Claudia Calleja
Church college problem still pending
The protest outside Castille on Thursday.
The government could not interfere in the planning authority’s decision to turn down an application by St Augustine College to build a new primary school unless the law allowed it, Environment Minister Mario de Marco said.
For this to happen, the school will have to appeal the planning decision invoking the legal provision that makes government intervention on grounds of national interest possible.
College rector Fr Alan Scerri said that an appeal was only one of the options he was looking into. Fr Scerri said he feared an appeal would take too long and so the college would miss the deadline of what was ultimately a national reform.
“Perhaps there is a way to fast-track the appeal,” he said, adding he was holding meetings to look into other options that he preferred not to speak about at this point.
The Malta Environment and Planning Authority last week turned down the application to build the new primary school near the existing secondary school in Pietà.
About 300 parents, teachers and students on Thursday took part in the protest in Valletta to voice their frustration at the decision, which left 150 students, already accepted into the primary school, with an uncertain scholastic future.
The protest march ended with Fr Scerri presenting a petition addressed to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi. The petition, signed by 600 parents, teachers and former students, asked the government to help them find a timely solution.
The question is what can the government do without interfering in the planning process and whether the Church was asking for special treatment.
“I did not ask for any special treatment,” Fr Scerri insisted yesterday, as he stressed this was part of a national reform that had to be given precedence.
When contacted Dr de Marco said: “I can understand the rector’s concern and predicament given the nature of the proposed project.
“Education and students are the government’s high priority. One must appreciate, however, that the government cannot and should not interfere in the development application process unless otherwise provided by the law,” he added.
The only exception, he pointed out, was provided in the planning law. It lays down that when an appeal is filed for a decision deemed to be of national importance, the secretary of the appeal’s tribunal must inform the minister. The minister would then instruct the tribunal to decide the appeal or refer the application to Cabinet.
Even in such cases, the appeal’s tribunal would have to hear the appeal and recommend a decision to Cabinet, Dr de Marco said.
“The case in question is a classic example of the difficult task Mepa has when determining a development application,” he explained.
“In this case, it had to balance the interests of the applicant to promote education and the interests of the neighbouring residents who claimed that the proposed four-storey development would overshadow a number of scheduled properties and gardens adjacent to the site and create excessive traffic generation within an urban conservation area ... Any decision taken was bound to be controversial,” he said.
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C Muscat
Feb 12th, 11:09
For those that asked me:
I know too much because I studied and graduated by distant learning with the CEM.
I have seen the MEPA file and it is a shame to see that it took 2 to 3 years to reject a permit that according to my studies should have been granted by mid 2010.
I have sent my children to church schools and a big thank you to these schools;
My daughters did not need the common entrance like my son and as parent knows the difference and it is good to continue with this reform for better education to our children;
C Muscat
Feb 12th, 11:08
For those that asked me:
I know too much because I studied and graduated by distant learning with the CEM.
I have seen the MEPA file and it is a shame to see that it took 2 to 3 years to reject a permit that according to my studies should have been granted by mid 2010.
I have sent my children to church schools and a big thank you to these schools;
My daughters did not need the common entrance like my son and as parent knows the difference and it is good to continue with this reform for better education to our children;
L Darmanin
Feb 12th, 10:26
@ C Camenzuli
I just wonder what your motivation in writing this comment calling for the rector to resign is!
The decision to go to Castille was not taken by the rector on his own, for your information representatives of the parents were actively involved. Rather than feeling deceived by the rector, we went to Castille as a united team proud that we are doing the right thing for the good of the students. This has also to be considered within the context of the time elapsed before this application was processed, and the conflicts of interest that exist. You may have read other comments so I do not need to repeat
The National Interest arises from aligning to the National Education Reform and from developing our human resources which are the one and only resources this country has!
John Aquilina
Feb 12th, 11:02
The argument that the development of the school is in the national interest is pure spin!How can a school restricted to a limited amount of people and restricted to the teaching of one faith when we live in a culturally diverse society be considered to be in the national interest. A hospital, an oncology centre, a National eductional reform, and a healthy living environment (not the development of chicken battery) is in the national interest.
L Darmanin
Feb 12th, 11:29
@ John Aquilina
Sorry but if you fail to realise how making facilities available to educate our future generation and to be able to integrate students with mixed abilities will be of benefit to a nation that has no natural resources other than its people, then there is no point in discussing with you.
What allows for a diverse society is that people with different backgrounds, faiths, values, etc. all have opportunities where to educate their children. I absolutely have no problem with schools that focus on other faiths. You appear to have that problem!
