Thursday, 14th January 2010 - 10:06CET
Mepa Reform Bill features new directorate for law enforcement
Video: Mark Zammit Cordina
Updated:
The Bill to bring about an extensive reform of Mepa was launched today by the Prime Minister and Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco and is due to be published in the Government Gazette tomorrow.
"This is possibly the biggest reform I have ever been involved in," Dr Gonzi said.
The reform provides, among other changes, that the Development Control Commissions (henceforth known as Environment and Planning Commissions) will be composed of full-time professionals who will not be able to work privately.
The Mepa audit-officer will no longer form part of Mepa but fall under the aegis of the Office of the Ombudsman.
The Mepa board would henceforth be composed of three public officers (an opposed to the current five) and eight independent persons including the chairman. The independent persons would come from NGOs and various other sectors of society including industry and heritage.
Mepa would have four directorates, responsible for environmental protection, development planning, corporate services and enforcement.
The authority would also have a CEO.
In contentious cases - such as building in Outside Development Zones (ODZs) and development in scheduled areas - applications for the sanctioning of building that is developed without a permit will no longer be possible.
Dr Gonzi said there could be no developments in ODZs, but one had to be reasonable. One could not, for example, impose an outright ban on, say, greenhouses or farmers' reservoirs.
Mepa will be introducing a process of pre-screening so that applicants would know where they stand before submitting development applications, reducing the possibility of applications being submitted when it was clear that they would be rejected.
Penalties for infringements are being raised steeply. The daily fine - such as for failing to comply with enforcement notices - is to rise from the current €11.65 to €50. The maximum fine will rise from €2,500 to €50,000 in order to discourage violations of the law.
There are changes to the appeals process, including the possibility of the new Revision Tribunal stopping development until a final appeal decision is taken.
Neighbours are to be directly informed - and not just through site and newspaper notices - when development applications are submitted in their areas.
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Comments
The electricity tariffs were retroactive when introduced how about this bill, or would that mean stamping upon too many friends of friends and party members.?
I thought Malta had become ODZ already - ONE Developement Zone especially with OBSCENE Developement at Bahrija , Xaghra tal-Ghattuqa area, Tas- salib close to Rabat to mention sample ODZ approved permits.....
ODZ for Gonzipn just means One Development Zone that Malta has been transformed into by the "FLIEMKIEN KOLLOX POSSIBLI for the chosen" slogan.
Anyway let’s hope the MEPA reform blocks the rape of the environment that saw no breaks in the past 2 decades of PN administration and of course, previous to that, under the MLP.
NOW LETS HOPE THAT ALL MEPA EMPLOYEES AND OFFICIALS COOPERATE SO THAT WE CAN TRULY HAVE AN EFFICIENT MEPA
Joseph Muscat has been silent throughout this reform process...as expected from someone who is only interested in being popular...politics is there for the interest of the country andDr Gonzi through the reforms being implemented, even the unpopular ones, will improve our country in the future....
Hallelujah!
this is a major overhaul in this authority which was one of the flagships of Dr Gonzi in the electoral campaign....i am satisfied with the professional approach that the reform process has been performed as yet with lots of consultation especially with NGOs - the comment of Astrid Vella on this blog definitely confirms this...despite the international crises the Government is going ahead with an ambitious reform programme whih will definitely bear fruit in the years to come...
Certainly many steps in the right direction.
This is one of the biggest advances as currently the method of notification of plans is too easily missed and site signs are too easily put up, photographed and then hidden/removed.
It would also be useful if the MEPA website was more user-friendly in respect of trying to find out what plans have been submitted for a given area. This facility used to be easily found but the current re-vamped website it is either well hidden or totally missing.
This is another important step in having a revamped and reformed MEPA....the Government is indeed working hard at its promised reforms and although some decisions may not be liked I am sure that inthe futurewe look back we would thank Dr Gonzi for having the courage to go for substance and not populism...This is the way forward...Keep up the good work!