Doing everything for power

Two oncologists have dismissed Muscat's claim that the Delimara power-station is a cancer and asthma factory.

It is shameful that Muscat and the Labour Party are using people suffering from cancer to ride over people's emotions, basing themselves on vox-pops.

Reality is that according the WHO reports and statistics, Malta has the second lowest rate of cancer incidence in Europe, and the seventh lowest rate of cancer mortality. Studies confirm that the biggest contributor to cancer incidence in Malta is smoking. And laws to stop smoking in public places including children's playgrounds have already been enacted.

As regards asthma, studies show that the biggest incidence of asthma in Malta is tied to traffic density and not to the power-stations. In fact, the incidence of asthma in Marsaxlokk is lower than the median in Malta.

Having said that, the direction to move towards cleaner energy and air quality should still be followed. But alarming people unnecessarily is not the way forward.

This should not be based on the politics of vox-pops. It should be based on serious studies and research.

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Mark Anthony Sammut

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