Marco Cremona, Mosta.
Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech is on
record saying that "it is fair to say that today we know a lot more
about the environmental impacts of golf and we can be more comfortable
in the belief that, by and large, golf courses are environmentally
beneficial" (September 29).
Dr Zammit Dimech must have missed the very
relevant fact that the only golf course proposal to have been studied
in detail to date (the Verdala golf course) was rejected on
environmental grounds! And considering that this strong statement came
from an ex-environment minister, one wonders what the honourable
gentleman has learnt in the years he spent in that office.
Alas, the country's dismal environmental record
speaks for itself. One also questions the scope for carrying out costly
EIA studies when the tourism minister (i.e. the developer) is
predicting the outcome. So much for an impartial assessment.
The minister also declared that the site at
Ix-Xaghra l-Hamra "is large enough to accommodate a good quality golf
course while at the same time excluding any important ecological or
cultural heritage sites and, as far as possible, agricultural land".
Wrong again! Seventy per cent of the site chosen by the Malta
Environment and Planning Authority (sic) overlies the Mizieb aquifer
that has been designated as a drinking water protected area by virtue
of the EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC).
In other words, this area is simply unavailable
for the development of a golf course. This resource is now under the
direct protection of the EU Commission, beyond the grasp of
unappreciating local politicians.
How this very obvious fact was overlooked by the
experts at Mepa and the EIA consultants is simply beyond belief. The 60
hectares of land required for a quality golf course are now no longer
available. It's that simple. And this without mentioning the need for
the golf course to go around the cart ruts, the punic catacombs, the
ecologically sensitive areas, kilometres of rubble walls protected by
law and funded by EU money, good quality agricultural land, the boy
scouts premises, etc.
At best there may be enough space for a
five-a-side soccer pitch; certainly not for a championship class golf
course. Any guesses for the estimated tourist arrival figures for an
additional five-a-side football pitch in Malta? Or do we need three of
them to make them viable?
But the highlight in Dr Zammit Dimech's speech
must be the fact that he said that "there could be no better argument
in favour of additional golf courses in Malta than the fact that both
the PN and the MLP agree to such a development". Wrong again. Within
minutes of Dr Zammit Dimech's very scientific argument in favour of
golf, the Labour shadow-minister for tourism, Evarist Bartolo expressed
his serious concerns on the viability of golf courses in Malta.
Furthermore, if Dr Zammit Dimech is presenting this "PN-MLP consensus
hypothesis" as the main argument in favour of golf, then the battle
against the golf myth is as good as won.
Golf apart, Dr Zammit Dimech's statement smacks
of political arrogance at its very best (or worst). It sends an aura of
our political leaders' infallibility that not even the Pope would feel
comfortable with. The statement sends the following message: How can
anybody question our political leaders' divine opinions?
I think it's about time that we drag some members
of the political class from their pedestals and bring them down to the
real world. Removing the golf myth from the country's agenda would
certainly be a step in the right direction. A cabinet reshuffle would
be a good follow-up.
• Up • Elephants • The Myth • Garigue in Malta • Not Viable • Golf Logic • The Debate • Med Flora • Sacrifice • Who Pays? • Broken Promises • Building Starts • Suspicious • Wide Angle Alternatives • Good for the syndicate • Constitutional right to enjoyment of environment • Talking Point • Asking the right questions • Golfcourse Blues • A sign of things to come • Protect our open spaces •
