Environment Minister Jose Herrera told The Malta Independent that he did not seek approval from the Office of the Prime Minister before attending a protest against the construction of a new Chiswick school in Pembroke.
A large group of people, including both residents and members of NGOs for Kamp Emergenza Ambient, turned up for the protest against the proposed Chiswick House School site on Tuesday evening. The development has been heavily criticised on social media, and in a statement, Moviment Graffiti described the project as an "act of shameless greed."
The minister, through his attendance at the protest, caused many to question his reasons and intentions.
Asked whether he had OPM’s approval to attend the Pembroke protest or whether he was acting alone, he said that he did not need approval to attend such an event. “I did not go against any party directions. I attended on my own steam. I felt that as minister for the environment, as I stated earlier on, when the time comes and occasionally I will take stands. This does not mean I am interfering in the application process. That is something which the environment departments will decide.”
He said he felt that there was a public outcry and that the area is near a Natura 2000 site, and he was invited to attend and attended.
He assured that he did not go against any party directives. “It is an action I felt I should take as minister.” He said that he cannot be too complacent as minister, “and in the future if I am invited and I feel I should attend I will attend.”
Asked whether he believes this would put pressure on the Planning Authority, he said: “What annoys me is that when I don’t attend and don’t speak out I am criticised harshly in the press, that I have no voice. When I speak out then I get criticised from the other end. Do you think I should never open my mouth as a minister when there is a proposed development? My predecessor was heavily criticised for not speaking about Zonqor, and I myself was criticised on others issues when I didn’t speak out.”
“This time when I took my oath of office I said that when I feel I should speak out I will speak out. I will not interfere in the process, the processes are independent.”
Asked whether he knows if the government is for or against the project, he said he did not ask. “The government is neither for nor against. There are applications made by private individuals and the processes are there. It doesn’t mean I won’t speak in the future.” He mentioned that he would not speak about minor projects. “I didn’t speak out I was invited and I went to listen to the complaints of individuals, I felt I needed to be on the ground.”
Asked whether this means the public can expect the minister to attend protests about private sector development on ODZ land, the minister said: “If it is a minor project I don’t think I should otherwise I would attend issues on a weekly basis. If there are projects and I am invited to attend I will go and listen to what the people have to say about it. As minister I need to be more on the ground especially given that the environment is prioritised this time round and people are keenly following environmental issues. I can’t do it every time but every now and then when I’m invited I should go and listen to what they have to say.”
Asked whether his attendance conflicts with government’s position, given that government must be dealing with Chiswick due to the project being on public land, the minister said: “If I had to take that stand it would mean that I would never attend anything because any project is to be decided by government or government agencies or policies. I thought about this issue, but if I didn’t attend on this then I would never attend and I have been criticised in the past for not attending. You get criticised both ways. As minister, on my own steam, I have a right to go and listen to what people have to say. I would never go and interfere directly or indirectly in an application or process, I never do with ERA. It doesn’t mean that because ERA falls under my ministry, then for example when people are demonstrating to protect an indigenous species, I would not go and listen if invited.”
In a statement sent to this newsroom later in the day responding to questions sent regarding possibly influencing the Planning Authority, which were received after the conversation with the minister, the Environment Ministry stated that the government believes in the independence of such institutions but can take a public stand on issues. “The Government has a mandate to govern according to its electoral pledges and Hon Herrera’s attendance was well in line with such government commitments / pledges.”
PN environment spokesperson
PN spokesperson for the Environment Karol Aquilina was also contacted, and asked, among other things, for his position on the project and questioned why he was not present when the local council had sent out an invitation to all Parliamentarians. "My position on this matter is very clear: Public land should only be used in the public interest and after taking into consideration the needs, challenges and hopes of the residents. I am therefore completely sympathetic to the position of the residents and local council of Pembroke on this matter,” he said.
Whereas as a party the PN favours educational projects, he explained, “this does not mean that we support further building of schools in areas, such as ODZ land or land which is of conservation value and ecological importance.”
“Moreover, this school is set to move out of Kappara after having been the source of much inconvenience to residents there. Taking it to another zone where it can cause a similar inconvenience for other residents does not seem a sensible approach. That said, on this specific project in Pembroke, the first thing we need to know is what exactly is going on. One Government Minister is offering public land in Pembroke for this project whereas another Government Minister is attending a protest against it. It is time for the Government to come clean and explain what is going on. Only then will we be able to study this issue seriously.”
He reiterated that the PN reserves the right to speak out about this and any other project proposal on public land if and whenever necessary.
Aquilina said that he would gladly have attended the protest however did not receive the invitation. “It seems that the Pembroke Local Council sent an official invitation to the Clerk of the House who inadvertently did not forward the invitation to all the MPs as requested.”