Why did you involve yourself in this field in the first place, how did it all begin? 

My father gave me a keen love of Maltese architecture and sense of justice. I had always felt that everyone should give something back to society, and then my Baroque architecture studies opened my eyes to all that we have lost and are still losing. The sense that God gave us a beautiful island and we were doing our best to destroy it was a prime factor in moving me to action.

Having taken up a number of environmental and heritage issues over the years, you have undoubtedly ruffled more than a few feathers.  In fact, some of the criticism levelled against you has been scathing.  In general terms, do you feel that you have been victimised to a certain extent as a result of your work?

I don’t see myself as a victim but as a target. The fact that the barrage of criticism from the same chorus of bloggers was unleashed immediately after the dangerous St. John’s Cathedral Project was dropped indicates that the interests of certain powerful people had been thwarted.  Certain journalists had warned me that they had received instructions to do everything they could to discredit me and the most loyal ones obeyed.

One of the more recent criticisms in your respect is that you stopped being apolitical and that you actually became a Labour Party activist in the last general election campaign. While it is understandable that an NGO of your ilk naturally takes issue with the government of the day and the policies that it sets, this criticism was apparently based your appearances on the party’s television station and in election literature...

This criticism is off the mark in that we were far more outspoken in the 2006 – 2008 period when the abusive Local Plans and Rationalisation Scheme were passed. The subsequent Parliamentary Secretary was protective of our heritage and although he did not reverse these policies that are causing untold havoc to this day, he was far more sensitive to environmental issues than his predecessor. As a result we were less outspoken during the latest PN term of office and in fact our three major national protest marches took place in 2006 and 2007. Before every election we adopt a low profile because we feel that the electorate has enough environmental information to make up his own mind.

As regards TV appearances, it has to be recognised that FAA was studiously ignored by PBS and totally boycotted by Net TV. Therefore in order to get the environmental message across, we had no choice but to accept invitations to a political station. Unlike some people believe, this does not indicate any political allegiance, so much so that I had strongly criticised Labour’s lack of coherence regarding MEPA on One TV.

Your mention of my featuring on election literature is news to me, as in spite of requests from different parties, I would never endorse any electoral campaign. If my image has really been used in Labour Party election literature, it is definitely without my permission, and given proof, I will be looking into taking any appropriate steps.  

As for our criticism of this government, all I can say is that we never organised a national protest within nine months of a government taking office.

While having no intention of asking you who you voted for, how do you reply to the insinuations - did you campaign for the Labour Party and for a change in government? 

I have absolutely no compunction in revealing my political leanings.  I grew up in the long shadow of the worst of Labour excesses when my father was one of Lorry Sant’s victims. At University I was conspicuous for resisting Mintoff’s ‘University reforms’. When I worked for the Malta Development Corporation I was the only one out of 110 staff to obey Fenech Adami’s Mnarja walk-out. I should add that those who stayed at their desks include some who rose to the highest echelons of the Nationalist framework. For my stand I was sent to work at the Kalaxlokk Freeport building site, where there was not even an office or desk, just a building site. I was also physically attacked at work by a labour candidate. With that psychological make-up it is obvious that I would never campaign for the Labour Party.

However neither do my principles allow me to stand by and keep silent about the abuse and planning corruption that I witnessed in 2006. Naively perhaps, we thought that by making these things public, the party would change its handling of environment issues. We did manage to change certain things for the better, but the fact remains that until party financing laws are introduced and ethics and accountability enforced at MEPA, Lands Department and other authorities, money and political power will continue to control the land planning decisions of Malta’s two main parties.

One criticism levelled against you was that you had no immediate opinion on the possible environmental impact of the Labour Party’s main electoral pledges – the still controversial construction of a new power station in Delimara...

Once again, our image is unfortunately moulded by the media. We issued a strong press release against the new power station which was virtually (intentionally?) ignored. One newspaper only published it two weeks later at our insistence when it was almost irrelevant while an unsigned article in The Malta Independent itself claimed that we had not commented on the PL’s energy plans, when they were the first to receive our press release on the subject.

One of your campaigns dealt with the controversial reconstruction of a farmhouse in Bahrija by former PN executive council president Victor Scerri, which is now up for sale for a princely €860,000. Dr Scerri, in turn, accused you of building in an ODZ area in Gozo – accusations that linger to this day.  How do you reply?

The sale of Victor Scerri's house comes as no surprise.  In a Natura 2000 site no building is allowed; even essential public services are rarely granted. Instead here we have a case where a private residence was permitted, a valley damaged, rare biodiversity threatened and blue clay excavated illegally for what turns out to be no more than pure speculation. Yet again MEPA chose to ignore its laws and to overlook the many blatant irregularities of this case. I hope that on seeing the news of the sale of the Bahrija house, the members of the MEPA Board that granted this permit are now fully aware of the results of their irresponsibility. 

Saying that I built in an ODZ area in Gozo, combined with other gross untruths was part of a dirty tricks campaign.  I can confirm that I never applied for or built on an ODZ site in Gozo. I point out that the old house we own in Gozo is in the middle of an urban conservation area - we saved and restored this 300-year old house instead of demolishing it and building seven flats as we could have done.

Publishing such lies is a sad reflection of the lengths to which politicians are ready to go to destroy dissenting voices.

Similarly, how do you reply to criticism that while you are against development you live in a flat in Sliema, one of if not the most ‘uglified’ places in the country that has been spoiled by the build-up of flats such as the one in which you live?

