Zurrieq Residents, il-Kollettiv in Support of tal-Bebbux Farmers

Press Release: Farmers and residents are the eternal victims of greed and Government’s dishonesty
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Tal-Bebbux, Zurrieq. Photo: Eric Bartolo

Residenti taż-Żurrieq, together with another seven resident groups and Il-Kollettiv, have condemned the Government’s stance on the Tal-Bebbux saga, where public land used for agricultural purposes is being used as an accessory to private construction interests.

In a statement, the groups singled out Lands Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, an elected MP of the fifth district, which is one of the regions worst-hit by the rationalisation zones delineated in the 2006 Local Plans.

“Last year, Zrinzo Azzopardi ‘withdrew’ a private development on the eve of our press conference, a week before the MEP elections. Whatever went on away from public scrutiny throughout this year has resulted in exactly the same situation as last June,” said Jan Camilleri, on behalf of Residenti taz-Zurrieq. “Farmers and residents are right to feel betrayed by one of their elected representatives.”

The group criticised Zrinzo Azzopardi’s claims that “his hands are tied” by the 2006 Local Plans. “The Lands Minister knows very well that Local Plans have been changed to accommodate similar private interests across Malta. It is a lie that Local Plans cannot be changed, as confirmed by the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition’s call for amendments to the North Harbour Local Plan for Paceville.”

“Zurrieq, Imqabba, Qrendi, and Safi are among the towns who will suffer the brunt of construction activity, since the rationalisation areas are drawn up in a way as to remove the borders between our towns, creating a single urban agglomeration. When the Minister claims he has no power to save Zurrieq from its fate, to the point where an Authority under his remit is evicting farmers, it’s because his hands are tied by private interests.”

The group said it will be supporting the farmers in whatever way possible, and appealed to residents of Zurrieq and surrounding towns for their solidarity.

Il-Kollettiv secretary Wayne Flask reiterated a call for a planning reform that puts residents at its centre. In July 2024, thirteen resident and local conservation groups issued a set of wide-ranging proposals for this reform.

“It is becoming even more evident that residents and farmers are the eternal victims of the construction industry, with the government often acting as a willing accomplice. Our call for a halt to the rationalisation scheme would result in areas such as Tal-Bebbux and Nigret in Zurrieq, and tal-Amparell in Hal Safi, preserved from speculation.

Zrinzo Azzopardi is seriously underestimating the public sentiment in his constituency, and if his priorities lie in facilitating private development then he should seek a career outside public service,” Flask concluded. 

Ir-Residenti taż-Żurrieq u il-Kollettiv Jappoġġjaw
lill-Bdiewa f’tal-Bebbux

“Il-bdiewa u r-residenti dawk li qed jibqgħu ibatu minħabba deċiżjonijiet ħżiena”

Ir-Residenti taż-Żurrieq, flimkien ma’ seba’ għaqdiet oħra u l-Kollettiv, ikkundannaw il-pożizzjoni li ħa l-Gvern fuq il-kwistjoni f’Tal-Bebbux, fejn l-art pubblika li għadha tinħadem sal-lum mill-bdiewa qed tintuża bħala aċċessorju għall-interessi ta’ żvilupp privat.

Fl-istqarrija tagħhom, il-gruppi rreferew għall-Ministru tal-Lands Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, Membru Parlamentari elett mill-ħames distrett, li huwa l-aktar distrett milqut mill-pjanijiet lokali u ż-żoni ta’ razzjonalizzazzjoni maħruġa fl-2006.

“Is-sena l-oħra Zrinzo Azzopardi ‘rtira’ applikazzjoni għal żvilupp mill-privat fuq din l-art pubblika, ġurnata biss qabel konferenza stampa organizzata minna, ġimgħa biss qabel l-elezzjonijiet tal-Parlament Ewropew,” qal Jan Camilleri f’isem ir-Residenti taż-Żurrieq. “Ma nafux x’ġara bogħod minn għajnejn il-pubbliku tul din is-sena, iżda erġajna eżattament fl-istess sitwazzjoni ta’ Ġunju li għadda. Il-bdiewa u r-residenti għandhom mitt elf raġun iħossuhom ittraduti minn dawk li eleġġew”.

Il-grupp ikkritika l-kliem ta’ Zrinzo meta qal li “idejh huma marbutin” mill-Pjan Lokali tal-2006. “Il-Ministru għall-Artijiet jaf sew li l-Pjan Lokali tal-2006 kemm-il darba nbidel biex jiġu akkomodati l-interessi tal-iżvilupp privat. Mhuwiex minnu li l-Pjan Lokali ma jistax jinbidel, u dan jikkonfermawh kemm il-Prim Ministru u anki l-Kap tal-Oppożizzjoni meta qalu li għandu jinbidel il-Pjan Lokali tan-North Harbour għal Paceville.”

“Iż-Żurrieq, l-Imqabba, il-Qrendi u Ħal Safi huma wħud mill-aktar irħula li batew mill-kostruzzjoni fl-aħħar snin. Dan għax il-Pjan Lokali sar tali mod li l-konfini bejn l-irħula jitneħħew, u dawn se jispiċċaw parti minn massa waħda ta’ bini. Meta l-Ministru jgħid li ma jista’ jagħmel xejn għaż-Żurrieq, filwaqt li l-Awtorità li taqa’ taħtu qegħda saħansitra tkeċċi lill-bdiewa mill-għelieqi tagħhom, huwa għax idejh huma marbutin minn interessi privati”.

Il-grupp qal li se jappoġġjaw lill-bdiewa b’kull mezz possibbli, u fl-istess ħin appella lir-residenti taż-Żurrieq u l-madwar biex ma jaqtgħux qalbhom u jappoġġaw dil-kawża.

Is-Segretarju ta’ Il-Kollettiv, Wayne Flask, saħaq li għandha tiskatta riforma tal-ippjanar li tpoġġi lir-residenti fiċ-ċentru tagħha. F’Lulju tal-2024 tlettax-il għaqda ta’ residenti pproponew numru ta’ proposti għal riforma wiesgħa tal-ippjanar.

“Ir-residenti u l-bdiewa saru l-vittmi eterni tal-industrija tal-kostruzzjoni, u l-Gvern konxjament qed jaġixxi ta’ kompliċi. L-għajta tagħna hi biex jieqaf l-iżvilupp propost fiz-zoni ta’ razzjonalizzazzjoni, sabiex meded enormi ta’ art bħal dik f’Tal-Bebbux u tan-Nigret fiż-Żurrieq, u tal-Amparell f’Ħal Safi, ikunu ppreżervati.

Zrinzo Azzopardi qiegħed jissottovaluta serjament is-sentiment tal-pubbliku fil-kostitwenzi tiegħu, u jekk il-prijorità tiegħu hija li jaqdi l-interessi ta’ żvilupp privat, għandu jfittex xogħol lil hinn mis-servizz pubbliku”, temm jgħid Flask.

Id-dikjarazzjoni hija ffirmata minn:

Residenti taż-Żurrieq

Residenti tal-Qrendi

Residenti ta’ Ħal Safi

Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birżebbuġa

Marsaskala Residents Network

Marsaxlokk Heritage NGO

Sliema Residents Association

Wirt iż-Żejtun

Il-Kollettiv