News • 07 September 2003

Gulia lends Pullicino Orlando a hand in landfill petition

Matthew Vella
Labour MP and shadow spokesperson for home affairs Gavin Gulia has confirmed that he is actively collecting signatures for the petition started by residents and backed by rebel Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando against plans for two temporary landfills between Ghar Lapsi and Wied iz-Zurrieq.
Gulia, whose constituency is the same as Pullicino Orlando’s, is a signatory to the petition.
"This petition is in conformity with what the MLP is saying," Gulia told MaltaToday. "I signed this petition and am collecting support for it. We are talking about one of the most picturesque areas on the island. We do not want two landfill quarries to be developed."
Gulia also said he disagreed with Culture Minister Jesmond Mugliett’s concession to have just one landfill quarry: "Proposing one quarry instead of two is even more dangerous. Politically it will give the people the impression that the Nationalist government have softened their approach.
"At this point I don’t think the cabinet will be accepting the proposal. Internally there is great disagreement within the PN on the matter. The MLP are right to say the PN government was unprepared to take on the EU’s challenges when it acquiesced to the conditions laid down in the EU negotiations.
Gulia told MaltaToday he was there to protect the interests of his constituency, especially the residents of Siggiewi, which he said would suffer the direct impacts the smells and traffic these quarries will generate if approved.
"I have no qualms or problems in supporting Jeffrey’s petition. We are two MPs who have the interests of our constituency at heart."