New agency headed by Steve Ellul as Chief Executive Officer
Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli has officially launched the Project Green agency, which has been entrusted with delivering the Government’s €700 million electoral pledge, spread over seven years, for everyone to enjoy green recreational spaces a short walk from home.
The agency will be headed by Steve Ellul, in his capacity as CEO.
Addressing a press conference, Minister Miriam Dalli stressed that community engagement is at the heart of the new agency, as it is collaborating closely with all stakeholders, especially residents and local councils. The projects, she emphasised, will be planned by the people and delivered for the people.
Varying from the larger green open spaces to spaces within the community to afforestation, and also to support organisations, Project Green will focus on collaboration, delivering quality projects and ensuring their sustainability. The agency will work in collaboration with other entities to maximise resources and ensure continuity.
“Project Green has been tasked with translating this unprecedented environmental investment into quality green spaces. As we had the opportunity to show in recent months, we want to deliver green spaces that are self- sufficient, sustainable and accessible,” Minister Miriam Dalli said.
“We will emphasise quality, not only when it comes to the materials and methods we use, but quality in planning, and quality in the functionality of the gardens, parks and other open spaces that we will create, so that they really make a positive difference in people’s lives.” These spaces, the Minister added, must meet the public’s aspirations.
Project Green CEO Steve Ellul said that Project Green would be working exclusively on people’s aspirations for a better quality of life. “We will place particular emphasis on village cores and develop green lungs for urbanised zones,” Mr Ellul said.
He explained that the agency will work on making existing green spaces more accessible, while creating many new ones, for cleaner air quality, lower noise pollution and greener landscapes in all localities.
“During the next 12 months, Project Green will also be planting some 7,500 trees and shrubs, which will be funded through voluntary initiatives by the private sector. Together, they will cover an area greater than nine football pitches,” concluded Mr Ellul.
Further announcements by Project Green on its work are expected in the coming weeks. For more information, visit www.project.green or the agency’s socials on Facebook and Instagram.
Il-Ministru għall-Ambjent tniedi Project Green, l-aġenzija li se tmexxi l-akbar investiment f’ġonna u fi spazji miftuħa f’Malta
L-aġenzija se titmexxa mill-Kap Eżekuttiv Steve Ellul
Il-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli uffiċjalment nediet l-aġenzija Project Green, li se twettaq il-wegħda elettorali tal-gvern fejn b’investiment ta’ €700 miljun f’seba’ snin, kulħadd ikun jista’ jgawdi minn spazji ħodor miftuħa, qrib fejn jgħixu.
Din l-aġenzija se titmexxa minn Steve Ellul, fl-irwol ta’ kap eżekuttiv.
F’konferenza tal-aħbarijiet, il-Ministru Miriam Dalli sostniet li l-konsultazzjoni mal-komunità ser tkun fil-qalba ta’ din l-aġenzija, hekk kif qed taħdem mill-qrib ma’ dawk kollha konċernati, speċjalment ir-residenti u l-kunsilli lokali. Enfasizzat li dawn il-proġetti se jkunu ppjanati id f’id man-nies u jitwettqu fl-aħjar interess tagħhom.
Bi proġetti li jvarjaw minn spazji ħodor kbar għal spazji miftuħa fil-komunità, għal afforestazzjoni, u appoġġ lill- organizzazzjonijiet, Project Green se tiffoka fuq il-kollaborazzjoni biex twettaq proġetti ta’ kwalità u tiżgura s- sostenibbiltà tagħhom. L-aġenzija ser taħdem f’kollaborazzjoni ma’ entitajiet oħrajn sabiex timmassimizza r- riżorsi u taċċerta l-kontinwità.
“Project Green ġiet fdata biex issarraf dan l-investiment ambjentali bla preċedent fi spazji ħodor ta’ kwalità. Hekk kif urejna f’dawn l-aħħar xhur, irridu noħolqu spazji miftuħa li huma awtosuffiċjenti, sostenibbli u aċċessibbli,” qalet il-Ministru Dalli.
“Se nenfasizzaw il-kwalità, mhux biss f’dak li għandu x’jaqsam ma’ materjali u metodi li nużaw, iżda anke kwalità fl-ippjanar u kwalità fil-funzjonalità tal-ġonna, parks u spazji miftuħa oħra li se noħolqu, sabiex verament nagħmlu differenza pożittiva fil-ħajja tan-nies”. Il-ministru żiedet tgħid li dawn l-ispazji jeħtieġ li jilħqu l- aspirazzjonijiet tal-pubbliku.
Il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ Project Green, Steve Ellul, qal li din l-aġenzija se taħdem b’mod esklussiv biex tagħti kwalità ta’ ħajja aħjar lill-familji. “Se ninsistu b’mod partikolari fuq iċ-ċentri tal-lokalitajiet biex niżviluppaw pulmuni ta’ arja nadifa f’żoni urbani,” qal is-Sur Ellul.
Spjega li l-aġenzija se taħdem biex tagħmel l-ispazji ħodor eżistenti aktar aċċessibbli filwaqt li toħloq ħafna oħrajn ġodda, għal arja aktar nadifa, inqas tniġġis ta’ storbju u pajsaġġi isbaħ f’kull lokalità.
“Fit-tnax-il xahar li ġejjin, Project Green se tħawwel ukoll madwar 7500 siġra u arbuxell, li se jkunu finanzjati minn inizjattivi volontarji mis-settur privat Malti. Flimkien, dawn se jiksu bis-siġar medda ta’ art akbar minn disa’ grawnds tal-futbol,” temm jgħid is-Sur Ellul.
Aktar tagħrif dwar il-ħidma ta’ Project Green tingħata fil-ġimgħat li ġejjin. Għal aktar informazzjoni, żur www.project.green jew segwi l-aġenzija fuq Facebook u Instagram.