem themselves.

22 March, 2017

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L-MDA dwar l-użu ta’ barrieri għar-rimi ta’ skart

Il-Malta Developers Association (MDA) tirreferi għall-istqarrija tal-Ministru għall-Iżvilupp Sostenibbli, l-Ambjent u t-Tibdil fil-Klima José Herrera dwar l-intenzjoni tiegħu li l-Gvern jieħu l-miżura ħarxa li jesproprija barrieri tal-privat biex dawn jintużaw għar-rimi ta’ skart tal-kostruzzjoni u tad-demolizzjoni ta’ bini.

L-MDA tapprezza li r-rimi ta’ dan l-iskart tħalla għal żmien twil isir mingħajr indħil dirett tal-Gvern. Illum il-pajjiż qiegħed jiffaċċja kriżi għax ir-rimi ta’ dan l-iskart qed isir dejjem aktar diffiċli għaliex ftit fadal postijiet fejn dan jista’ jsir.

Filwaqt li l-MDA għandha bżonn tindirizza din il-problema serjissima li l-kuntratturi u l-iżviluppaturi qed jiffaċċjaw, peress li s-sitwazzjoni diġenerat għall-estrem li l-ħaddiema qegħdin jitħallew iħarsu, il-biċċa kbira tas-sidien tal-barrieri huma wkoll membri tal-MDA. L-Asoċċjazzjoni beħsiebha tikkonsulta lill-membri kollha qabel ma tippreżenta s-soluzzjonijiet tagħha lill-Gvern.

L-MDA temmen li d-deċiżjoni li beħsiebu jieħu l-Gvern għandha tkun waħda li tirrispetta u tissalvagwardja d-drittijiet tas-sidien tal-barrieri, filwaqt li wieħed għandu jifhem il-problemi tekniċi u l-limitazzjonijiet tagħhom. Fuq kollox, din l-azzjoni ma tistax tkun soluzzjoni tassew tal-problema u hi biss waħda temporanja u mhux waħda fit-tul.

Għaldaqstant l-MDA tawgura li tinstab soluzzjoni li tkun ta’ benefiċċu għall-pajjiż mingħajr ma s-sidien tal-barrieri ma jkollhom jerfgħu piż żejjed minħabba problema li żgur ma ħolquhiex huma.

22 ta’ Marzu 2017