Momentum applauds the young activists who gave the citizen a voice.
Momentum praises the activists who took a strong stand against corruption.
Katya Compagno of Momentum applauds Moviment Graffitti, Friends of the Earth Malta and the young activists who took the stage at the conference “The Citizen, the Environment and Development”, held at DB Group’s new hotel in St Julian’s, to demand the removal of Planning Authority CEO Johann Buttigieg.
The activists wore pig masks and carried placards reading “Korrotti Barra” and “Naddfu l-Ħmieġ” (out with the corrupt, clean up the dirt). The closed private event, which was not open to the public, at which Minister Jonathan Attard was speaking and Buttigieg was due to lead a discussion on citizens’ rights in development, had to be paused.
It is ironic that Buttigieg, who has very often pushed developers’ interests against those of citizens, should participate in such discussions.
Buttigieg has faced mounting calls to resign since chats between him and Yorgen Fenech were published. More so when it emerged that he owns a private planning consultancy firm, hence leading to a huge conflict of interest.
“One has to ask where and how was the citizen represented at a conference on the citizen, the environment and development, when environmental organisations were not invited to take part in the discussion?” Katya Compagno said.
“Thanks to these activists the voice of our young people and their concerns were represented. They did what most only complain about. Few are courageous, and they chose courage. The discomfort shown by those present at the conference and the lowered faces around the Minister spoke volumes.These young activists exercised their freedom of expression, a right that must always be respected.”
“Many are pigging out at the expense of our country, our taxes and our environment that cannot be replaced, and furthermore insulting our intelligence while they do it. Johann Buttigieg must go, now.”
Compagno stressed that this is yet more criticism of a corrupt system and of all those in Parliament who accept this.Together with their corrupt friends , they are teaming up with developers at the expense of our quality of life. “It is also ridiculous to hold a conference on the citizen and environment at a hotel owned by the DB Group, whose developments have damaged our country so much.”
Young people are the ones paying the price, she added, with work, rent and home ownership slipping out of reach, and a life among concrete and construction noise becoming the norm. “Silence will only make it worse. Being passive leads to doom.”
Momentum thanks the activists for their courage, supports their campaign, which continues with a press conference on Saturday 26 September at 10am outside the Planning Authority in Floriana, and calls on all people to follow their example .
Momentum tfaħħar lill-attivisti li ħadu pożizzjoni soda kontra l-korruzzjoni.
Katya Compagno minn Momentum
faħħret lill-Moviment Graffitti, Friends of the Earth Malta u lill-attivisti żgħażagħ li telgħu fuq il-palk waqt il-konferenza “Iċ-Ċittadin, l-Ambjent u l-Iżvilupp” – li saret fil-lukanda l-ġdida tad-DB Group f’San Ġiljan – biex jitolbu t-tneħħija tal-Kap Eżekuttiv tal-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar, Johann Buttigieg.
L-attivisti libsu maskri tal-ħnieżer u żammew kartelluni li fuqhom kien hemm miktub “Korrotti Barra” u “Naddfu l-Ħmieġ”. L-avveniment privat u magħluq – li ma kienx miftuħ għall-pubbliku u li fih kien qed jitkellem il-Ministru Jonathan Attard u fejn Buttigieg kien mistenni jmexxi diskussjoni dwar id-drittijiet taċ-ċittadini fl-iżvilupp – kellu jitwaqqaf għal xi ħin.
Huwa ironiku li Buttigieg, li spiss ippromwova l-interessi tal-iżviluppaturi għad-detriment ta’ dawk taċ-ċittadini, jieħu sehem f’diskussjonijiet bħal dawn.
Buttigieg ilu jiffaċċja talbiet dejjem jikbru biex jirriżenja minn mindu ġew ippubblikati konversazzjonijiet bejnu u bejn Yorgen Fenech. Dan speċjalment wara li ħareġ fil-miftuħ li huwa għandu ditta privata ta’ konsulenza dwar l-ippjanar, fatt li joħloq kunflitt ta’ interess kbir.
“Wieħed irid isaqsi fejn u kif kien rappreżentat iċ-ċittadin f’konferenza dwar iċ-ċittadin, l-ambjent u l-iżvilupp, meta l-għaqdiet ambjentali ma ġewx mistiedna jieħdu sehem fid-diskussjoni?” qalet Katya Compagno.
“Bis-saħħa ta’ dawn l-attivisti, il-vuċi taż-żgħażagħ tagħna u t-tħassib tagħhom ġew rappreżentati. Huma għamlu dak li l-biċċa l-kbira tan-nies igergru biss dwaru. Ftit huma dawk li juru kuraġġ, u huma għażlu l-kuraġġ. L-iskumdità murija minn dawk preżenti fil-konferenza u l-mod kif baxxew rashom in-nies ta’ madwar il-Ministru kienu sinifikanti ħafna. Dawn l-attivisti żgħażagħ eżerċitaw il-libertà ta’ l-espressjoni tagħhom, dritt li għandu dejjem jiġi rispettat.”
“Ħafna qed jistagħnew u jitħanżru għad-detriment ta’ pajjiżna, tat-taxxi tagħna u tal-ambjent tagħna li mhux se jiġġedded ladarba jitħassar; u fuq kollox, waqt li jagħmlu dan, ikunu qed jinsultaw l-intelliġenza tagħna. Johann Buttigieg irid jitlaq, issa.” Compagno saħqet li din hija kritika oħra għal sistema korrotta u għal dawk kollha fil-Parlament li jaċċettaw dan l-istat ta’ fatt. Flimkien mal-ħbieb korrotti tagħhom, huma qed jingħaqdu mal-iżviluppaturi għad-detriment tal-kwalità tal-ħajja tagħna. “Huwa wkoll redikolu li ssir konferenza dwar iċ-ċittadin u l-ambjent f’lukanda li hija proprjetà tal-Grupp DB, li bil-proġett tiegħu għamel tant ħsara lil pajjiżna.”
Huma ż-żgħażagħ li qed iħallsu l-prezz, żiedet tgħid, hekk kif ix-xogħol, il-kera u l-pussess ta’ dar qed isiru dejjem aktar diffiċli biex jintlaħqu, u ħajja mdawra bil-konkos u l-istorbju tal-kostruzzjoni qed issir in-norma. “Is-skiet ikompli jaggrava s-sitwazzjoni. L-apatija twassal għad-diżastru.”
Momentum tirringrazzja lill-attivisti għall-kuraġġ tagħhom u tappoġġja l-kampanja tagħhom – li tkompli b’konferenza stampa ghada s-Sibt 26 ta’ Settembru fl-10:00 ta’ filgħodu quddiem l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar fil-Furjana – u tħeġġeġ lin-nies kollha biex jimxu fuq l-eżempju tagħhom.
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