Judging from the failed promises related to the power station, more hypocritical hype is expected in the future. Due to the political controversy that raged around the failed promise by this government regarding the date for building a new power station, many failed to realize that the government has failed on another issue. This is related to the promised demerger within MEPA.

The Government promised to split the Authority into two in the first quarter of 2014. We are practically at the close of the year and nothing has materialized so far. TMI has carried Din L-Art Ħelwa's concerns regarding SPED; the new strategic structure that this Government is proposing in line with its electoral promise to separate the environment from urban development. Unfortunately, in this area, Labour has taken Environmental Groups and associations for a ride. Rightly, Din L-Art Ħelwa has assessed the risks that Labour's new structure represents to the environment.  The Construction Lobby wants to get rid of the environmentalists. As we say it in Maltese, they did not want the environmentalist ma' saqajhom (in their way).   

But let us not deviate the topic that I want to discuss here, that is MEPA.  The power station's saga is related also to the recently erected Prospettiva and the current V18 fudge. Why?

At this point, I wish to highlight a remark made by the mayor of Floriana, Nigel Holland. He pointed out that Prospettiva (that nonsensical monument bang in line with the vedette and the War Memorial) was set up without prior approval by or consultation with the local council. Government was swift to reply saying that this monument was erected within the blessing of the Valletta local council! Therefore, there was no need for authorization from the Floriana local council. Soon enough this was followed by another piece of interesting news. Government had not applied for a full development permit. It had merely informed MEPA of its plans. Normally, a development in Valletta, Floriana and the Three Cities must be covered by a full-development permit. Clearly, this was not the case here. There was no need for such a permit! To add insult to injury, Prospettiva is close to the fortifications. For lesser mortals, it is well-nigh impossible to get a development permit when their property is situated near the Knights' fortifications unless possibly they find the right architect.

This installation has confirmed once again, that the granting of a permit in Valletta, Floriana and the Three Cities depends on who you are and not on law. In this case Government was spared the bureaucratic hassle, all the heavy paper work and the green light was given without any problems but it did not respect the Law.

The same story is being repeated again, this time at Ta Qali. TMI reported that the Ta Qali pet cemetery/crematorium is exempted from the Environmental Planning Statement. The official reason given is that  "impacts during operation are expected to be of little or no significance given that risks of contamination of land or water from such releases are likely to be remote." Ironically, this Government is following jn the footsteps of the previous administration. The previous Nationalist Administration also constructed without first channeling a proper application through MEPA.  Iċ-Ċentru San Franġisk is a case in point. Nor should we forget the Marsascala police station. Despite all the hype and pompous media coverage, it lacks a proper MEPA permit.

Yet when it comes to adding a room on the roof of a house in the Three Cities, or opening a window in a dilapidated post-Second World War house in Floriana or Valletta, it becomes a news item of high environmental controversy. The irony of all this is that we have a Court of Law that believes and supports MEPA's urban verbose language. The odd snippets above confirm that MEPA guidelines are all bulls**t. When it suits MEPA, it turns a blind eye and exposes the irrational and incoherent and impotent framework.