The Nationalist Party said on Wednesday that a Court of Appeal decision to annul the permit for the Transport Malta Capitanerie project at the Ta’ Xbiex Marina confirms “the serious abuse occurring within the planning sector, where institutions meant to protect the public interest are being exploited by the Labour Government to benefit the few.”
In a statement, the PN noted that the court had again reprimanded the Planning Authority, which it referred to as a “Permits Authority”, for completely ignoring planning regulations and procedures to issue a permit that should never have been granted.
The same Court also condemned Transport Malta for lacking integrity and transparency by acting as a consultant to provide professional and technical advice on the merits of a development for which it was itself the applicant, the PN noted.
The PN said that it has long advocated for transparent and accountable governance within regulatory authorities such as the Planning Authority and Transport Malta. “This case highlights the impunity and arrogance in the management of public land, where necessary processes are bypassed and commercial interests are prioritised over community and environmental well-being,” the party said.
The PN said that it expects the Planning Authority not to stand idly by in the wake of this permit revocation, as it did in other cases such as the swimming pool case involving Minister Ian Borg, but to take the actions required by law to truly deliver justice.
“This case once again exposes how Robert Abela says one thing and does another. Even though this application was still pending appeal, Transport Malta, the applicant for the permit, continued with the works despite Abela’s promise two years ago that any permit under appeal would be suspended until a final decision was reached,” the PN said.
“The Planning Authority should not create another bureaucratic labyrinth that punishes the many and rewards the few just to give the impression that something is being done,” the party added.
“The solution to these abuses is a change in the country’s leadership. Malta does not need leadership that enforces cosmetic changes leading to bureaucratic entanglements that benefit the powerful and oppress the vulnerable,” it continued.
The PN said that it promises serious, transparent and consistent decisions that build trust and provide peace of mind.
“From the very first day in government, the PN said it will launch a radical reform and implement a complete re-engineering process for the Planning Authority, ensuring it is independent of politicians and speculators. This will transform the Planning Authority and all public authorities into fair and just institutions.”
The statement was signed by PN MPs Stanley Zammit, Shadow Minister for Planning and Lands; Rebekah Borg, Shadow Minister for the Environment; and Mark Anthony Sammut, Shadow Minister for Transport and Mobility.