Compare this castrated statement to the marches, demos, megaphones, placards and chants in the rain of ‘Let’s give peace a chance’
The Malta Independent reports on Fondazzjoni Ghall-Ambjent Ahjar’s reaction to the announcement that the MEPA will allow all hotels in ‘tourist’ areas (are there any others?) to build an additional two storeys:
FAA concerned on particular areas
Flimkien Għall-Ambjent Aħjar has always been supportive of initiatives that promote tourism and job creation. However, it is concerned on the policy’s inclusion of places like Marsaxlokk and Gozo which are not yet ruined by commercialisation, said FAA spokesperson Astrid Vella, when contacted.
FAA’s issue is that the building of hotels taller than their surroundings would undermine the very appeal of these areas.
It calls again for the focus of Malta’s touristic policy to be on cultural, rather than mass tourism, promoting boutique hotels and quality tourism.
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How, I wonder, does Astrid Vella think that this lot knows the difference between boutique hotels and those catering for “fish and chip” tourists?
I see Miriam Cremona got the iced bun, rather than Astrid. I love it how Dennis Montebello is her Chairman.
I never expected anything else from Astrid Vella and her sidekicks. What we need is a new generation of environmentalists to start afresh.
Then join Din l-Art Helwa.
I’m not exactly a new generation.
Just imagine in Mellieha alone , all these hotels adding 2 levels
Sea bank
Mellieha Bay
Riviera
Ramla Bay
Paradise Bay
Maritim
Pergola
Solana
Selmun Palace
And Mellieha Holiday centre (Danish Village) ?
And what about Radisson Golden Bay, does it qualify as well ?
WAHOAAAA .
Then rename Triq Gorg Borg Olivier , Astrid Vella, to honour all the switchers
To add insult to injury Solana hotel, Maritim and Pergola are built in the valley and have already ruined this natural beauty and blocked the view for thousands of residents.
The owner of Maritim, who is business partner with the unofficial acting CEO of MEPA, has a pending application for adding more floors. Do you think this is a coincidence?
Who is the unofficial acting CEO of MEPA?
Just what I was thinking.
There is no such thing as a coincidence.
Yes, just imagine the ‘concerned residents’ scrambling over each other to bag her services.
Useful hiring someone who can put off others’ permits as one waltzes past ‘public scrutiny’.
Now that ‘sumptuous BBQ’s in luxurious surroundings’ can start and Zahra has one foot in the FAA.
To add to your list:
The Palace and Victoria hotel in the heart of Sliema.
You forgot the Luna and the Panorama hotels.
Look, I know that she irritates you but I’m from Mellieha and she had helped them a lot in the case against Solana, to save the valley.
I know she had campaigned against the Seabank hotel, and I heard that she was the only one to turn up at MEPA against all the rough men they got to support the Debonos of Seabank. Where were the other NGOs?
I know the Debonos hate her guts ghax she reported them at Tunny Net and they had to change some illegal works they did there. And then, wicc tost, she goes to swim near there biex veru tahraqom.
Insomma she has her uses!
[Daphne – Yes, Stefan, and now each and every hotel in Mellieha is permitted to add another two storeys, including the ones you mention here, and we have are vague bleats. So forgive me if I am completely underwhelmed.]
We have to keep in mind that each one of us is representing our country and so one should behave well not only when we go overseas but also in our country when we meet foreigners. I would like to know for how long we have this bad image.
As if Astrid Vella is going to raise her voice against the additional two storeys. She is awaiting the iced bun and only if she does not receive what she expected from the PL shall we hear her shrieking voice
I have just heard that the Grand Hotel Verdala is to reopen. God news for Rabat, but does this mean that it will be two storeys higher?
[Daphne – That building is in no fit state to reopen, as a hotel or anything else. It needs to be practically rebuilt, or really rebuilt.]
There is a 10-year old application (PA/00141/03) for the “Demolition of existing Grand Hotel Verdala and construction of hotel and residential complex”.
No decision has been taken as yet (and they want to have a permit for a gas plant, tanks and power station in two months)
Stayed there in ’78 for a week, Seedy even then.
Grand Hotel Verdala is a monster that should be put down.
What about the Phoenicia and Castille (the hotel not the PL kazin) ?
And the Osborne Hotel too.
What about guest houses in tourist areas. Can they build two more storeys as well?
It probably depends on whether some Laburist/a owns a guesthouse in a tourist area. The reference was specifically to “hotels”. We’ll then see whether or not the rules will be tweaked to fit “pjaciri”.
Additional storeys will mean that more parking has to be developed.
How is this going to happen?
What? No references by the FAA to the Structure Plan, the local plan, the master plan, the Act, the regulations, the policy, the procedures, the rules, the guidelines, the report, the articles, the paragraphs, the commas, the astersiks, the footnotes, the annexes … and the roadmap to counter this blanket carte blance?
I wonder what Astrid Vella thinks about this, especially since:
a) the Sliema parking scheme had the blessing of Transport Malta before being implemented, and also since
b) while the Sliema parking scheme was suspended, a similar one in Birgu (Labour stronghold) was not.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130524/local/sliema.471081
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AkzNL69L_h0#!
Bniedma tassew tal-misthija. Fuq kull xejn kienet taqla’ plejtu.
Issa fuq proposta li jista’ jkollha impatt qawwi fuq hafna zoni, kwazi kwazi qieghda tghid li taqbel.
Tal-misthija ukoll kull min taha s-support ghax ma fhemx l-agenda taghha.
