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Din l-Art Helwa are the environmentalists with a key to the establishment. MARTIN GALEA contemplates the challenges ahead. 
Din l-Art Helwa president Martin Galea defies the stereotypical representation of environmentalism as an inherently anti-business and anti-establishment movement. He did not join the environmental movement during some militant protest. He did so 25 years ago when he was invited to a Din l-Art Helwa fundraising dinner.
Martin Galea, a managing director with Joinwell Ltd, is far from an anti-business crusader. Over the last forty years Din l-Art Helwa has attracted judges, military advisors and businessmen, consolidating itself as the moderate wing of the Maltese environmentalist movement. Din l-Art Helwa’s strength lies in the fact that its leadership is also part of the establishment. Yet DLH’s respectability has given further legitimacy to the wider concerns of the environmentalist movement.
By sharing the same concerns of the wider green movement on controversial issues like the proposed Ta’ Cenc and Ghajn Tuffieha golf courses, DLH has made it difficult for the authorities to dismiss opposition to these projects.
Din l-Art Helwa was set up in 1965 in the midst of the building boom of the 1960s. But according to Galea, environmental problems are far more acute today than four decades ago.
“There are 400,000 people living on this rock; everyone wants his country house; everyone wants his villa, road and car. The pressures are great. There is much more at stake now because there is little countryside left to lose.”
One of Din l-Art Helwa’s priorities is the preservation of the remaining tracts of unspoilt countryside and coastline in the north of Malta. Gozo is another cause of concern especially due to the proposed Ta’ Cenc golf course and proposed airfield.
But Martin Galea sees a ray of hope in the change of mentality he has seen during the past years.
“People are more rounded these days. They travel and are influenced by the media. They are therefore more aware of environmental problems.”
This was not the case when Din l-Art Helwa was founded in 1965. “We were seen as a sort of fringe type of organisation. We were labelled as anti-development and anti-progress and we had a poor image with the man in the street. People have realised that environment in all its forms affects their lives and environmentalism today is more mainstream.”
Environmentalism is often seen as a concern of an affluent, post-scarcity society embracing post-material values. Could a depressed economy relegate environmental concerns to the back burner? Martin Galea disputes this thesis and argues that the economy and the environment have become increasingly inter-linked together. Galea notes that tourism has suffered due to environmental neglect.
“Unrestricted building, bad planning of roads and dumping have had a negative impact on the tourist product. We cannot afford to divorce environmental issues from economic considerations.”
But Galea still thinks that in spite of their good intentions, politicians are still lagging behind as regards implementing greener policies. His assessment of the dominant political class is a mixed one.
While recognising that politicians from all three parties are receptive to the ideas proposed by environmentalists, Galea attributes the reluctance of politicians to face powerful lobby groups to the decisive say these groups have in elections, which are won or lost by narrow majorities.
“Politicians in Malta are very close to voters. Voters have direct access to the politicians. This makes them susceptible to their pressure.”
Hunting is the classical example of this political reality. “The vast majority of people would like stronger hunting regulations but not to the extent of changing their voting pattern. But if a government goes for stronger measures a small minority will shift their vote. These minorities have a disproportionate electoral strength.”
This could be one of the reasons why Malta obtained derogation on hunting in Spring. Martin Galea acknowledges that DLH does not have a clear position on hunting in Spring but he expresses his organisation’s support for the stand adopted by other environmental NGOs like BirdLife.
Martin Galea considers the setting up of the Planning Authority in the early 1990s as one of the major watersheds in the history of environmental protection in Malta during the past four decades. Yet environmentalists have singled out MEPA for criticism dismayed by some of its decisions. Martin Galea’s assessment on MEPA’s contribution to environmental protection is positive.
“All planing is controversial. When the line is drawn between the countryside and development areas controversy is inevitable. But overall there has been a massive improvement in planning. MEPA is a serious and professional organisation. It has its faults and problems but the situation has drastically improved from the free for all building development which marked the 1980s.”
In spite of his positive assessment of MEPA Martin Galea sees more room for consultation between MEPA and environmental NGOs.
“There are 4,000 planning applications per year. One cannot judge the impact of an application from its title. We are talking to MEPA and the Director of Planning to create a system through which environmental NGOs can be alerted to controversial applications so that we can give our input.”
The DLH President also agrees that environmental NGOs should be represented on the MEPA board. “I think this would be a way of getting our message across.”
Some environmentalists have expressed their concern that the government is sidelining MEPA in order to get a fast-track approval of a golf course in the Xaghra l-Hamra site in Ghajn Tuffieha. This issue has been raised in meetings between Din l-Art Helwa and the government. During these meetings the government insisted that the proposed site was recommended by MEPA itself and not by the government. But Martin Galea reiterated his organisation’s concern that the site chosen is far from some sort of disposable wasteland.
