Developers privileged over the citizen

Żminijietna - Voice of the Left appeals to the government to take concrete action so that the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa) becomes accountable, consistent and democratic through its reform process.

Mepa is too detached from common citizens, who are frequently voiceless when they want to speak up on particular issues.

Mepa is characterised by an ideology and political interference that are too much in favour of unsustainable development.

While we believe that the government should have ultimate responsibility for Mepa, we cannot accept that big developers are privileged over common citizens.

Nor can we accept that Mepa boards frequently ignore the advice of its own experts and of civil society representatives.

There should be wider representation of civil society on Mepa boards, through the representation of NGOs, local councils and other organisations, together with representatives of the government.

Mepa ought to apply more representative and scientific methods in its studies, whereby social, ecological and economic impacts are given the importance they deserve.