Santa Luċija Councillor condemns heckling of environmental activists

The Nationalist Party Councilor in Santa Luċija Liam Sciberras outright condemned, without reservation, an incident that occurred when a number of persons who were protesting against the chopping down of trees and the destruction of the environment ended up being insulted.

This past weekend about a dozen protestors entered the cordoned off Santa Luċija playground and tied crosses onto the already cut down trees in the area, as a symbol of protest.

In a statement from the Nationalist Party, Sciberras was referring to the work being done on the Santa Lucija roundabout right where the underpass is being constructed.

According to Infrastructure Malta, the numerous trees are being cut down to make way for the €20 million Santa Luċija Tunnels project along a stretch between Santa Luċija and Addolorata Cemetery Hill.

The Councilor insisted that whilst no one can stop progress, this must not be done to the detriment of the Santa Luċija residents.

“Whilst it is positive that the entrance and exits of Santa Luċija have more trees, this must not result in the government cutting down more trees to the detriment of the communities of Santa Luċija and the surrounding area.”

Sciberras said that the Government had already cut down all the trees that were at the beginning of Triq l-Avjazzjoni to widen the road, and that these had been mature trees that were giving shelter to all those that passed through that road.

“Unfortunately, the same faith was meant for the mature trees that there were around the jogging track in Santa Lucija.”

The Councilor recalled that this jogging track was inaugurated two years ago, a few days before the 2017 general election and that the government spent €90,000 to complete this project.

“This on its own clearly indicates how much this Government is moving ahead without a plan or direction but is making rash decisions without any vision.

“This shows that the strategy of the Government is to distract whilst you pay for it from your taxes.”

When asked about why the government was dismantling parts of a jogging track in Santa Luċija, Minister Ian Borg said that an €90,000 investment should not prevent an investment of €20 million.

He insisted that it is important that the trees that are being removed are transported and then transplanted in Santa Luċija itself, whilst pointing out that the residents living in the vicinity of the underpass-to-be asked for sound barriers to be incorporated as was done in other projects.