Greens lambast Labour, PN for green-lighting motor racetrack

Alternattiva Demokratika has kicked off its election campaign by criticising the Labour and Nationalist parties alike of being in favour of a motor racetrack.

AD chairperson Arnold Cassola said that the two large parties don’t truly believe in improving the quality of people’s lives as they are “competing between themselves to construct underwater tunnels, racetracks and other things. Our children aren’t roundabouts.”

He was addressing a press conference in Ta’ Qali – which the government has earmarked as the site for a motor racetrack – a day after AD launched its campaign.

AD spokesperson Ralph Cassar noted that the PN has also come out in favour of a racetrack, and challenged it to state where it would like it to be sited.

He said that Labour and PN will not be satisfied until every large patch of land on the island is built up – arguing they have both come out in favour of the construction of a racetrack.

“The PL now want to destroy the open space at Ta’ Qali, which will be of detriment to residents of Attard, Rabat and Mosta who will have to put up with continuous loud noise and air pollution.

“We must accept that Malta’s small size precludes the construction of such large projects.”

AD deputy chairperson Carmel Cacopardo warned that the project is estimated to take up to 80,000 metre squares of land, including between 6-8km of racing track.

Moreover, he noted that the government’s proposed project also includes a hotel, a conference centre, and racecar maintenance facilities.

“We must admit, once and for all, that our country is what it is and that no part of Malta or Gozo is suitable for this sort of development,” he said.