Government rebuts Galdes claim

The Labour Party has accused Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi of wanting to take the planning authority’s place in the contentious issue of the power station extension.

Labour spokesman for planning Roderick Galdes issued a statement after Dr Gonzi wrote to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority saying it should not take a decision on an appeal by the Marsaxlokk council in connection with the BWSC application for a power station extension.

Mr Galdes said Dr Gonzi was for the first time applying the so-called ‘call-in procedure’ within the Planning Act for Cabinet to decide on the appeal.

This call-in procedure was being applied to one of the most controversial projects approved by Mepa, Mr Galdes said, adding there were doubts about the information given by Enemalta when the original application was quickly approved.

In a statement, the government said it was not stopping anybody’s right to appeal. On the contrary, the Appeals Board would listen to the case and make its recommendations to Cabinet.

“It is sad that a Labour MP, a Mepa employee, who is on the Mepa board and a Labour spokesman on the authority wrongly interprets the law,” the government said.