Labour wants strategic long-term change at Mepa

The Labour Party believes in the need for strategic long-term change at the planning authority rather than the operative changes being proposed by the government.

Speaking during a special meeting of the party's parliamentary group, which discussed the reform of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said the country should not become a concrete jungle but neither should those proposing development be treated as criminals.

The meeting discussed an independent report on Mepa reform commissioned by the party some months ago.

The commission, Dr Muscat said, held a number of meetings with stakeholders and prepared the groundwork for a discussion on which the party's final position would be based.

The PL agreed that decisions should be transparent and that one should shoulder responsibility. Decisions had to be open to scrutiny and objectors should know what was happening.

He insisted that even the system of how appointments were made should be changed.

There had to be a change in mentality and not just in administration.

The PL agreed that people should have the certainty that if they were applying for development in the same zone they were treated in the same manner.

He insisted that bureaucracy had to be eased and argued against any increase in planning fees. Enforcement also had to increase, he said.