Regarding health resources there I am totally in agreement.
John Aquilina
Feb 12th, 13:01
As I already said a National Education reform is in the National interest not the forced expansion of the school. I question the following: what is in the pupils interest? A football pitch on a roof?? A children playground turned in to a car park?? Isn't it better if they relocate and find a better place suited for their requirements? wouldn't that be in the interest of everyone concerned?
John Aquilina
Feb 11th, 18:50
People seem not to know or forget that the residents of the said area have been suffering for years due to the use of public buildings in the area. Amongst these are St. Lukes hospital -still in use- which for years its use created huge problems of parking and noise (lets not forget an active chimney for over 20 years); A Detox Centre, which is metres away from the said development and which has been the plight of many residents due to the dangers and social problems such a facility brings with it; PBS, the GHQ of a political party; offices and the latest addition: Malta Enterprise. I believe the locality of Pieta have given a lot to service to the country...its about time that the country gives some peace an quite to the residents. The school should reolocate not expand.
Daniel Goggi
Feb 11th, 19:50
And a bare unused uncared for land resembling an urban jungle is the answer to solving the problems you mentioned? Bear in mind that parking was never an issue with respect to this particular school. Staff had and still have parking within its own grounds and even in the new plans there is an underground parking proposed. My question to you is: where do you propose to relocate? Buskett?
C Muscat
Feb 11th, 20:07
As if no one chose the area..as if all were sent there by force and how about other areas like mine with 5 major schools in less than a square kilometre!!!!
The plot is scheduled for development, any development create some input and the existing school needs to expand and according to the rules and regulations of land use there is nothing to suppofrt the rejection except some big hat that is above the law.
Malta has only one major asset that of education and if we do not cultivate this asset the only other way left will be like that of greece.
Hope the present government will find the right way to approve the permit within the local laws and regulations and not as PL that left the MEPA vote at MileEnd.
C Muscat
Feb 11th, 23:26
...its about time that the country gives some peace an quite to the residents...grazzi talli gbidtli l-attenjoni bejn quite u quiet...LOL
C Camenzuli
Feb 12th, 07:38
@ C Muscat
You seem to know too much. The college rector should admit that he made an incredible mistake by taking students without having the school. Instead of going to castille he should have gone to his provincial and asked to resign. He should not have gone to castille with those whom he decieved by telling them that all was ok for scholastic year 2012-2013. The authorities should have stopped him. If he has an alternative he should seek that alternative immediately. I can't see how it is of National Interest a primary school in the middle of Pieta.
Jason Copperstone
Feb 12th, 09:17
@C Camenzuli
"The college rector should admit that he made an incredible mistake by taking students without having the school. Instead of going to castille he should have gone to his provincial and asked to resign."
The 'incredible mistake" was made by MEPA in coming to an unjust decision after an unwarranted delay of nearly three years and bowing to unfounded argumentation of a handful of residents with ulterior motives. Since when can a high ranking official of MEPA who lives behind the proposed project sit on a Board deciding on such an issue. The College addressed all the objections raised by the residents and consequently were confident the the proposal would pass. To the best of my knowledge no parent feels deceived by the Rector, interestingly the vast majority of parents and teachers feel deceived by MEPA .This is amply evident tha the majority of the comments in this and other blogs are in favour of the development as well as the decent turnout at the protest.
"I can't see how it is of National Interest a primary school in the middle of Pieta."
With all due respect , are you suggesting that the continued formation and education of the children is not in the National Interest, given that the only natural resource here in Malta is its human resources.The location/area in question is a 'white area' earmarked for development. Given that the extension was motivated by the Government's push for National Reform, I think that makes it pretty much in the National Interest itself.
John Aquilina
Feb 12th, 10:00
@C Muscat
Do the parents want to send their children to a school metres away from a Detox centre on one side and one of the busiest roads in Malta on the other side? Do the parents want to send thier children to a school which will look like a chicken battery? I say this in the light of the fact that a football pitch is placed on a roof and parking for the school is currently planned in one of the only two small open air playgrounds. The area simply cannot take up the number of students projected to enter the school in the coming years. When I say reclocate I obviously do not mean areas like busket. Other schools have relocated to expand. One of the best examples is St. Dorothy's which could not expand in Sliema and Mdina and therefore moved to Zebbug where it resembles a proper school and not a chicken battery as proposed by the rector of St. Augustine.
