Three more summers of sewage in our seas

As we approach summer, many people start to think about the time they will spend with family and friends on the beach. However, the government is compromising our summer enjoyment as untreated sewage continues to be disposed of in the sea.

Just this week the Environmental Health Directorate issued a warning that swimming at St George’s Bay was not recommended because of sewage. A similar warning was issued a week earlier in St Paul’s Bay.

Last year, nine beaches were reported to have been contaminated with sewage. Malta is currently facing legal proceedings at the European Court of Justice for disposing of untreated sewage in the sea, particularly in Mellieha and Xaghra. There is a risk that Malta may face millions of euros in fines.

Following several complaints from private citizens, I have taken action by bringing the matter to the attention of the Auditor General to conduct a performance audit on how €70 million of EU funding for sewage treatment has been spent, yet bays are still being closed due to sewage contamination.

Unfortunately, we may expect more such closures this summer due to the government’s incompetence. The problem of sewage on our beaches will most likely persist for another three summers. In the ongoing case at the European Court of Justice, the Maltese Government is telling the European Commission that Malta’s sewage problem will take until 2027 to resolve, aligning with EU laws on water quality.

This is unacceptable. We joined the EU to achieve the highest environmental standards, but the current government has, as the Maltese saying goes, literally thrown these standards into the sea. It is useless to have Marine Protected Areas as part of the EU network of Natura 2000 sites. It is useless to have EU reports based on data from the Maltese government stating that our seas are among the cleanest in Europe. The reality is that our sea is becoming less clean and more polluted. This is far from being the best in Europe.

If elected as an MEP, I will push for EU standards to be effectively enforced. This is one of my key priorities. Labour MEPs want to keep European standards on paper because they prefer to cover up for their government instead of protecting citizens’ interests. This is why it is fundamental for the PN to win more seats in the European Parliament, to ensure further scrutiny on a government for which the precarious state of the environment is its least concern. Just recently, I joined a debate with Arnold Cassola and Sandra Gauci organised by FAA, Ghawdix, and Malta-Arch. Labour’s candidate, Thomas Bajada, failed to turn up. This shows how little Labour cares about the environmental challenges Malta faces, many of which result from a decade of bad policies adopted by Labour. Case in point is their lack of foresight in economic policies. The rise in population has negatively impacted the environment and the quality of life for citizens. Overpopulation is one of the reasons why our seas are contaminated with sewage.

I am committed to addressing environmental challenges in Malta and opposing projects that are not in the community’s interest. This is what I did when Robert Abela’s government proposed a marina in Marsaskala Bay. Together with local councillors and thanks to the efforts of residents and NGOs, the government abandoned the plan, officially withdrawing the policy endorsing the development of a yacht marina in Marsaskala. This is also what I did when a proposal was made to construct a solar farm on agricultural land in Mgarr. Not because I am against investment in alternative sources of energy, but because we can’t jeopardise the limited terrain vital for our food security. I was also on the side of residents regarding the relocation of a cement plant in Mqabba. Just this week, Robert Abela boasted that the government had found a solution to the matter. The reality is that this government has, for over a decade, sent the wrong messages including through the constant uprooting of trees.

On 8 June, people have the opportunity to send a clear message and start a wave of change that will lead to better environmental standards in Malta.