The position of Environment and Resources Authority chairman Victor Axiaq is no longer tenable following his vote in favour of the Central Link project, the Nationalist Party said in a statement.

The PN said that the project will have a detrimental impact on the environment, the destruction of 50,000 square metres of agricultural land and open spaces, together with the removal of around 500 trees, some of which have been there for hundreds of years.

Axiaq voted in favour of this destruction, the PN said, and this behaviour showed that he is following the government’s policy, making his position untenable, the PN said.

Axiaq had the chance of showing that the authority he leads if really independent of the government and contractors, but he chose otherwise, the PN said.

In reply, the Labour Party said the PN never changes - if you do not agree with the party, it would want you out.

There were times when it quoted Axiaq, but now that he voted in favour of the Central Link Project, it is calling for his removal.

This is the attitude of a party that does not have any credibility. The Central Link project as proposed will have 220 more trees than there are at present and will use 57% less agricultural land that the project the PN had proposed when it was in government, the PL said.