C Muscat
Feb 11th, 18:49
I would like to ask again the neighbours if they educate their children at home or like me they send their childrn to schools around the island. So NIMBY is right for these but not for me thatg have 5 schools nearby
John Aquilina
Feb 11th, 19:56
Seems like you need to go to school again and learn some grammar
Jason Copperstone
Feb 11th, 18:22
At this stage I believe that the Government should get involved in this situation. The proposed extension at St. Augustine College is part of the National Education Reform, and investment in the formation and education of the children is of high national interest.
As I have read reports and followed the debate regarding the issue, MEPA's decision in the College's regard has become increasingly suspect and motivations unclear and appears unjust. My understanding is that the College addressed all the major objections and brought the project in line with all MEPA's policies for example a traffic flow report was commissioned based upon which the the authority concerned, gave the green light to the college. The area for development is within a 'white area' and not a UCA as some parties are claiming an therefore may be developed.
It seems the major objectors are two prominent persons who live in the immediate vicinity of the proposed project, one of whom was on the deciding Board (is that ethical in the first place?).
The more I read and hear about this, the more I am forced to conclude that MEPA's decision in this regards was very unjust and biased.
Michael Brockdorf
Feb 11th, 17:42
I am a resident in G'Mangia Hill and I would like to express my objection to the proposed project. Residents in G'Mangia Hill suffer lack of parking daily, including weekends and outside school hours. A school attracts numerous activities and it is naive to say that the problem exists for a few hours here and there. There is also the traffic congestion that exists in a street a few meters wide, vans stopping in the road, parents waiting well before school ends. The doubling of the school will be a nightmare for all the residents that live nearby.
I have complained with the Mayor because of the situation I have just described and he has always taken the position that there is very little that can be done because MEPA have allowed a number of extensions without considering the impact they will have on the streets surrounding the school. It is the first time that MEPA have stood up to the College. I therefore, support his position in defending out interests before MEPA and before the authorities.
If I were younger I would relocate because the situation is unbearable. It is no wonder that vacant properties are not finding new buyers. The School has taken over and the proposed project will dominate the area even more. I plead for common sense and for MEPA to stick to its guns.
Daniel Goggi
Feb 11th, 19:55
FYI, and you should know it since you live there, parents and school transport are allowed in the school yard so the only congestion you may object to is the flow in the street itself but that happens everywhere next to every school.. Thank your lucky stars its not a no entry area as in all govt. school areas during particular hours of the day!
Carmel Camilleri
Feb 11th, 15:50
If Government interferes with Mepa's decision it would be creating a precedent for future cases. And this is why Mepa was concieved not to have any politcal meddling..
he college authorties should be first to abide by the law and not ask Government to ask for special favours.
Bernard Storace
Feb 11th, 18:11
Ahhh...how many MEPA decisions have been contrary to common sense and public will and how many decisions have been taken simply because the government wished for some monstrous building or other to happen.
Victor Vella
Feb 11th, 18:16
What precedent you are mentioning? You are one of those that Debono called them living in another planet. When was political meddling absent? Where did not the government have not made favours? Go and take a shower my friend because you are living on another planet to come to your senses. And be happy.
Jason Copperstone
Feb 11th, 18:26
With all due respect, I do not believe that the College authorities are asking for any special favours, but asking for them to look into what appears to be a very unjust decision. When you consider that one of the Board members who took this decision is a Pieta Resident and the Mayor himself objects, I wonder how unbiased the decision was.
Victor Vella
Feb 11th, 15:15
Issa nirrangaw kollhox. Par idejn sodi jaghmlu l-mirakli. Imbaghad jekk ma jirrangawx. Fr Allan jitlob permess ghall-Bahrija. Hemmek ahjar ghall-arja. Ga hemm minn bena hemm u irranga mal-MEPA ghall-permess. Allura Fr Allan iswed?L-aqwa li tal-klikka jirrangaw xi mkien iehor. Mhux hekk lol.
jimi Xerri
Feb 11th, 15:02
I would suggest to Dr DeMarco to go on site and see for himself four simple locations in the Pieta, Gwardamangia Hill area. These are St Augustine's College, the proposed site, the location of the Mayor of Pieta's house and finally the location of the house of a member within the MEPA boards who was part in question in this decision. Did the MEPA chairman know about the member of the MEPA board?!
C Muscat
Feb 11th, 16:40
Thank you
L Darmanin
Feb 11th, 13:51
“The government could not interfere in the planning authority’s decision to turn down an application by St Augustine” – correct. So why is the mayor of a local council who is representing the party in Government, and who is also a candidate for the party in Government taking such an active role? You tell me this is because he has a personal interest and will be impacted directly by the development. Well it is when the personal interest and public responsibilities come so close that conflicts arise and problems occur.
