The government’s Principal Permanent Secretary, Godwin Grima, said that no decisions on development planning applications were being taken for the present by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.

Dr Grima’s terse statement did not give the reason for this, but the Mepa featured highly in Labour Party claims of irregularities during the election campaign, and the Prime Minister even referred a particular case, involving a PN candidate, to the Police Commissioner.

During the campaign, PN leader Lawrence Gonzi said, that if re-elected as head of government, he would be taking the Mepa under his wing. Dr Grima, as Principal Permanent Secretary, is the chief civil servant.

Dr Grima said all meetings in public of the Mepa board and the Development Control Commissions were suspended until further notice.

That also applied to the sittings of the Planning Appeals Board.