Of course we are against the destruction of Malta’s heritage buildings and urban cores, but what can we do about buildings that were demolished 50 years ago?  The house that stood on the site of our flat did not belong to my family, as has been put out, but to the family of my great-aunt’s husband!  Contrary to what has been said, it was not the first house in this area to be destroyed, which took place when I was just four years old.

The FAA has no beef with people who live in the flats built on such sites as God forbid that all those who live in flats were to abandon them and build more houses all over Malta!

Furthermore, FAA is not against development in general, as some development will always be necessary and can be directed responsibly.  We are against the abusive over-development that has been taking place, with projects of 774 flats being permitted without social impact surveys, and in violation of MEPA regulations, when we have a glut of over 40,000 completely empty housing units.

Why do you feel that Mepa has/is failing the country?

MEPA has certainly failed the country and betrayed the responsibilities set out in its mission statement:

“The Malta Environment & Planning Authority is committed to ensure that land use and the protection of the environment meet the needs of today's society and future communities. We are working to ensure a quality of life that will be in harmony with our natural, cultural and built environment.”

Instead of the above, we have had a MEPA run by political appointees, many of whom, in the past, knew next to nothing about urban planning, and who feel obliged to obey their political masters, which has meant that far from setting up a strong and independent authority, politicians have kept full control over MEPA and its decisions.

While most MEPA employees are honest and hardworking, many are disillusioned by what they see happening around them, such as the appointment of active architects to boards where they could promote their own projects. Given the Authority’s dismal track record on some 7,000 cases of abuse and a string of unethical decisions, it is no surprise that the public voted MEPA as the country’s most corrupt institution.  MEPA’s statement on integrity would be funny if it were not so pathetic: “Our values are rooted in justice, which are manifested in wise and timely decisions appropriately enforced. If we apply these values with commitment, we will be contributing to building the common good, a concept this derived from our country's Christian roots. These values, professionally applied, give evidence to the Authority's integrity in all it does and says.”

What do you see as the main threats to the country’s environment and its heritage?

MEPA has for too long been used as a screen behind which politicians could further their and their supporters’ interests, and the resultant policies such as the raising of heights in urban cores and abusive 2006 Local Plans have destroyed the character of our urban conservation centres. Many heritage monuments have been demolished, engulfed by urban sprawl or ruined by MEPA’s outright refusal to enforce the conservation of heritage properties. Developers targeting the beautiful large gardens of old palazzos are further threatening our urban heritage and essential green lungs.

With the building up of sites like the beautiful fields at Tal-Mirakli and Durumblat at Mosta, the public is only just beginning to realise the impact of the Rationalisation Scheme which no politician has had the courage to revoke. The destruction of Wied il-Ghasel is a precursor of the further building up of the countryside that the new ODZ regulations will permit.  The undermining of the quality of life of residents of the Mosta football ground area, as well as of residents of Balzan, Attard, Swieqi and many other towns, will increase once the new Use Class Orders policy permits more commercialisation of tranquil residential areas.  These are just some of the policies currently being rushed through MEPA in the interests of developers, against the rights of residents. 

What are some of your most memorable victories and disappointments?

Our most memorable victories are the saving of Ramla l-Hamra in Gozo, the saving of Villa Bologna and above all the cancellation of the St. John’s Cathedral project.  MEPA had asked us to intervene in this case as both MEPA officials and the experts we consulted maintained that the extensive excavations would definitely cause damage to the structure of the Cathedral.  I am also very happy that our campaign to save trees is bearing fruit with the public and the authorities beginning to recognise the need to save trees.

Still I feel that our most significant achievement is establish objectors’ rights at MEPA, especially rights to access information that was previously withheld from the public, and to instil in the public the awareness that residents have rights, which is giving residents the courage to speak out.

What do you hope to achieve through Saturday’s protest?

The aim of the rally for the environment is to lobby our political class to face change and pursue positive solutions to Malta’s environmental problems.  We are urging our politicians to adopt courage and vision to bring about the real progress that is mainstream in other European countries, not the outdated 1960s options that are still being touted as a cure-all to Malta’s ills.

This Government’s aim to help the development industry can be achieved through means that do not undermine our health and ruin our landscapes.  There is plenty of work to be found in restoration, re-development and retrofitting projects.   Large areas like the Dock One warehouses, lower Valletta and even White Rocks are crying out for sensitive regeneration to create projects that will benefit the tourism industry - a healthy pillar for our economy.

Instead of a bridge estimated to cost around 1 billion euros which would leave Gozitans still having to face the ferries in high winds and heavy traffic on the Malta sides, why not set up distance learning facilities for Gozitan students?  Such a project could be financed by the savings on subsidies that Government currently pays Gozitans studying in Malta.  Instead of encouraging the brain drain to Malta, part of those €1 billion could be invested in facilities and benefits to draw knowledge economy companies to Gozo which is blessed with a highly qualified workforce.

As for our high rate of air pollution, we will be urging Government to plant more trees in urban areas. Since trees reduce air pollution and hence pulmonary complaints, this would result in a net saving in public health costs, increase commerce and residents’ well-being while reducing the need for air-conditioning and heating in buildings.

The ENGOs are often accused of being stuck in the past when in reality we are asking for innovation and for creative solutions to Malta’s problems. Those attending the protest will be demanding that Government fulfils its obligations to protect our countryside, our coast, our traditional architecture, trees and gardens and our right to light and clean air.

We urge the public to join twelve environment and youth groups in Valletta at 10.30am on Saturday 30th November, to press for real, positive progress and especially for a healthy quality of life for ourselves and our children.