Editorial

The environmental NGOs are at it again. They gathered in force last Thursday to hold a silent march from the centre of Bahrija to the site where preparations are underway to construct a farmhouse outside the development zone.

The site is owned by Nationalist Party president Victor Scerri and the NGOs are calling on the Prime Minister, who is also the PN leader, to intervene and put a stop to the development.

They are arguing that construction is taking place in a Natura 2000 site which is meant to be afforded the highest level of protection and they have questioned why certain people seem to be granted permits while others are not.

Dr Scerri has defended the development, which replaces a previous structure, by saying that the application was approved by Mepa before the new restrictions for ODZ areas came into effect.

Dr Scerri has sought to shore-up his defence by asking the Police Commissioner and the Mepa chairman to investigate claims that he exerted undue pressure in order to obtain the permit and said the NGOs are kicking up a fuss about this case because he is involved in politics.

Lawrence Gonzi is adopting a wait-and-see approach to the issue, insisting in an interview with The Sunday Times today that if the permit is irregular in any way he will not just call for the withdrawal of the permit but also for Dr Scerri's resignation. However, the Prime Minister appears to be unwilling to make a move unless there is some proven illegality.

Dr Gonzi is right to insist that the manner in which the permit was issued has to be correct. However, if he makes this his only line in the sand he will be ignoring a wider issue that is almost as important; or just as important when one chooses to enter political life: what people think of the situation.

When the MPs' expenses scandal exploded in Britain, there were few allegations of illegality. Widespread economy of truth, perhaps, but by and large what most Members were doing was within the rules the British parliament had set itself at the time.

What The Daily Telegraph did quite magnificently, however, was tell people scraping through a credit crunch what their representatives had been claiming for. When the public read that this included homes for ducks, cleaning services for moats and bottles of whisky for local raffles, they were outraged. And heads rolled like marbles in a kids' playground.

A few years ago Dr Gonzi took the step to halt any unnecessary development in ODZ areas. Last year, in a move that could well have secured the PN the election, he pledged to take over Mepa to ensure it would clean up its act. The Prime Minister says the reforms, which will finally be announced next month, will make the authority more transparent and accountable.

It is for these reasons that he should urge Dr Scerri not to go ahead with this development. And the PN's president should oblige, because he holds a key position in a party that has not just committed itself to strict development restrictions, but that has also pledged to be more responsive to what the electorate is saying.

The message could not be louder and it could not be clearer. But it will only get through if people in the party start leading by example.