If you look at the range on GoogleEarth, you can clearly see the location of houses in various directions of the range firing point and some of them are very close.

If you don’t like this example, Google some other ranges in Europe and look at other examples.

It seems (again) as though everyone is more interested in knocking everyone’s ideas down, rather than asking the right questions and seeking access to factual information.

Another airport – still comes up every now and then.
An airport in Gozo – ditto.
Another cruise liner terminal – Labour’s doing it.
Another golf course – never went away.
A Formula 1 racing track – Fortunately PN never got round to that one.
A studio where bands can rehearse – Good intentions and all that, but stupid.
Another shooting range – Labour’s doing it.

So it’s basically down to lobbyists throwing money at the government.

I can’t see a single item there that Malta needs, as opposed to the businessmen running the thing.

Malta is tiny and overcrowded. There’s plenty of things it needs (like nice big solar panels everywhere, and an offshore wind farm). But of course it has to be about immediate baksheesh and massive “events” – yes, there’s an international shooting competition being dangled like a carrot before the government.

But hey, I suppose we must be grateful to our Harmonious and Honourable Government for 200 metres of cycling lane.

For starters we have one at Maghtab, another at Bidnija. Qalet Marku has been used as a range. Shooting ranges take other forms as well and are not limited to sports.

Pembroke has a military range. They have just upped the ante. People are not happy with the increased disturbance in the area.

You should ask the hunters of San Umbertu where they practise.

All in all this site is not suited for the intended purpose as it has a very negative impact on all other activities in the area. That is why it should not be built there.

Other people’s “hobbies” impinge on many other’s quiet moments.

And that’s apart from the fact that we are depleting this small island of the necessary natural areas that are the breath of life.

From the airport restaurant on the third floor just by looking at the runway you can tell where the British had their quarters – trees abound, but where we Maltese abide stone abounds.

1. Mount St Joseph is not only a place of silence and meditation. During family retreats or major seminars the gardens and neighbouring fields are full of scores of children playing and exploring.

The field immediately in front of the main building is transformed into a football pitch with the very young ones (3-4yr olds) running after butterflies or trying to join in with the older children.

The garden is a safe haven where children can be children like we used to be.

2. Why are shooters defending this location, what difference is it if they have to drive to Mosta or somewhere else?

Has anyone threatened you with something like “Jew issir hemm, jew ma ssirx?”

3. Why does the Mosta Local Council need to listen to the residents before taking a decision about ODZ development? Need we explain what ODZ means?

4. The mayor pointed out at the beginning of the meeting that he welcomed projects of this nature and even saw fit to compare this defiling of golden fields to the rehabilitation of two derelict sites within industrial zones in Mosta.

Both these two developments will be directly beneficial to the residents in and around Mosta. The shooting range will not, it takes away pristine fields and replaces them with a no-go zone.

No, Bidnija is not below Mount St Joseph. It’s on the parallel ridge.

And I went there (24 years ago) to escape the pollution in Sliema. You could have done the same instead of bitching.

It’s an act of opposition and a campaign. Hence, it is political.