‘No politics in complaint on MP’s office’

A group of residents have challenged the claim by Labour MP Roderick Galdes that it was only one person who complained about the way he got a planning permit to turn a room in their block into a constituency office.

“Residents come from all political persuasions and the accusation that there was political motivation in these complaints is unjust and unfounded,” the residents said in a letter they sent to The Times.

The constituency office in Qormi owned by Mr Galdes, who is also Labour’s appointee on the board of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority where he is employed, recently came under fire from the regulator’s outgoing auditor Joe Falzon.

Mr Falzon found that the site notice on the planning authority’s website referred to a different application and that “works were not carried out” according to established conditions. The lack of site notice “would be sufficient grounds for the permit’s withdrawal”. It also went against planning policies, which say that Mepa should not allow commercial activity in a residential block of apartments.

Mr Galdes rejected the auditor’s conclusion, pointing out that the regulator had ultimately granted him a permit. He also contradicted the auditor’s comments about the breach of policy, arguing that the policy in question speaks about “commercial activity” and, therefore, did not apply to his case because his was a constituency office.

The residents disagreed with Mr Galdes’ claim that there is a separate entrance to the office. “The office is located in an internal development sharing the common area with the residences and sharing the same entrance of the complex. The separate entrance mentioned by Mr Galdes is, in fact, inexistent”.

The application was to convert a room in the residential complex, in San Raffael Street. Filed under the name of the MP’s wife, the application had been originally recommended for refusal but, following some amendments, it was approved.

The residents contested a statement by Mr Galdes that the complaint was made by only one of them and that the whole issue was related to people who wanted to damage him politically.

Speaking to The Sunday Times, Mr Galdes had said: “I know there were some complaints from residents but this is all related to people who want to damage me politically”. He had also insisted that the complaint with the audit office had been filed by one resident.

The need for another entrance was highlighted by Mr Falzon who referred to a planning policy that said: “It is important that a separate access is provided to commercial development”.

Despite the report and complaints, the planning authority “has failed to rectify such issues to the detriment of the affected families”.

The residents called on the planning authority to take action on the numerous irregularities listed in the auditor’s report.

The letter was signed by Jason Aquilina, Pamela Aquilina, Shirelle Zammit, Roderick Cauchi, Paul Zammit, Denise Zammit, Daniel Camilleri, Ritianne Camilleri Galea, Ingrid Debono and Jason Debono.