Thursday, 26th June 2008 - 10:58CET
UPDATED: Mistra disco permit revoked
(Adds MLP reaction)
The MEPA board this morning unanimously revoked the controversial outline permit granted for an outdoor disco in Mistra.
The permit was revoked in terms of Article 39A of the Development Planning Act because assessments in terms of the Habitats Directive had not been carried out.
The developer behind the development application did not turn up for the board meeting and informed the authority that he is no longer interested in developing the site, which is rented from Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando.
MEPA Auditor Joe Falzon had slammed the Planning Authority’s Development Control Commission A over the way it granted the permit for the disco and had recommended that the permit be withdrawn.
Mr Falzon carried out the investigation at the request of the Prime Minister amid the controversy at the end of the electoral campaign.
In his conclusions and recommendations, Mr Falzon said the development application was not assessed according to official policies and its approval was a gross irregularity.
He accused the DCC of failing to abide by the provisions of the Development Planning Act and had decided against planning policies as established by Mepa and approved by the minister responsible.
Furthermore, the provisions of the EU Habitats Directive and related local legislation had been ignored.
The Labour Party this afternoon welcomed the MEPA decision to revoke the permit for the open air disco at Mistra.
The Party said it was sure that had Alfred Sant not raised the issue last March, one of the most scenic spots in Malta would have been lost.
The MLP campaign had been shown to be correct, first by the MEPA auditor a few days after the election and now by the MEPA board itself.
The MLP said today’s decision put further pressure on the Prime Minster to make a statement in Parliament on the political implications of the scandal.
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Comments
I would go one step further. Doesn't the local fauna deserve to live in Mistra. We seem to have forgotten what silence and birds singing are on this island.
Tonight I went on my roof hoping to spend some idle time. My roof is a considerable distance from both Gianpula and Buskett . Yet I was obliged to come back indoors because there is a party tonight ,with bass sounds at very high levels and mostly disturbing.
If MEPA also drafted noise impact regulations it would be another feather in their cap and perhaps ADT should think about that as well. Who knows we might be able to live in a better environment.
Patronage is a form of corruption.
Political pressure on public officials may not necessarily lead to prosecution by the police. But it's a clear abuse of power whether done for others or for one's own interests - or for both.
Half-truths are no better than lies. "An excuse is worse and more terrible than a lie, for an excuse is a lie guarded." (John Paul II)
This issue is not over yet, so I suggest that one should give time to the Courts to come up with the verdict for the three wise men, remember?
Why are you getting so hot under the collar Christina Borg? Do you have some kind of a vested interest in this issue, or what?
Jew mahruqa ghax waqajtu ghac-cajt?
We can continue for example how Dr Sant was wrong attacking JPO on corruption when he should have attacked him on credibility, however with such a short phrase you might get the picture. Political mileage! AH! Yes, only a donkey does not take it if he sees it.
Then again if you happen to know what is going on around you and not be blinded by patrician talk you will notice that the case is far from closed, as I think (forgive me for living on planet Oz) three people are implicated in this case and if things run there course as they should in court, who knows what might come out in the future.
Got the drift!
To be credible in your letters you have to put the whole picture in the frame, half of it does not hold water at all, at least with people who have half an ounce of intelligence.
Not that you where wrong in what you said, but I’ll give you an example how you should have continued your letter to be credible and not show what your sole agenda is.
“On the other hand, JPO should make a public apology too and step down, because he took his constituents, the rest of the citizens, and his party for a ride, by advocating his green credentials for years, then at the worst possible time, turning himself as a speculator of ODZ land. You see, integrity is an important factor in politics, and although I feel sorry for JPO, he brought it on himself through greed, so he has no other way out”.
to be continued...
As soon as Prime Minister Gonzi got to know about the Mistra allegations by Hon Alfred Sant, he referred the case to the MEPA Auditor and the Commissioner of Police, and refused to comment further on the issue. Not so Hon Alfred Sant and his media. They made sure that they did not miss one single opportunity to gain political mileage from this case and to influence the outcome of the case while the investigations were still ongoing.
Really and truly, Hon Alfred Sant and his media owe an apology to many people on the Mistra case and on many others cases.
Now dear leaders im sure you dont mind me if i build a small room in the midst of barraka. Afterall i still want to choose my fav spot in this island for some private recreation. By the way you got all the time in the world to sanction it. Depends how urgent you need my vote.
It now transpires that the developer had withdrawn his application. So technically and theoretically, MEPA could have just ‘closed’ the file and ‘put it away’. And had it done so, it would have saved itself the embarrassment of reversing its own decision. Yet, it seems that for the sake of transparency, MEPA decided to continue with the process of ‘revocation’ of the Outline Permit concerned.
Isn’t MEPA’s behaviour commendable? Should we not all recognise benchmarks of good practice when we see it?
I admire people and institutions that have the guts to right a wrong they would have committed. It is a sign of strength not of weakness.
I am sure you didn't vote PN
Leaving out negative partisan politics, it is clear that JPO should resign immediately as I am sure that those who shall be brought to answer on their parts in this most sleazy affair ever, would sing as they are not going down alone. They would bring in JPO in their defense.
