He was likened to Pontius Pilate by green groups but Leo Brincat is unfazed by criticism that he is washing his hands of environmental problems.

The Environment Minister yesterday insisted he was a member of the government and made his voice heard “in the appropriate forum”.

“Many people ask why my voice is not heard. However, I am not an environmental NGO but a member of government,” he told Times of Malta.

Insisting he would keep on respecting environmental groups, whichever way they commented about him, Mr Brincat said he voiced his views within Cabinet.

“I have made my voice heard in the past, I do it today and will continue to do so whenever necessary,” he said, after presiding over the unveiling of a new electric car by Kia Motors in Mdina.

Last week, during a press conference to launch a campaign raising awareness on biodiversity, Din l-Art Ħelwa described Mr Brincat as Pontius Pilate because he had washed his hands of responsibility for the environment.

The description came in the wake of an announcement that the Consultative Committee for the South, a government body, was proposing the development of three hotels along the Xgħajra-Marsascala coastline in a bid to regenerate the area.

PN ASKS WHO IS TAKING DECISIONS

In a reaction, PN environment spokesman Charlo' Bonnici said the NGOs' criticism and Mr Brincat's reaction inevitably led to the question of who was taking the decisions regarding the environment. 

"Leo Brincat should realise that his role is not that of some NGO which puts pressure on the government. He is a policymaker whose role is to take decisions," Mr Bonnici said. 

Mr Brincat and the prime minister had to shoulder responsibility for what was happening to the environment, he said.  They could not wash their hands of responsibility.