Stanley

Stanley Farrugia Randon

Stanley Farrugia Randon is a medical doctor and a Council Member of Din l-Art Helwa

20 May

Our health versus economic growth, by Stanley Farrugia Randon

One of the resolutions approved unanimously by members during the Annual General Meeting of Din l-Art Ħelwaheld last February stated that ‘while our islands are experiencing economic growth, this is accompanied by a marked reduction in the quality of life and general health of citizens. Din l-Art Ħelwa asks Health and Planning Authorities to acknowledge that, with an island that...

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03 Sep

Political decisions and the environment, by Stanley Farrugia Randon

Political decisions indirectly affect our environment. We environmentalists are usually used to reacting to projects proposed by government or private entities which we think will negatively effect our environment. Such projects include building in Outside Development Zones, demolishing old and historical buildings to replace them with modern apartments, proposals to construct high-rise buildings, developing coastal areas to accommodate holiday resorts etc....

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08 Dec

High-Rise Buildings

by Stanley Farrugia Randon Definition Before discussing high-rise buildings, a definition has to be established on what we actually mean by high-rise. According to me a high-rise building is one which goes one or more stories higher than that allowed by the building practice, policies and aesthetics of the surrounding, including its visibility from the sea. In Malta, high-rise is anything above...

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17 Jun

Abandoned rural buildings

by Stanley Farrugia Randon Our islands are riddled with abandoned rural buildings which are a gem of architecture. They vary from farmhouses to small rooms used for storing agricultural implements. Most of them still boast of original features of vernacular architecture and the attentive eye can still spot the xorok, the kileb, the roundels...

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06 May
0

Contrails or Chemtrails?

by Stanley Farrugia Randon Many people are wondering what the many aeroplane trails they are observing over our islands could be. Contrails are normal as they are caused by aeroplane engine exhaust and form due to condensation (hence the name contrails) of engine water vapour which meets the low ambient temperature at high altitudes. Contrails...

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03 Aug
0

Where were you?

by Stanley Farrugia Randon To all those who ask ‘Where were you during the previous Governments’? I invite you to read this sequence of events and judge for yourself. It is true that Din l-Art Ħelwa is normally associated with the restoration of historical buildings or monuments (with environmental issues normally the domain of other non-governmental organisations) but its watch-dog role...

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17 Apr
0

Referendum – a victory for both

by Stanley Farrugia Randon Notwithstanding the two party leaders opportunistically said they will vote ‘Yes’ in the referendum to remove Spring Hunting, nearly half of the voting population voted ‘No’. The ‘Yes’ campaign was based on instigating fear that other hobbies will be next on the line to be removed. Unfortunately very few people understood the...

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22 Nov
0

More foresight for foreshore

22nd November 2014 by Stanley Farrugia Randon The foreshore is a unique ecological resource which supports various activities that are intensely related to the well-being of a community. Unfortunately, the Maltese islands do not have large coastal areas which are easily accessible to the public. Besides being small, much of the western coast is made up of cliffs. Many...

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04 Nov

Building on common good

by Stanley Farrugia Randon Why are Outside Development Zone (ODZ) permits granted if the same term implies that no development is allowed within these zones? Strictly speaking, an area which is ODZ can only be developed if the development boundary is moved in order to include that area within the limits of development which requires the consent...

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