Environmental NGOs propose forts for controversial university

The proposed setting up of an American University of Malta campus in Malta should take place in Fort St Rocco, Fort San Salvatore or Fort Ricasoli, three NGOS - Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth Malta and Ramblers Malta - said.

The statement comes in the wake of an online 'consultation' launched by the Office of the Prime Minister in the wake of a controversy to site a private university in ODZ land at Zonqor Point in Marsaskala, threatening 90,000 square metres of pristine land for the construction of the 'American' university.

MEPA is now looking for smaller and alternative sites, with the possibility that the AUM is split.

The NGOs however expressed concern over the contradictory statements made as the Jordanian investors’ legal representative had insisted that the investors do not want to split the campus.

The NGOs have each spoken to the Prime Minister on the matter, suggesting a number of fortifications as viable alternatives to building the new university on ODZ land.

According to FAA, FoE and Ramblers, while the Prime Minister has taken some of these suggestions into consideration, he has claimed that such projects will present problems of connectivity, vehicular access and basic infrastructure; it is hoped that these are not excuses to mask the fact that agreement has already been reached on the Zonqor site.

“We will continue to stress the suitability of using such sites for this project.“ said Martin Galea De Giovanni of Friends of the Earth Malta, referring to Fort St Rocco, Fort San Salvatore and Fort Ricasoli as the three main fortifications proposed by the NGOs.

“Each of the three forts is very well connected. Fort San Salvatore is serviced by roads which already connect the public to St Edwards College and De La Salle College. Though Fort Ricasoli is presently earmarked for other uses, along with Fort St Rocco it is ideally located along Triq Santu Rokku, a large road currently in use for access to SmartCity, a great advantage since the University will start off at SmartCity while the new campus is being built.”

All three forts are very close to one another, making transport via bicycle lanes and shuttle buses ideal.

Ingram Bondin of Ramblers Association said: “We are aware that there might be challenges in the restoration and conversion of these sites but we are sure that, given the high calibre of Maltese restoration architects and the creativity of the Maltese working in the field, these challenges can be overcome. The restoration of such sites will hugely Malta’s cultural and historical heritage and will avoid the destruction of even more green spaces.

“On the other hand, building the new University at the proposed ODZ site in Zonqor will create a larger logistical problem as it will likely require the building of new roads and infrastructure over arable land.”

Astrid Vella of FAA highlighted the fact that this was not the only major threat to Malta’s countryside, as an application for two Church schools to be built in Għaxaq is only marginally smaller than the Zonqor case and would obliterate more than 77,000 square metres of agricultural land, including rubble walls and mature trees.

The eNGOs appealed to the Church authorities to reconsider making use of this site for these schools in order to provide an example of how these environmental issues should be handled to the benefit of society.

“If approved, the seven major projects in the pipeline could gobble up almost as much virgin countryside as the infamous rationalisation plans which the present government politicians had opposed so vociferously in 2006.”