One comment says that “I think it was an irresponsible attitude of the Church authorities to enrol students to a school facility which did not exist.” Do you know that St Augustine had applied for the permit around 2 to 3 years ago? And do you know that the National Education Reform was banging on the door? If the competent authority considered that there were strong reasons why this permit would not be granted why did it take so long to hold the hearing? Until last week, no one at St Augustine had any indication that the permit would not be granted. If you work within the boundaries of the law, why should you consider it would not be granted? Now think again.
Another comment says “College rector, and his superiors, committed a serious gaffe in bringing the students into the 'argument'”. Reality is that whilst ‘grown-ups’ are arguing, it is the students who will eventually suffer the most, and with them their parents. Parents and their children have taken part in the petition with great responsibility. It is the parents’ right and duty to help address issues that are impacting
their children and tomorrow, possibly your own.
I sincerely hope that maturity and logic prevail over personal interests and a timely solution is found.
C Muscat
Feb 11th, 16:39
Prosit
m. borg (slm)
Feb 11th, 13:25
What is all this fuss about?
.
Come elections time you'll get your permit, no doubt about that.
Piero Selvaggi
Feb 11th, 12:38
MEPA have refused this application to build a school in this garden, BUT have in the meantime approved and STILL approving permits for developments in valleys. Mosta case in point. Why can't they get their act in place??????
Maria Barbara
Feb 11th, 15:54
The land is not a garden! There are trees and wild grass and stones and balls and anything wild and there are high walls around it. For goodness sake!
Mr Emanuel Farrugia
Feb 11th, 11:58
"The protest march ended with Fr Scerri presenting a petition addressed to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi. The petition, signed by 600 parents, teachers and former students, asked the government to help them find a timely solution".
Ir-rettur prezenti ta' dan l-imsemmi kullegg, ihobb jinqeghda u isemmi l-istudenti, halli juri kemm hu nisrani. Halluna nghixu u ma' nkomplux nuru l-ipokrezija.
Emanuel Farrugia [TARXIEN] former student Faculty of Theology UOM
Jason Copperstone
Feb 11th, 22:17
Before lowering ourselves to unwarranted, spiteful and vindictive personal attacks, one should get their facts straight. The decision to protest and petition the Prime Minister was not taken unilaterally by the Rector but was a unanimous decision by the PTA who represent the College's staff and parents.
In this issue Fr. Scerri has demonstrated nothing less than an unwavering dedication to the teachers, students and parents in the face of what appears to be an apparently very unjust decision taken by MEPA. I am sure that Fr. Scerri enjoys the full respect, and support of all those affected this unfortunate turn of events.
Godwin Cassar
Feb 11th, 10:38
I think it was an irresponsible attitude of the Church authorities to enrol students to a school facility which did not exist. This is putting undue anxiety on parents when they were led to believe that a permit for the school would be just a formality irrespective of the planning process.
C Muscat
Feb 11th, 10:17
The Church has made it clear to all involved that the law is to be respected and all has to be legal and right to give a good example.
The government has to see why this permit took so long. Naturally politically he is at ease because the PL represeentative walked out and did not vote,,,Shame for not giving us his opinion on such a case.
The government on the other hand has his representatives and it is his responsability and authority to see that since this is within the laws and regulations why his representatives voted rejection.
The residents protest has to be put in the contest of checking if these families had their children studying at home or like my children going to these schools at other peoples backyard.
the extra floor reason is not valid at any MEPA point of view (this is not madliena) and there was no valid reason in the MEPA report that validates the case officer's refusal and this permit being withhold.
I urge the rector to lodge the appeal and the authorities to see that this appeal is checked well and within the scheduled time frame. (Unfortunately I studied English land use laws and regulations that has the timeframes set down and in practice these are followed to the letter)
Franco Farrugia
Feb 11th, 10:09
The College rector, and his superiors, committed a serious gaffe in bringing the students into the 'argument'. I think he will eventually be replaced for lack of thoughtfulness. The College authorities should strive to foster a good relationship with the neighbours, for starters.
What about the building of the former St Luke's Hospital? Certain buildings are a stone's throw away from the College.
Carmelo Aquilina
Feb 11th, 09:35
Surprise surpise..the church has to operate within the law
Franco Farrugia
Feb 11th, 10:10
This is not the church. This is a religious order wanting to expand the school they already have. As simple as that.