What about parking ? Too many hotels have no underground parking available Qawra , Gozo and St Julians are typical of bad forward planing making life damned miserable when going out in Malta .
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-05-24/news/fenechs-claims-aimed-to-undermine-national-interest-minister-1677033472/
Minister, you know what, we do not believe you. And we are not alone. Even the EU is not believing you.
Oh dear! In Sliema we already have ‘kerrejja’ blocks of flats … are we now going to have ‘kerrejja’ hotels too?
Joseph Muscat is holding a carrot (promised appointment) in front of her to which she is definitely salivating. She did not put spooks in the wheels during the last years for nothing, did she?
Her silence and self censorship are quite too obvious for anyone not to notice. As with the others, everyone has a price.
It must have been a cynical show for Muscat to watch all these idiots prostituting themselves in front of him.
The excessive deficit procedure is Joseph Muscat’s gift to the nation for making him Prime Minister. Thank you.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-05-24/news/epd-may-be-an-excuse-to-ditch-manifesto-1672282114/
The PL’s ‘reaction’ reads like a threat.
What style of politics is one supposed to adopt with these people?
And sure enough, the other wuss arches its spineless back.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-05-24/news/fenechs-claims-aimed-to-undermine-national-interest-minister-1677033472/
Someone has to explain what kept them from voting the budget last year. The commission isn’t exactly fond of political tactics in the way of finances.
Love the way Muscat tries to keep himself out, anyone aware he had these meetings and what was discussed?
ttp://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130525/local/valletta.471172
I wonder what Astrid Vella would have had to say if this half-baked policy was implemented by the previous government?
Giving this concession across the board shows how inept this government is.
Is it necessary? Are all hotels fully booked? Can they build sideways? Could they at least have vouched to be lenient with issuing permits, if they were asked to increase capacity?
What makes Joseph Muscat take such decision? Could it be that Dr Muscat, like Sant and Mintoff before him, are not lawyers?
Is our country going to end up changing rules and regulations with just a press release from super one after the Honorable prime minister had slept on it, giving commands in an imperious manner?
This decision should have been taken by some authority, in the form of legislation not by a press conference.
This is so innovative, the health minister set up a “business friendly contact desk” to promote contacts with the community.
This is so genial. To contact this friendly desk one need to send an email. No telephones yet. Dah.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130525/local/business-friendly-desk-at-health-ministry.471178
Oh Willie, will you ever live this down?
I mean, you have always been a joke, now you’re a joke on a whole new level.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/308450_465260893554742_1170812729_n.jpg
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130525/local/garigue.471190
See Pamela Hansen’s comment.
“Pamela Hansen
Today, 19:58
And we thought we were going to see change.”
Suckers.
The comments on Kevin in this blog are totally disproportionate to what is the real issue.
The act of ‘animals’ on innocent persons of a race or religion is the real issue. I am proud to know Kevin as one of the most professional and well intentioned persons I know.
He publicly stated his regret for a comment that is easy for any of us to make when we see the horror we all witnessed. The rest is irrelevant.
[Daphne – Yes, Philip, I agree that Kevin has probably learnt a thing or two about not using the word ‘racist’ frivolously, and might even be thinking more deeply about his own feelings about the subject, so it’s time to draw a line under this. Perhaps it’s given some people the opportunity to think about how racism is nothing to be proud of, because if there was act of racism, so to speak, it was that actual murder.]
John Dalli is on the front page of KullHadd this morning bemoaning his fate and trying to defend the indefensible.
He does not know that it’s time to let go as it’s game over. Or is it, as Sargas is on the verge of being moved from the back-burner or has it been shot down in flames?
Tghid mar bir-Ryan Air? http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130526/local/president-on-private-visit-abroad.471359
Daphne, it’s probably worth highlighting as news the number of views of this video. Unless my eyesight is betraying me, the number of views is 946,293. Almost 1 million views. Possibly the most viewed Maltese video ever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WmJXIR9xtw
[Daphne – It’s not a Maltese video, but an official Eurovision video. And Kurt Calleja’s from last year registers 1.67 million views or thereabouts.]
Dalghodu attendejt ghall-attivita fi-Qrendi ‘Festa Agrajra, u ghall habta tal 11am tfacca Simon Busutill ma’ Mario Demaro, Beppe Fenech Adami, Toni Bezzina, Censu Galea, u David Agius.
Il-folla li kienet prezenti iffullat biex tikellem personali ma’ Simon u kull wiehed mit-team PN l-gdid. Simon gie mdawwar ma l-istalls kollha, u f’hin minnom tfacca Ignatius Farrugia, Sindku Laburist taz-Zurrieq ftit l-boghod minn Simon u shabu.
Instama jghid kliem baxx u jipprova jirredikola lil Simon Busuttil, u qal, “Dan il-L……..x’gie jaghmel hawn?”
If the President of the PN Executive , Victor Scerri was going to benefit from this than they would have objected and fought against the two-storey general permit tooth and nail.
How would these hotels increase their parking spaces? Wouldn’t this increase the parking problems where these hotels are located?
Leo Brincat once said that we all have the right to sunlight on our roof so that we can reap the benefits of a PV panels. I hope he will stick out his neck for the Sliema residents who will undoubtedly suffer.
At this rate Tower Road will see the sun for only a few hours.
The Hoteliers are saying: Malta Taghna Lkoll.
[Daphne – There’s one part of Tower Road which never sees the sun at all. And the rest has seen it ‘for a few hours only’ for years already. But it’s not because of hotels. It’s because of flats.]