“It is one of the few areas still untouched by development. We are concerned that the development of a golf course could open the floodgates for future development in this area. We don’t want the sprawling development of bungalows and chalets.”
He also expressed DLH’s concern on the impact of the precious garigue environment. The government has not taken DLH’s position lightly. Martin Galea confirms that a number of meetings have been held on this issue with the government.
“We met with the Minister of the Environment who gave us information on this site. We are now trying to get as much information as possible regarding the site before we come up with an official position.”
Unlike Nature Trust and BirdLife, Din l-Art Helwa has not said an outright no to the Ghajn Tuffieha golf course. “We need to see. We are going to have discussions with the government. We want to see what is being proposed. We would like to give a proper response.”
DLH has always been relatively shy of political controversy. In fact Martin Galea refrains from assessing the performance of environment minister George Pullicino.
“I don’t think it is my job to assess ministers. I don’t want to enter the political arena by saying whether they are doing a good or a bad job. Surely as Minister of the Environment he has lot of big issues on his plate and he has to deliver with limited funding. The Ministry for the Environment is aware of the problems and is doing its best.”
Yet Martin Galea is clearly more satisfied with the government’s performance in managing historical sites. “While on the preservation of the countryside we have not seen much progress, as regards preservation of historical monuments we have seen a massive improvement.”
Galea congratulates Heritage Malta for doing a fantastic job by giving a facelift to historical sites like the Roman Domus and Hal-Saflieni. One of the controversial decisions taken by Heritage Malta is that of covering of the Neolithic temples with a structure to protect them from the elements. Martin Galea had mixed feelings about this issue, as covering temples would scar the landscape, but he acknowledges that Heritage Malta has presented compelling evidence in favour of covering the temples due to the threat posed by corrosive elements and acid rain.
“If we want to conserve these monuments for a longer period of time we have to cover them.”
Many have considered development related to the Cottonera project as an affront to the majestic setting of this historical area. Galea did not mince his words in expressing DLH’s outrage at the development of mono-structures which do not blend well with the surrounding environment. He also expressed his concern that this onslaught could continue in the future.
“There are still developments on the drawing board which are objectionable. One of these involves the building of a structure in front of St Angelo’s gate.”
Din l-Art Helwa has always been somewhat conservative when it comes to the introduction of new architectural elements in Valletta. It had objected to the Renzo Piano plan for city gate and it had insisted that the Royal Opera House should be rebuilt as a theatre on the original model.
Martin Galea is more flexible on these issues. “In the past we have insisted that the site should be rebuilt as a theatre. Our position has not changed as yet. But if we receive new proposals we will examine them on their own merits. We should not remain frozen in time. I am not so sure whether a theatre would be viable on its own and other proposals could be considered.”
While seeing some validity in the argument that “if you can’t spread out you have to go up,” Martin Galea objects to any high-rise buildings impinging on the sky line of the capital city or Mdina.
Throughout its 40-year history Din l-Art Helwa has given its direct contribution to protecting Malta’s historical heritage by taking care of a number of historical sites.
In 1970 the Hal-Millieri and Bir Miftuh chapels were given in trust to DLH. Today Din l-Art Helwa has been entrusted with 30 properties, which include landmarks like the Comino Tower, the Red Fort and Torri Mamo.
According to Galea, DLH receives only Lm2,000 to Lm3,000 in cash from the government. It also pays VAT on all restoration works it conducts. “We are most probably a net contributor to government.”
But Martin Galea is not begging for more money. “Being financially independent from the government has its benefits. We can be more autonomous and we don’t want any strings attached. If we get too much aid it could affect us when dealing with controversial issues. We are not asking the government for more funding but we are asking the government to hand over more historical sites to us.”
DLH relies on sponsorships from government corporations and the business community to fund its projects. DLH has an annual income of Lm 90,000 from sponsorships, memberships and fund raising activities.
But could it be the case that businessmen sponsor Din l-Art Helwa to silence it on certain projects? Martin Galea insists that this has never been the case but he is still wary of accepting sponsorships from anyone involved in controversial environmental issues.
“We don’t want any potential strings attached to these sponsorships.”
Din l-Art Helwa is also seeking more collaboration with other environmental NGOs but he excludes a merger. “We have very good links with the other three main organisations: BirdLife, Nature Trust and Friends of the Earth. We are very like-minded. We agree on most issues. But we have specialised roles. Nature Trust concentrates on nature conservation rather than on the conservation of historical heritage. BirdLife is concerned with the protection of birds, habitats and hunting. But on major issues like planning and land use issues we consult each other and often present a common position.”
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