Since its foundation 17 years ago Alternattiva Demokratika has constantly lent its support and been of service to the local community of Sannat in a number of ways on a national level and internationally through the interventions of the European Green Party in several EU institutions, Chairperson Harry Vassallo said. Speaking at a press conference in Sannat, he said that the Ta? Cenc issue has forged a special link between AD and the Sannat residents and ?this rural locality has a special place in AD?s hearts?. AD?s candidate for Sannat local council election, John M. Mizzi said: ?It is no secret that both the PN and MLP are adamant in their support for the golf course development at Ta? Cenc.? Mr Mizzi said that once elected in the Sannat local council, with the help of AD and through the benefit ... Read more...

The government plans to set up a pier or platform outside Mgarr Harbour to enable cruise liners to berth there, the Prime Minister told Evarist Bartolo (MLP) when replying to a parliamentary question yesterday. Dr Gonzi said the authorities were keeping a close eye on plans by cruise companies for the building of larger cruise ships. He said the entrance to Grand Harbour was not seen as posing problems but there were some questions on the quay currently used for cruise ships.

The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association has written to the chairman of Gozo Channel asking for an explanation regarding the weekend's disrupted service. The association said it had received reports from member hoteliers and restaurateurs in Gozo that "they had a considerable number of cancellations for accommodation and dining parties". Many Maltese who planned to cross over to Gozo cancelled their booking since only one ferry was operating on Friday and they were told they had to wait at least eight hours to make the crossing. Gozo Channel was operating with just one ferry for most of that day after the other two developed technical problems. And at one point, because of the strong winds, the ferry service was operating only from Sa Maison. However, the service returned to normal, with three ferries operating, on Saturday. The MHRA said that the weekend was eagerly ... Read more...

The Malta Tourism Authority and the Malta Rock Climbing Club have embarked upon an ambitious project to install equipment on various cliffs around Malta and Gozo in order to facilitate the increasingly popular sport of rock-climbing. The MTA is to provide rock-climbing venues at a number of sea cliffs and inland valleys, sites that are highly attractive to European climbers, accustomed to climbing on routes equipped with safety anchors that minimise the risk of injury, inherent in any activity conducted on vertical rock faces. Commenting on the sport itself as well as the project, Andrew Warrington, president of the Malta Rock Climbing Club (MRCC), said that ?Malta and Gozo are particularly attractive to rock climbers from Europe and other northern countries. We have year-round weather that is ideal for climbing with warm days in ... Read more...

I heard recently that application number 5277/96 has been resuscitated, and the developer has submitted an EIA to MEPA. I am writing to voice my strong objection to this development. This application now seeks to double the size of the existing hotel, build another hotel together with 49 bungalows and 67 villas, all in an area outside the development zone. According to MEPA, there is more than enough space in the Development Zone to cater for projected buildings. Why then should more buildings be allowed in ODZ areas, especially when some of the projected buildings are close to Mgarr ix-Xini and far away from the existing hotel? This is not just any ODZ area we are talking about but Ta? Cenc, one of the last few remaining unspoilt open areas in all of Malta and Gozo. Its very name evokes a ... Read more...

Over 250 Maltese and Gozitan people declared their expression of interest to plant indigenous Maltese olive trees on their land with the aim of producing monocultivar Maltese olive oil and related products. Collectively, these applicants have indicated that they are willing to plant over 13,700 olive trees over the next two years. Launched earlier this year, PRIMO is an environmental and afforestation initiative undertaken by Sam Cremona with the support of Bank of Valletta and the Ministry for Rural Affairs and the Environment. PRIMO is seeking to encourage the dissemination of the indigenous Maltese olive tree with the long-term view of achieving the critical mass necessary to be able to produce certified oil and related products. The first stage of this project involved a survey to assess the interest from the general public to grow the indigenous Maltese olive trees ... Read more...

Alternattiva Demokratika warned yesterday that Ramla l-Hamra in Gozo is being threatened by proposed development, which, it said, "will ruin what is left of the unique character of this bay". AD chairman Harry Vassallo and the party's Gozo committee said the Green Party was strongly opposed to a development application for the building of apartments and shops with underlying garages in the Calypso Cave area in Xaghra. "If this development is given the green light, it will not only cause irreparable damage to the area but will be in violation of several MEPA planning policies which legally safeguard such an environment," the party said. "The development will adversely affect the scenic value of the area, since it will visually dominate and disrupt its surroundings because of its size and location; it will also affect existing trees and shrubs."

Domestic Tourism to Gozo was very fragile and it was crucial that all stakeholders draw up a contingency plan to avoid a repeat of Friday's record queues for the ferry service, Gozo Tourism Association secretary Joe Muscat said yesterday. "Let us learn from this experience. It is not the first time that this has happened and we should be prepared so that it won't happen again." Friday's tailbacks to cross over to Gozo will go down in history - people had to wait at least eight hours to make the 25-minute trip between the islands. Strong winds and bad luck conspired against Gozo Channel, leaving it with just one ferry as thousands attempted to cross over for Carnival weekend. The two other ferries could not operate for most of the day because of technical faults and the weather forced a transfer of ... Read more...

The electricity surcharge is expected to soar to 67.5 per cent, as the government grapples with rocketing oil prices. The government imposed a surcharge of 55 per cent last October to cushion the impact of spiralling oil prices, with an additional 1.2 per cent to be levied monthly every month as from January. "The increases in oil prices in the last two months are expected to impact the surcharge," a spokesman for the Investments Ministry said. He did not wish to give further comments. It is not yet known whether there will be any change in the prices of petroleum products. The increase is the third surcharge shift since the beginning of 2005. The government had initially levied a 17 per cent surcharge, which was controversially revised to 55 per cent last November after international oil prices spiralled out of control. The surcharge ... Read more...

This year's carnival in Gozo will go back in years with a performance of the Kumittiva being held in Xaghra at 7.30 p.m. today. A group of young people will swing to this very old folk carnival dance accompanied by traditional instruments. The traditional dance is being revived thanks to the Fondazzjoni Kumittiva, set up in 2003 to rekindle the carnival spirit in the younger generations. The dance comes to an end with what is known as the bixkilla - weaving of red and white ribbons round a cane basket held high on a pole by the circular dancing of the performers.