The tower crane habitat
Every time you raise your eyes to the sky, you will see the tower crane, a species that has migrated permanently to the Maltese Archipelago, where it has found its natural habitat within the intensively urbanized regions. Over time and undeterred, this sp
The tower crane genes somewhat resemble those of the bird species that often flock together and form groups ranging in size from a few individuals to thirty or so. It breeds quite happily here on the Maltese Islands and its reproduction rate is very high. Rumour has it that the tower crane is being touted as the new national bird.
Seriously though, you’ve got to hand it to the members of the powerful construction lobby. They have expanded (and multiplied) their operations to the tower crane’s thriving habitat, littering the skylines of the Maltese towns and making pots of money ever since. And all this, on the pretext of economic progress and sanctioned with the blessing of the authorities that churn out building permits by the dozen.
They forge ahead with unrestricted development and largely ignore its impact on the surrounding environment as they bulldoze anything that stands in the way of their pursuit of profits. And what is more, they continue to uglify our towns and villages by constructing skyscraping monstrosities that are totally out of character.
Many, or should I write, more and more of us, are experiencing the joys of living next door to a demolition/building site, where we wake up to continuous vibrations from drilling and breathe the clouds of dust that heavy trucks carrying building materials send into the air;
Where roads are closed off to accommodate the works and temporary diversions cause traffic jams while frustrated drivers blast their horns in protest because they have been brought to a standstill, adding to the cacophony of noises that never subside;
Where the developers of a new building project take over the entire neighbourhood, sometimes with arrogant disregard for the rights of its law-abiding residents, making their lives a misery for weeks on end;
Where first on the list of priorities is their financial gain, rather than an acceptable compromise with the residents in the interest of the common good;
Where there is virtually no law enforcement in place to protect the lives of citizens living nearby and workers alike;
Where, lest we forget, too many lives have been lost by builders working on site;
And last but certainly not least, where men, women and children have seen their homes come crashing to the ground, reduced to a heap of rubble by so-called demolition experts.
In the meantime, all the waste generated in the wake of the construction frenzy has forced the government to face up to a crisis. The only two quarries earmarked to receive construction waste are practically full. On top of that, these two quarries have almost doubled their disposal fee for every tonne, which is why some contractors have turned to illegal dumping in the open countryside.
Whoever came up with the brainwave for the Dubai-ification of this tiny island was in fact advocating nothing less than widespread environmental regress. If only we could turn back time and go back to before the start of this development frenzy, we would be able to set up a truly independent planning authority free from the clutches of the government and its yesmen and women who sit on the current board, aiding and abetting the proliferation of so many ugly buildings.
And just when we think that property developers might have had their fill of burying some of the characteristic oldworld charm of our towns and villages under concrete jungles, here comes the government wheeling out draft plans for land reclamation from the sea. Now that they have ravaged the land, the construction lobby can shift its focus and concentrate on a new opportunity that may turn out to be too good to miss.
Indeed, Mare Nostrum is theirs for the taking. For some time now, the Malta Developers Association has been pushing the government to embark on a project of land reclamation. In the process, both sides may be seeing a solution to dispose of construction waste. But, judging by the havoc they wreaked on land, this cannot be good news for the Mediterranean lapping at our shores, let alone for the entire coastal ecosystem.
It is early days yet, but our new Prime Minister has not pronounced himself on the issue of land reclamation. However, during his leadership campaign, he has gone on record as saying that he is strongly in favour of sustainable development and its visual aspect, one of the criteria in the planning laws that was not being given enough weight. On top of that, oases of greenery across the island are among his priorities. This time round, we expect him to keep his word.
Finally, it is beyond belief that the construction lobby claims that its members are victims of the damage done to Malta’s image because of the current political crisis when they were part of the problem all along. Talk about making hay while the sun shines: this country is a building contractor’s paradise that knows full well how to make the most of a favourable situation while it lasts. And up to this very day, it shows no sign of stopping.