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Alternative vision for urban development and transport projects put forward by environmental NGOs

We are a group of environmental NGOs, voluntary organisations and active citizens who wish to voice our concerns in unison and feel the urgent need to put forward an alternative vision to the way urban development and transport projects are being planned and executed. We believe piecemeal projects such as the Kappara Junction, Marsa Junction, and the Central Link Project, are not providing true sustainable solutions to the transport situation in Malta. These projects have a major impact on our health and environment through the removal of trees and the uptake of agricultural land. The story continues on the roads around Addolorata cemetery, at Triq Tat-Tabija and Triq Għeriexem in Rabat and Ġnien Duminku Mintoff in Paola, to name a few projects in the pipeline.

We demand that priority is given by the Government to the well-being and health of our communities. Public money needs to be invested in reducing pollution, increasing nature and greenery in urban areas and sustaining quality of life. Our vision is for a future which promotes and safeguards human well-being and protects the natural processes that support biodiversity, to ensure we can look forward to a liveable, healthy, safe and equitable future for our community

Our Demands:

1. Community needs and well-being should underpin any decisions taken for our country.
2. We need an integrated, holistic approach to planning that is truly based on the principles of sustainability and public participation, at every level of governance
3. Transport networks must be designed around the needs of people, not cars.
4. We need a strategic plan for the development of Malta’s infrastructure, not a piecemeal approach.
5. Nature and native trees should be cherished and protected. We desperately need more trees, green infrastructure and open spaces in our congested residential areas.
6. Our agricultural land, agricultural produce and rural environment should be valued and protected.

The Joint Statement is being supported by the following organisations: ACT, Attard Residents Environmental Network, Bicycle Advocacy Group, BirdLife Malta, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth Malta, ‘Grow 10 Trees’ project, Għaqda Siġar Maltin, Kamp Emerġenza Ambjent, Malta Clean Up, Moviment Graffitti and Nature Trust Malta.

We invite all citizens to join us in a peaceful, non-partisan demonstration on Saturday 30 June at 18:00 at City Gate, Valletta. Please bring banners and pictures with wishes and demands for a positive, sustainable future. The event can be found on Facebook as ‘Demonstration for Malta’s Environment’.

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Viżjoni alternattiva għall-iżvillup urban u proġetti tat-trasport

Bħala numru ta’ għaqdiet mhux governattivi (NGOs), organizzazzjonijiet volontarji u ċittadini attivi nixtiequ nsemmgħu leħinna dwar l-iżvilupp tat-toroq u infrastruttura tagħna. Nemmnu li proġetti kbar bħal dawk ta’ Kappara, Marsa u Central Link, mhumiex jipprovdu soluzzjonijiet vera għat-trasport f’Malta. Dawn il-proġetti għandhom impatti kbar fuq is-saħħa u l-għixien tajjeb tagħna kif ukoll fuq l-ambjent, minħabba t-telf ta’ art agrikola u t-tneħħija ta’ siġar. Biex insemmu ftit iktar proġetti minbarra l-proġetti msemmija hawn fuq, l-istorja tat-telf ta’ siġar u art agrikola tkompli fuq it-toroq ta’ l-Addolorata; Triq tat-Tabija u Triq l-Għeriexem fir-Rabat, kif ukoll Ġnien Duminku Mintoff f’Raħal Ġdid.

Qegħdin nitolbu li l-gvern jagħti prijorita’, l-ewwel u qabel kollox, lill-għixien tajjeb tagħna. Investiment pubbliku bħal dan għandu jsir bi skop li jnaqqas it-tniġġis fl-arja, li tiżdied in-natura u l-biodiversita’ urbana u li ntejbu l-kwalita’ tal-ħajja. Il-viżjoni għall-futur tagħna hija waħda li tiżgura ambjent b’saħħtu u li tipproteġi l-proċessi naturali li jsostnu l-biodiversita’ u l-ekwita’ li huma kruċjali għall-kwalita’ ta’ ħajja tajba għalina u d-dixxendenti tagħna.

It-Talbiet Tagħna:

1. Il-bżonnijiet tal-komunitajiet għandom jiddefinixxu kwalunkwe deċiżjoni li tittieħed f’pajjiżna.
2. Hemm bżonn ta’ integrazzjoni fil-proċessi tal-ippjanar strateġiċi għal pajjiżna ibbażati fuq il-prinċipji ta’ sostenibbilta’ u parteċipazzjoni pubblika, f’kull livell ta’ governanza.
3. Is-sistemi u netwerks tat-trasport għandhom jiġu disinjati madwar il-bżonnijiet tan-nies u mhux tal-karozzi.
4. Hemm bżonn ta’ pjan strateġiku għall-iżvillup ta’ l-infrastruttura, fejn il-proġetti kbar kollha jiġu mħabbra f’daqqa u mhux parzjalment.
5. Siġar kbar u indiġeni għandom jiġu protetti. Hemm bżonn ta’ iktar siġar, u infrastruttura ambjentali fiż-żoni residenzjali tagħna.
6. L-art agrikola u żoni rurali għandhom jiġu stmati u protetti kif jistħoqqilhom.

L-istqarrija qiegħda tiġi appoġġjata minn dawn l-organizzazjonijiet: ACT, Attard Residents Environmental Network, Bicycle Advocacy Group, BirdLife Malta, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth Malta, ‘Grow 10 Trees’ project, Għaqda Siġar Maltin, Kamp Emerġenza Ambjent, Malta Clean Up, Moviment Graffitti u Nature Trust Malta.

Qegħdin ukoll nistiednu liċ-ċittadini kollha għal dimostrazzjoni paċifika u mhux partiġġjana nhar is-Sibt 30 ta’ Ġunju fit-18:00, Bieb il-Belt, Valletta. Nħeġġu lill-pubbliku jġib xi banners jew stampi li jirriflettu t-talbiet tagħna. Tistgħu ssibu dan l-avveniment fuq Facebook bħala ‘Demonstration for Malta’s Environment’.

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