The eNGOs Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA), Friends of the Earth Malta (FOE) and Ramblers call upon MEPA to review PA 02708/14 following the MEPA Ombudsman’s investigation which highlighted the “devious manner” in which Parliamentary Secretary Ian Borg applied for development permit PA 0708/14.
The story was reveealed in The Malta Independent on Sunday.
In a statement, the eNGOs saod the Ombudsman's report identifies serious internal manipulations by MEPA personnel, undermining MEPA's credibility on all counts. Two years before Ian Borg’s application, planning application 01637/12 on the same site had been refused on Case Officer Mariella Haber’s recommendation endorsed by Mark Cini. Just twenty-four months later the same Mariella Haber proceeded to recommend approval of an almost identical application submitted by Ian Borg’s father.
The Ombudsman found that the MEPA Case Officer Report contained “a series of omissions “ that “cannot be put down to human error but point to a deliberate attempt to remove…the one possible reason – and a very strong one – for refusing the proposal, thereby facilitating its approval”. In referring only to the existing building and failing to mention “the taking up of fresh land” – the reason for the refusal of the previous application – MEPA has issued different verdicts on the same application in the space of a year when planning laws had not changed. This action tarnishes MEPA’s reputation greatly, the statement said.
The fact that this case deals with a politician’s application submitted “using stealth and dubious methods” makes it all the more damning. The NGOs’ recent call for the resignation of MEPA CEO Johann Buttigieg over his improper involvement in the Zonqor AUM site choice is much reinforced by this case. The NGOs call on MEPA to revoke the planning permission and until the revocation is implemented, MEPA would be expected to suspend further development on this site.
Worst still is MEPA’s defence of the handling of this case, justifying the abusive permit on the grounds of another neighbouring application (PA 6928/05) that had been granted. MEPA continues to misinform, failing to mention that PA 6928/05 was initially refused, and only granted on appeal, prompting the Heritage Advisory Panel to state that “The adjacent third party development (PA 6928/05) was approved at appeals stage and had the Panel been consulted, it would have recommended a refusal.” If, as feared, the new MEPA demerger law that grants permits according to existing commitment is to be based on abusive cases, then planning is truly bankrupt, both morally and technically.
Apart from the negative public perception of such corrupt U-turns taking place within the Authority, such cases only serve to encourage others to similarly abuse, “bending” laws, omitting important information and misguiding the decision-taking boards.
The NGOs maintain that the position of Parliamentary Secretary Ian Borg is untenable. They call on MEPA and the Office of the Prime Minister, responsible for MEPA, to take immediate and ongoing measures to weed out such corrupt manipulations and put into effect systems to ensure accountability and transparency, in order to regain respect from both the public and the law-abiding workforce within the authority.