Momentum deeply disappointed at tribunal decision enabling massive development on Comino
Momentum expresses its deep disappointment at the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal’s decision to uphold the permit for the large-scale development proposed by the Hili Group on Comino. The approved project includes a 140-bed luxury hotel, 16 villas, 44 swimming pools, restaurants, bars, a spa, and new jetties.
This ruling comes despite the Environmental Impact Assessment clearly highlighting significant negative effects on the integrity of Comino’s habitats, and despite existing policies that designate Comino as a protected nature reserve where increased development intensity is expressly prohibited.
Mark Camilleri Gambin, General Secretary of Momentum, said, “Comino is one of Malta’s last remaining relatively untouched natural environments. Rather than protecting this national treasure, the EPRT has allowed an extensive project that will dramatically increase human activity on the island. This will bring thousands of additional people to Comino, contribute to pollution through littering, noise, and light disturbance, and place severe pressure on water, waste-management, and drainage services, all of which are extremely limited on the island.”
Momentum states that while the project is marketed as “environmentally responsible,” the reality is that such development will accelerate the transformation of Comino from a natural reserve into a privately driven urban leisure complex.
Camilleri Gambin added, “It is the Maltese public who will ultimately suffer, losing access to Comino as a pristine natural environment and helplessly watching yet another irreplaceable landscape succumb to commercial pressure.”
Momentum extends its gratitude to all NGOs and civil society groups that continue to fight to save Comino. Momentum reaffirms its full support for these citizen-led efforts to protect Malta’s natural heritage for the common good.
Momentum diżappuntat bid-deċiżjoni tat-tribunal li tippermetti żvilupp massiv fuq Kemmuna
Momentum jesprimi d-diżappunt tiegħu għad-deċiżjoni tat-Tribunal ta’ Reviżjoni tal-Ambjent u l-Ippjanar (EPRT) li wasslet għal permess għall-iżvilupp fuq skala kbira propost mill-Hili Group fuq Kemmuna. Il-proġett approvat jinkludi lukanda lussuża b’140 sodda, 16-il villa, 44 pixxina, ristoranti, bars, spa, u mollijiet ġodda.
Din id-deċiżjoni tiġi minkejja li l-Environmental Impact Assessment jenfasizza b’mod ċar effetti negattivi sinifikanti fuq l-integrità tan-natura ta’ Kemmuna. Dan, minkejja l-policy eżistenti li tirrikonoxxi lil Kemmuna bħala riżerva naturali protetta, fejn iż-żieda fl-intensità tal-iżvilupp hija espressament ipprojbita.
Mark Camilleri Gambin, Segretarju Ġenerali ta’ Momentum, qal, “Kemmuna hija waħda mill-aħħar ambjenti naturali relattivament intatti li fadal f’Malta. Minflok ma pproteġiet dan it-teżor nazzjonali, l-EPRT ippermettiet proġett estensiv li se jżid b’mod drammatiku l-attività umana fuq il-gżira. Dan se jġib eluf ta’ nies addizzjonali lejn Kemmuna, jikkontribwixxi għat-tniġġis permezz tat-tfigħ taż-żibel, l-istorbju, u ta’ tniġġis mid-dawl, u jpoġġi pressjoni qawwija fuq is-servizzi tal-ilma, tal-immaniġġjar tal-iskart, u tad-drenaġġ, li kollha huma limitati fuq il-gżira.”
Momentum jiddikjara li filwaqt li l-proġett huwa rriklamat bħala “ambjentalment responsabbli,” ir-realtà hi li żvilupp bħal dan se jaċċelera t-trasformazzjoni ta’ Kemmuna minn riżerva naturali għal kumpless urban ta’ divertiment.
Camilleri Gambin żied jgħid, “Huwa l-pubbliku Malti li fl-aħħar mill-aħħar se jbati, u jitlef l-aċċess għal Kemmuna bħala ambjent naturali u jara pajsaġġ ieħor jċedi għall-pressjoni kummerċjali.”
Momentum huwa grat lejn l-NGOs u l-gruppi tas-soċjetà ċivili kollha li jkomplu jiġġieldu biex isalvaw Kemmuna. Momentum jafferma mill-ġdid l-appoġġ sħiħ tiegħu għal dawn l-isforzi xprunati miċ-ċittadini biex jipproteġu l-wirt naturali ta’ Malta għall-ġid komuni.
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