Wednesday, 9th April 2008 - 16:23CET

MEPA: PM wants to end suspicion of conflicts of interest

Mark Micallef

The prime minister visited the offices of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa) for the first time this afternoon and insisted that the authority needed to become more efficient and transparent and suspicion of conflicts of interest had to be brought to an end once and for all.

Dr Gonzi toured the authority’s offices, addressed the staff and then had a meeting with the board.

He presented the chairman, Andrew Calleja, with a draft code of ethics proposed by the Mepa auditor and invited him to consider it and report back. This code of ethics, he should, would go a long way to ending suspicion about conflicts of interest.

He said that the government would continue the work it started at the end of the last legislature to strengthen Mepa’s law enforcement powers, and that would be one of the priorities in the new parliament.

The authority, he said, already had a level of transparency, but this needed to be improved further, and the concept of a one stop shop also needed to be stronger.

In his address Dr Gonzi said one of the major aspects of the reform that will be enacted at Mepa will be the increased involvement of Civil Society - including residents, NGOs and local councils - in the decision-making process. He encouraged the employees to participate in this reform.

Dr Gonzi, who has assumed ministerial responsibility for Mepa reform, did not take questions from the press during his tour.

Comments

Joseph Grech-Attard (on 10/4/08)

So Mr. Nenu Aquilina
1. "Dr Gonzi is the right political person to put MEPA on the proper track." Let's say we agree. I am sure that there could be others but let's assume that Gonzi is one of them.
2. "He is the only one that can stop arrogance, conflicts of interest, corruption and bad and destructive planing by MEPA once and for all." You say "stop". Are you insinuating that such things exist at MEPA? Be careful or else gonziPN followers might blacklist you because you are either mud-slinging or doing a U-turn.
3. "God always be with you." Well done but let us pray God to be with ALL of us. We, believers, need Him to be with us as much as Gonzi, especially in the present situations.

A Daley (on 9/4/08)

Dear Marco Borg, which country in the Euro-Zone has 60% in National Debt vis-à-vis its GDP? Which country had its disposable income reduced during these last 4 years? How much would you have to pay in interests if you buy a house in Malta and the rates in the Euro-Zone go up to say 15% Mr.Borg? Why is the negative balance of payments increasing instead of decreasing? Why are we paying the highest VAT in the Euro-Zone, and going up in the next budget? Why do we still have miserable salaries in Malta when compared to other western European countries? Which Govt. and in which country had increased taxes by £m50 million a year during these last four years? Is that how one gets the economy on it's feet? But then again, we have the Euro in our hands! Give us a break will you!

Carmel(Nenu)Aquilina (on 9/4/08)

Dr Gonzi is the wright political person to put MEPA on the proper track. He is the only one that can stop arrogance, conflicts of interest, corruption and bad and destructive planing by MEPA once and for all.
Please MEPA officers and staff give respect to this real Maltese gentleman, and all the Maltese onest people, please help Dr Gonzi do this job,please give respect to all God's creation for us and for all of those that have to come. MEPA I wish you good luck . Dr Gonzi the Maltese are all behind you about Mepa. We all know that you are going to do this big job properly, Good luck and thank you. God always be with you.

JOHN SCERRI (on 9/4/08)

Our duty as citizens is to give feedback the aim of which is for things to improve.
Whining and grumbling will get us nowhere. We are in this boat together.

MEPA :- Let's help out with this as a team. after all it is in our interest.

1) Where are development applications created before they are submitted to MEPA ? .. In the architects office.
2)The architect today, using internet - MEPA website mapserver and other sites has access ODZ and UCA before drafting a development brief for the client.
3) MOST IMPORTANT:The architect has the duty to inform the client what is and what is not permissible.
4) So :- The development application must be created properly AT SOURCE in compliance with regulations before having MEPA waste time and taxpayers' money investigating it.
This is my first feedback .
I am sure many of our readers who come from various sectors of society have more ideas to put forward.
Let's make this happen .

Albert Gauci Cunningham (on 9/4/08)

For ppl like Mr.Brendon Camilleri even if Dr.Gonzi suceeds ( as he suceeded in the euro and controlling the deficit) they will still spin themselves right around to believe otherwise...before the election they said its a gimmick, before the election ppl like him said that Gonzi 'restructuring" MEPA was a white wash, now that things have already started moving all they do is repeat their election mantra's all over again!!.....Mr.Camilleri's comments go to show that there is no goodwill to give someone like the PM a chance to prove himself .....but as they did with the euro, as they did with the E.U., as they did with the election when the moment arrives they will proove themselves to be unrepentant jeremiahs!!!!.......I hope the PM turns his words into swift actions and i do hope that the Opposition gives a cooperating hand ( by the Opposition I mean the Party not those who are quick to jump the gun and decide for all of us what Gonzi can do and can't!!)

Marco Borg (on 9/4/08)

Guys let's not start shooting what Dr.Gonzi should and should not do to put MEPA on its feet. Definitely he knows what he has to do. Many doubted him when he said he will put the financial position of Malta in place. Yet he succeeded and with flying colours. The certificate is the Euro in our hands. Surely Dr. Gonzi will do the same with Mepa. Let's not forget he was courageous enough to ask for an investigation from the Audit General and to publish its results without fear. Dr. Gonzi is a trustful
person and what he promised before the election, he will surely succeed to achieve.

J.Azzopardi (on 9/4/08)

And what about the latest episode when the court says one thing and Giovanna Debono acts the opposite, which favours her driver? If we are to believe that a new beginning has started, all permits authorised from January to date should be reviewed by Independent panels of experts and if need be revoked. Then we will take it that electoral promises have a meaning as regards MEPA.

Brandon Camilleri (on 9/4/08)

No. Dr. Gonzi will never do such a thing. To put things straight, MEPA should always refuse permits on ODZ or conservation areas and refuse all granted permits from the beginning of this year and go through them afreash. This will maybe show the good intentions of Dr. Gonzi as the person responsible for MEPA and then perform teh necessary reform. This is only a whitewash in my opinion to make MEPA look a bit better in the eyes of the public.

Sergio Galea Vincenti (on 9/4/08)

The first step needed to cut down suspicions of abuse is to remove the possibility of applying for permits on land which has been earmarked as ODZ or as a conservation zone.

It does not make sense to earmark property and then allow for permits to be considered - especially when these things are originally set at Cabinet or Parliamentary level and then MEPA's DCC boards over-rule the decisions of the people's representatives.

And this is just one step which needs to be taken and which can easily be taken: Shall Dr. Gonzi have the courage to do this?

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MEPA: PM wants to end suspicion of conflicts of interest

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