The Malta Developers Association and Front Ħarsien ODŻ held their first official meeting today at Palazzo Capua, Sliema.
The two bodies shared common ground on a number of issues and, according to MDA President Sandro Chetcuti, it was important for the two to work together in these areas as being pro-business and pro-environment.
Dr Michael Briguglio said in his intervention that land reclamation should only be resorted to when it was a national priority. The Paceville Master Plan must be seen within the context of a national master plan because Paceville is connected to other parts of the country and has an effect on them.
He appealed to government and the Planning Authority to publish correspondence because the Front is not against planned, sustainable development. On the new local plans that included ODŻ land, Dr Briguglio said this should not be used as a tool to win votes and called for more urban regeneration, especially in run-down areas of the country.
Mr Chetcuti urged for the environment and development not to be politicised any more. “We have many things in common and have always been against development in ODŻ, especially on pristine land in our countryside. The ODŻ policy was enacted in a good spirit and had lessened abuse but there is more that needs to be done to close loopholes,” he said.
He called on the Front’s support where the extension of existing quarries and the adoption of renewable energy policies are concerned. On land reclamation, Mr Chetcuti agreed with Dr Briguglio that these must be of national importance where there was long-term job creation and only for projects intended to attract foreign investment.
On the Paceville Master Plan, he said the mda has commissioned an expert study which it is submitting to the authorities as part of the public consultation.
The two bodies agreed to set up a working group to agree on common grounds to suggest the way forward for certain policies.
31 October, 2016
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L-MDA u l- Front Ħarsien ODŻ jiltaqgħu uffiċjalment għall-ewwel darba
Il-Malta Developers Association (MDA) u l-Front Ħarsien ODŻ iltaqgħu uffiċjalment għall-ewwel darba illum f’Palazzo Capua, tas-Sliema.
Iż-żewġ għaqdiet qablu fuq numru ta’ affarijiet u, skont il-President tal-MDA Sandro Chetcuti, kien importanti li t-tnejn jaħdmu flimkien f-dawn l-oqsma li huma pro-business u favur l-ambjent.
Dr Michael Briguglio qal fl-intervent tiegħu li r-reklamazzjoni tal-art għandha ssir biss meta hija prijorità nazzjonali. Il-Master Plan ta’ Paceville għandha tiġi kkunsidrata fl-isfond ta’ master plan nazzjonali għaliex Paceville tmiss ma’ partijiet oħra tal-pajjiż u għandha effett fuqhom.
Appella lill-gvern u l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar biex jippubblikaw il-korrispondenza li rċevew fuq dan is-suġġett għaliex il-Front mhuwiex kontra żvilupp ippjanat u sostenibbli. Fuq il-pjanijiet lokali ġodda li jinkludu art f’ODŻ, Dr Briguglio qal li dan m’għandux jiġi użat bħala għodda biex jirbaħ il-voti u sejjaħ għal riġenerazzjoni urbana, speċjalment f’dawk il-partijiet mitluqa tal-pajjiż.
Is-Sur Chetcuti ħeġġeġ li l-ambjent u l-iżvilupp m’għandhomx ikunu politiċizzati iżjed. “Għandna ħafna affarijiet in komuni u dejjem konna kontra l-iżvilupp f’ODŻ, speċjalment ta’ art verġni fil-kampanja tagħna. Il-policy tal-ODŻ saret b’intenzjonijiet tajbin u naqas l-abbuż iżda hemm iżjed xi jsir biex wieħed jagħlaq il-lakuni,” hu qal.
Talab l-appoġġ tal-Front fejn tidħol l-estensjoni tal-barrieri u fejn jidħlu policies fuq enerġija rinnovabbli. Fuq ir-riklamazzjoni tal-art, is-Sur Chetcuti qabel ma’ Dr Briguglio li dan għandu jsir fejn tidħol l-importanza nazzjonali biex jinħolqu impjiegi fit-tul u f’proġetti li jinvolvu investiment barrani.
Fuq il-Master Plan ta’ Paceville, qal li l-MDA ikkummissjonat studju minn esperti li ser jiġi sottomess bil-miktub lill-awtoritajiet bħala parti mill-konsultazzjoni pubblika.
Iż-żewġ għaqdiet qabli li jiffurmaw working group biex jaqblu fuq affarijiet li għandhom in komuni biex jissuġġerixxu l-mod kif għandhom jimxu ’l quddiem fuq ċertu policies.
31 ta’ Ottubru, 2016