SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE HON. FRANCIS ZAMMIT DIMECH, MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, ENTITLED "ENSURING A BETTER ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL", ON THE OCCASION OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE MALTA SCOUT ENVIRONMENT AWARD

Ladies and gentlemen,

I have accepted with pleasure your invitation to present the Malta Scout Environment Award, an award which was launched in 1993 by my colleague Dr. Stanley Zammit, then Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, in conjunction with the Scout Association of Malta.

The environment is today one of the sectors which is being given most importance. In Malta, not only is the majority of the population conscious of the importance of the environment, but we feel that we have to work at full speed ahead to make up for the lost ground.

Malta, like all other nations, has environmental problems when it comes to keeping our roads, valleys and countryside clean. We have problems keeping the air and the sea around us clean. These problems are being tackled not only through legislation but also through positive action.

We are working hard to solve the waste and the litter problems. These are two major problems, where the support of every citizen is essential. Government offers a free road cleaning service in all the localities. It also offers a bulky refuse service. Employees from the Unit ghall-Ambjent Nadifclean up major roads, roads leading to the countryside, valleys and rainwater culverts. Unfortunately, many citizens are not cooperating in the drive to keep Malta tidy. As a result, places that are cleaned today are strewn with litter within a few hours. Government is doing its utmost to keep Malta tidy, but it cannot reach its targets unless it has the fullest cooperation of the general public.

My Ministry is presently formulating a draft new Litter Act which will cater to present day exigencies and which will serve as a deterrent to the illegal disposal of waste. My Ministry is also working on an integrated wastes strategy for the Maltese Islands. This strategy emphasizes a principle which does not look at the Maghtab problem in isolation but examines how Maghtab relates to whatever facilities we have and what facilities we might need. Malta must adopt a strategy which will begin with the elimination of Maghtab as it is at present and finding alternative ways for the disposal of our litter. In the coming weeks, the Government will call for proposals for waste management solutions from interested companies.

My Ministry is also tackling the black dust problem in the south of the island. Following a report which indicated that the Marsa Power Station is the source of the black dust, Enemalta Corporation contracted AEA Technology (AEAT) Environment to carry out a further assessment on how to address this issue in an effective manner. AEAT has made its recommendations and the necessary works are already in hand to eliminate this problem.

The seas around us also form part of our environment. Government is working on all fronts. It is extending the drainage system to cater for present and future needs. It is planning to install three sewage treatment plants by the year 2005 to pre-treat all sewage before it flows into the sea. And it is preparing, even in conjunction with neighbouring countries, plans to combat pollution in the seas.

A healthy environment is a priority. I feel that with your help we can live in a better environment. Your motto "Be Prepared" fits perfectly within our environmental plans. We should always be prepared to combat environmental risks. We should have the plans, the structures, the know-how and the human resources to make our environment as friendly as possible. Moreover, we will continue to strive to have the cooperation of everybody. I am sure that, if we treat the environmental issue as one nation, we will tackle all the problems for the benefit of all.