Nine NGOs have written to Environment and Planning Minister Dr Aaron Farrugia requesting the removal of Professor Victor Axiak from his role as chair of the Environmental Resources Authority following a spate of abysmal decisions.

In their open letter, the groups show their concern at Axiak’s alliance with developers and roadbuilders, reflected in a series of shocking decisions with regard to the uprooting of 300-year old carob trees in Dingli, the greenlighting of the disastrous works in Comino, the refusal to commission an EIA for the Msida Creek project, and a series of decisions and statements taken in the planning board, the NGOs said.

The groups said they consider Axiak’s behaviour to be "repeated and dishonest", and called on Minister Farrugia to replace him with an individual who is “dedicated, motivated and independent.”

They also asked for ERA board meetings to be made more transparent and allow citizens to make their representations during such meetings, as well as recognising the NGO’s automatic judicial interest in appeals before the Environmental and Planning Review Tribunal.

The letter can be seen here