David Schembri
Marsaxlokk council object to Cabinet hearing extension appeal
The extension to the Delimara power station is taking shape. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli
The Marsaxlokk local council yesterday protested the fact that their appeal against the extension of the Delimara power station would be decided by Cabinet, arguing the government would be deciding on its own application.
Planning laws provide for Cabinet to decide on certain appeals considered to be in the national interest. However, the local council argued that, once their complaint was lodged against a government decision, the Cabinet might be trampling on its right to a fair hearing by deciding the case.
The council levered on a judgment by the Constitutional Court, which last week ordered the appeal against the Marsascala waste recycling plant be heard again on the basis of a similar conflict of interest argument.
The court ruled the planning appeals board that decided the case in 2005 could not be considered “independent and impartial” because it had been appointed by then Environment Minister George Pullicino whose ministry was behind the recycling plant application.
The Marsaxlokk council said that even though the case was not identical, there were similarities because the government was effectively deciding on an appeal in which it was also the applicant.
Deputy mayor Edric Micallef said “there might be a case where the applicant itself is deciding on its own application, so we’re reserving our rights, more so in the light of the recent case of Marsascala residents and the Sant’Antnin appeal and other cases”.
In a letter dated July 26, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi informed the appeals board the appeal should be referred to Cabinet for a decision after the board decided on a recommendation.
The Malta Environment and Planning Authority granted full development permission for the extension on May 20 last year. However, the council is complaining that Mepa did not give its suggestions enough consideration when assessing the environmental impact the extension would have on Marsaxlokk.
Addressing the board yesterday, engineer Arthur Ciantar pointed out, for instance, that instead of the noise impact on Marsaxlokk being tested in the village itself, as recommended, it was only tested in the immediate vicinity of the plant.
Similarly, he said, the emissions were monitored from Żejtun rather than Marsaxlokk, adding emission data provided by winning bidder BWSC had not been approved properly.
Another bone of contention he raised was the fact the data used for assessment dated back to 2007, pointing out data for 2008 indicated the plant was already over the limit in terms of emissions.
He also queried the use of heavy fuel oil, which he said was known to pollute and was one of the reasons the Marsa power station was made to close down. The council will be submitting these objections and related reports in an affidavit to the board.
The hearing has been put off to May 5 but work on the power station extension is well under way.
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aldo cassar
Jan 28th 2011, 16:31
Niehu din l-opportunità biex nifrah lill-Anti Recycling Plant lobby group ghar-rebha kbira li ghamlu ghan-nom ta’ 12,000 resident ta' Wied il-Ghajn. Rebha li wasslet lill-Qorti Kostituzzjonali, l-ghola Qorti ta’ Pajjizna li tikkundanna lill-Ministru G. Pullicino li kiser id-drittijiet fundamentali tal-bniedem kif ukoll il-konvenzjoni Ewropea tad-drittijiet fundamentali tal-bniedem. Li l-Ministru G. Pullicino kien arroganti, anti-demokratiku w jilghabha ta’ bulldozer fil-kontroversja tal-impjant hija maghrufa. Imma issa wara hames snin beda jiehu dak li haqqu. Din hija l-ewwel kundanna. Aktar kundanni huma lesti ghalih fix-xhur li gejjin. Ma tridx tkun arroganti li tidher quddiem Tribunal biex jiggudika li tkun ghamiltu inti stess? Ma tridx tkun arroganti li tiehu sehem f'laqghat ma dawk li se jkunu jaggudikaw it-tender tieghek stess? Ma tridx tkun arroganti li taghzel sit fejn ikun se jsir l-impjant fuq rapport zbaljat? Li niskanta jien hu kif il-Ministru Pullicino b'kundanna daqstant serja jibqa’ hemm qisu ma gara xejn. Fejnhom qeghdin il-gurnalisti? Fejnhom tal-PBS li lanqas biss semmghu xejn fuq l-ahbarijiet tal-istazzjon tal-poplu? Basta kien jghajjarhom partigjani lill tal-FRONT u lin-nies tan-naha t'isfel ta' Malta, mela hu x’inhu, li jappunta lil min se jkun se jiggudikah?
p schembri
Jan 28th 2011, 14:17
Kemm kienu arroganti mal-Front ta’ kontra l-impjant ta’ Sant’ Antnin li jirrapprezentaw lir-residenti ta’ Wied il-Ghajn. Sija l-Ministru Pullicino u l-Prim Ministru Gonzi ghajruhom partigjani, li qeghdin ifixxklu w li kienu qeghdin itelfghu l-fondi mill-EU. l-Imhallef Gino Camilleri kien gust u fetah il-bibien berah ghad-demokrazija bis-sentenza li ta.. Kif jista’ jkollok Bord tal-Appell li l-membri taghha pratikament jinhatru mill-Ministru w jithallsu minnu. Kif jista’ jkollok Bord tal-Mepa li l-Ministru jindahal fid-decizjoni li tiehu ghax kienu jaqghu tahtu. Kif jista’ jkun ikollok kumpanija bhal WasteServ li taqa’ taht ir-responsabbiltà tal-istess Ministru w il-konsulenti li jqabbdu jithallsu minnhom, cioè minn flus il-Poplu. Kollox bias lejhom. Kollox ivvizjat u mmanipulat. U biex tghaxxaqa irnexxielhom izommu r-rapport tal-Awditur tal-Mepa milli jigi ppubblikat ghax jikkritika bil-fatti l-irregolaritajiet li twettqu. Irrezenjaw jekk ghandkom ftit irgulija.
P. Dimech
Jan 28th 2011, 13:32
Not only George Pullicino should resign but also his Kapo Lawrence Gonzi regarding the Constitutional sentence condemning the government for breaching the human fundamental rights of 12,000 Marsaskala residents.
Lawrence Gonzi two days before the outline permit was given the green light by Mepa on the 22nd of September 2005 from il-Fosos in Floriana during the Independence celebrations the Prim Minister to put pressure on the Board members said that, “ Iva hemm bzonn li jkollna impjant tar-riciklagg f’Wied il-Ghajn”. Eight members of that Board were government appointees. That’s how bias the Board was. The Front against the plant was proven right by Judge Gino Camilleri although they were called all the things under the sun, namely partisans. Be Europeans and resign.
Ramon Casha
Jan 28th 2011, 10:25
No kidding! It's like having a defendant's attorney also be the judge and jury.