In just two months the Malta Environment and Planning Authority has received more than 75 written applications, together with 500 phone calls and 140 e-mails, for participation in a government scheme allowing a 20 per cent rebate on costs of restoration and maintenance of vacant or old buildings in village cores, up to a total of €5 million for the first thousand applicants.
Government wants better participation for private sector
The scheme, which will close at the end of June, will allow each applicant only one building to benefit on.
Speaking in Parliament Minister Mario de Marco said another scheme would soon be announced to exempt the payment of excise tax (boll) up to 2013 on any contract by which multiple owners of unused buildings in town and village conservation zones transferred ownership to a single person.
Other incentives would be announced in due course with a view to helping to conserve such buildings rather than knocking them down for reconstruction.
Dr de Marco said the country needed stronger policies to stop population loss through better enforcement of planning laws. A White Paper was in the pipeline to control neighbourhood noise. Incentives would be given on various aspects, including transport and parking. These formed part of social measures being addressed by planners of a Strategic Development Plan, to be issued for consultation later this year.
The government, too, would have its part to play, and would develop new construction only as a last resort after considering change of use or redevelopment of any existing building.
The National Environment Policy included more than 200 initiatives in a holistic strategy based on six main pillars.
Resources could not continue to be availed of as if they were unlimited; more efficient use must be made of them. Efforts must continue to make rural, urban and cultural areas more attractive.
A green economy must help to enhance the environment through consultation with many stakeholders on more long-term issues such as climate and biodiversity.
Dr de Marco said ownership could not be shouldered singly by the Ministry for the Environment because transport and energy generation fell under two other ministries. They were all on board, but the government wanted better participation from the private sector.
The private sector providing services and products to the government must be well conscious of the concept of green public procurement.
A costing study of the implications had come up with the figure of €2.1 billion to be spent on environment, health and qualify of life up to 2020, but 88 per cent of that sum had already been allocated in approved projects, with only 12 per cent remaining to be allocated.
The minister said that tourism faced an uphill task to build on the successes of four record years.
The focus must be on easy access to new and niche markets, but above all the promotion of authenticity of all Maltese products.
Success in the activities leading up to 2018, when Valletta was expected to be the Cultural Capital of Europe, depended not only on the organisation of events but also on the build-up of human resources. The infrastructure created for that landmark year would continue to be enjoyed even beyond 2018.
Also taking part in the debate were Parliamentary Secretaries Mario Galea and Clyde Puli, and Nationalist MPs Philip Mifsud, Jean Pierre Farrugia, and Francis Zammit Dimech as well as opposition members Carmelo Abela and Silvio Parnis.