While recognizing the need to increase touristic investment, especially in areas such as Marsascala which is badly in need of a general upgrade, the environment group was dismayed by Malta Tourism Authority Chairman Sam Mifsud's declaration last week that "the authority believed that the north side of the island needed an area of entertainment to boost tourism" and that the "authority's policy is to spread places of entertainment to the north and to develop the coast".

FAA agrees with Dr Demarco that too narrow a view was being taken when assessing tourism development applications, which ignored environmental considerations. Tourists are attracted by well-conserved heritage and are increasingly shunning environmental black spots. Relying on MEPA to pick up on any flaws in this regard was not an acceptable approach and hardly workable in the circumstances.

A reviewed five-year tourism policy plan approved over 18 months ago clearly requires that environmental considerations are taken into account rather than the authority blindly pushing the country's tourism agenda.

It is refreshing to hear that Dr Demarco acknowledges this. As he has pointed out, nowhere in the tourism policy for 2007 – 2011 is it claimed that places of entertainment should be allowed to spread to the greener north of the island.

Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar

4th September 2008