I would like to say a few words about Saviour Balzan’s words of wisdom on Sunday, in his opinion entitled “Remembering a politician” (31 August).
Saviour, Astrid Vella has done more in the past couple of years to raise public awareness regarding environmental and heritage issues than any other one person in Malta. She may be described as a romantic in the sense that she honestly and truly cares about her country, but is that a bad thing? You also describe her as an amateur, which she most certainly is not, other than in the sense that she is unpaid.
Would you rather the politicians and their developer friends have a free hand to do whatever they like with the country? Your newspaper claims to champion the environment or heritage, and yet you spend half your time attacking those who are trying to do something!

James A. Tyrrell
County Antrim,
Northern Ireland

Editorial note:
While respect is due to Ms Vella for raising public awareness on the environment and heritage, Mr Tyrell may be unaware of the ecologists, scientists, and political campaigners who stood up to be counted in the 70s and 80s, and soldiered on in the 90s when the environment was a mere footnote in this country’s public administration. This newspaper’s unstinting dedication to the sustainability of Maltese environmental health, heritage and ecological wellbeing is there to see every week in its Wednesday and Sunday editions.