MP suggests environment protection should be hived off Mepa

Labour MP Roderick Galdes asked yesterday whether the time had come to hive off the Environment Protection Unit from Mepa (the Malta Environment Planning Authority).

He told Parliament during the debate on the financial estimates of the authority that the merging of the unit with the former Planning Authority did not appear to have been successful.

There was lack of synergy between this and other sections of the authority and the advice of the unit's officials was being ignored even more than before. This was evidenced in the way decisions were being taken by the authority, including the way the local plans were drawn up and how they lacked uniformity.

Mr Galdes said that Mepa was also failing to enforce the law and as the Mepa auditor himself had confirmed, inspectors felt that their hands were tied.

There were also serious questions over the way enforcement action was taken, when it was, with major developers acting with impunity while small developers were penalised.

Mr Galdes said the Mepa chairman had recently been quoted as saying that he did not expect congratulations for what Mepa did. But why were people so disillusioned with Mepa? Was the community that Mepa was supposed to be serving, the community of friends of friends, or the community that was clamouring for the disappearing environment? Was it the new ghettoes that constituted a better environment?

Mepa had failed, or been made to fail, in its most important aims, such as to guard against wanton development on virgin land.

The application process at Mepa had degenerated into a litany of controversial decisions. Never before had such havoc been allowed in conservation areas. Was this conservation or speculation?

The Mepa chairman had said that the authority's main drive had been on the finalisation of local plans. In actual fact Minister Pullicino had only accelerated the process in order to meet EU deadlines and avoid mandatory environmental assessments. The slow rhythm of several years had suddenly given way to a hasty process, with far-reaching changes being made overnight. There had been substantial changes for a final product that was far removed from the original vision, leaving too many people feeling they had been unjustly treated.

Mepa and the minister had realised this and were now proposing revised guidelines - all this after 10 years of studying proposals. The minister had given no idea of when the plans would be signed. Now the government was doing a new U-turn.

Mepa personnel had not even been informed of these decisions, with the result that they were giving erroneous advice to people who asked for guidance. Mepa was thus ridiculing the whole country. This had amply been brought out by the Mepa auditor. Was it true that he was to be removed and replaced?

Mr Galdes hit out at the recent land rationalisation exercise, saying the process was fallacious. Many people whose lands had not been included in the new development zones had not yet been given a scientific reply to their complaints.

Speaking about the proposed restructuring at Mepa, Mr Galdes said it was just an exercise in manipulation of people, including those in high positions. They had been made so unhappy that they had been left with no choice but to resign, leaving Mepa devoid of really experienced personnel.

Mr Galdes asked how were SMEs had been considered in the local plans. Had industrial land in Gozo been planned? There were no policies yet to guide farmers.

Furthermore, were the conclusions and recommendations of the State of the Environment report being taken onboard?

Mr Galdes said there was inefficiency in the way Mepa was being managed and pointed out that queues were getting longer. It was unacceptable that it took four weeks to make a minor amendment to a plan.

Applications were taking too long to be decided and when decisions were taken, the applicants did not receive the necessary papers for weeks.

And were the funds being raised by Mepa being used for the purpose for which they had been collected? Were funds collected for the provision of parking being used for this purpose?

Mr Galdes complained of a lack of coordination even between the DCC boards.

Furthermore, many policies, including the Structure Plan itself, had expired and needed urgent updating.

The reality was that the government was not giving Mepa the direction necessary for it to achieve its aims.

Unfortunately, the government's intention was not to allow the authority to work but to have a political ball. It had weakened the authority and was arrogant with the staff as also confirmed by former PN activist Carmel Cacopardo.

Mr Cacopardo had also criticised the minister over the way the eco-tax had been introduced.