E-NGOs Ramblers Association, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar and Friends of the Earth, note that Dr Michael Falzon, Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, has recently stated that Government has in the last months talked to the representatives of the Armier squatters more than once.
This was not good news; indeed it was very bad news: while taking to Court the people who stole electricity by tampering with Smart meters, Government is just “talking” to others who have been stealing electricity for long years. This constitutes maladministration of justice.
Besides the authorities have made no attempt to consult the major stakeholder, the public, on this matter. The Government cannot consider either the PL or the PN as truly representing the public on this issue for obvious reasons. Both parties have placed the interests of the squatters above the national interest, even going so far as to sign secret agreements with them on the eve of elections. These agreements have never been published.
Only the e-NGOs and Alternattiva Democratica, who over the years have been highlighting the abuse consistently, can have any claim to representing the public.
The e-NGOs maintain that the guiding principles for future action are to be based on three principles:
Equality – Long term abusive occupiers of public land are not to be rewarded in any way;
Legality — The administration of justice is applied in a consistent manner;
Sustainability – The long-term National Interest must prevail;
Tolerance of abuse has gone on far too long. Land abuse is theft and should be treated as such.
We invite the public and other NGOs to join in a campaign against abuse and illegal possession of public land in order to ensure that the abusive Armier sites are returned to their rightful owner, the Maltese nation.