So JPO, you know that there is only one thing to do. You know what it is.
Those who defended the green boy should rectify their thoughts and acknowledge the fact that they have been conned and duped by this shameful act.
That's all.
Now where are those bananas?
While agreeing with your comments, I am still upset and irritated with the way JPO treated this issue, the same as Dr. Sant ... "as an electoral campaign trump card" in favour of himself. I recall Jeffrey's words, tears etc. We are not a bunch of idiots. I cannot tolerate that prior to election instead of attending meetings we attend drama sessions. If I wanted to watch a drama I would have gone to Manoel Theatre instead. In the name of many others PN supporters I honestly believe that Dr Gonzi would be empowered without JPO. Let us not face another election on one foot. Cannot anyone guess what the billboards of MLP would be filled up with???
Those who followed the case closely know that, in his report on the case, the MEPA Auditor advised that the Outline Development Permit be withdrawn. As soon as this report was published, the Prime Minister asked MEPA to implement the MEPA Auditor’s recommendations.
MEPA has now revoked the Outline Development Permit.
While Hon Alfred Sant was engaged with his Electoral Campaign based on sleaze, the Prime Minister was concerned with propriety and good administration, without fear or favour.
However, this particular issue really let me down, I am sorry to say! I voted for a government in whom I have always trusted blindly. This is not the PN government I recall however. JPO must be asked to resign!! Irrespective of implications ... let us keep PN clean. What JPO was involved in might not be politically & morally correct. Facts are obvious and people are must not be undermined. The way we are treated by playing with words is an insult to our intelligence. Let us not lose what PN built in the past!!!
Why are you calling Josette Pace naive? Because she has now seen through PN's lies? Now that people have understood that the PN lied again before the election, you arrogantly start calling them names. Do not continue to insult their intelligence!
@Josette Pace
This is not the first time that the PN has lied before the election. But as the saying goes, you cannot fool all the people all the time........ I know that you will continue to remember how the PN has deliberately tried to fool people to gain their votes and will not trust them again.
@DCG
Please enlighten us if JPO is politically correct about the Mistra case. Do tell us if you too were fooled when JPO ‘cried’ that he was innocent! If I am not mistaken you told us to wait until the GA’s conclusion. Now we have it; there is not enough evidence to incriminate JPO, but the fact that the MEPA’s Auditor said that the case was corrupt, and that it was evoked, shows that Dr Sant was correct to say that the permit was issued illegally. You usually use those grey cells of yours to form a ‘sound judgment’!
..............this revocation is just one little step among the huge steps to be taken in the near future to make MEPA a decent, transparent and respectable authority
......lets not forget that up to a few days ago under a different chairmanship whenever MEPA took a decision which was frowned upon by those who have the environemt at heart we got".....no...no...MEPA is right.......no....Astrid has her agenda....boycott FAA....this permit is good "ghax ha nhawlu 4 sigar...." .
....had i been someone else i would start feeling all victorious and calling the Opposition "mahruqin" "lickeeer", and "Our Leader is the best hiii"........................but instead may I take this space to remind all and sundry that this is just the tip of the iceberg and for MEPA to suceed we need more of this and less of that!!!
Good Morning Mr. Kelly. The members in question are long gone.
the mlp can sure smell a rat - they're experts in rats!
A Farrugia was right - shall we now see mepa revising all the permits/buildings etc...? will the mlp uncover any cases of permits granted to businessmen-cum-entertainers-cum-mlp supporters-cum-'watch me help the party so that I get payback when you're in government'??? I wonder. Probably not, else it would be attacked from the (not so) left flank.
As for this Mistra Monopoly that you speak off, I presume that you are referring to the existent buildings and developments. Well, in every country which has planning laws to regulate development, some areas are listed as ODZ. Mistra is in fact one such area and so no development (unless in exceptional circumstances) should be allowed. The fact that there is already development there could be mean one of two things, (a) building was there before planning laws, or was one of the exceptional developments allowed, or (b) it was a wrong MEPA decision. If it was the latter, then we shouldn't be visiting more building woes on Mistra. Two wrongs don't make a right
I agree with your comment about Alfred Sant 100%. The sad thing is we have people in Malta who are without an ounce of decency for the sake of holding on to power. Alfred Sant might no longer be our Mexxej but he is still of a force to be reckoned with, and hopefully the MLP administration will make full use of all his abilities.
J.Portellu - yes, 1 right decision from MEPA. true. this will continue to emphasise how good a leader Dr. Gonzi is.
Get over it, PN is there for the next 4 and a half years or so... and Dr Muscar is trying to reunite the party. good luck. not with such people in his fold unfortunately...
The writing is on the wall. Do what Joe Saliba urged you to do. Resign. If you will not resign, then we all expect the Prime Minister to shoulder and assume all responsability.
JPO shouldn't give up his any of his personal assets at all.....the court found no case against him whatsoever
His name has been cleared, he is under no obligation to do or say anything on the subject
Permit given: that means there is corruption!
Can you give us a break please?!
Who is having the last laugh now?