Sant, Labour’s conscience: Graffitti demands on environment ‘valid and needed’

Former prime minister Alfred Sant yesterday heralded a major environmental protest in Valletta by calling for the recognition of its demands.

Over 60 environmental NGOs and civic action groups led by Moviment Graffitti brought thousands together in Valletta to demand a radical overhaul of Malta’s planning regime and to call time on deregulation of the construction industry.

The Labour MEP Alfred Sant was one of the few voices from the government side to recognise the integrity of Saturday’s protest.

[WATCH] The call of justified anger: demonstrators demand radical planning reform in Valletta

“Irrespectively of whether Saturday’s demonstration is big or small, I find the aims it is pursuing to be valid and needed, especially when it comes to the moratorium on large construction projects, better regulation of the construction industry, and the safeguarding of our natural environment,” Sant said on Facbeook.

The former Labour leader has at times criticised the government for some of its decisions, such as when he proclaimed that a second ferry and a fast ferry service would be a much better option than a tunnel between Malta and Gozo.

Valletta heaves with the sound of protest