The authorities are turning a blind eye to an unlicensed sun bed and umbrella businessman at Gozo’s popular Ramla Bay.

Times of Malta understands that a number of official reports have been filed to the police and Mepa about Nigel Azzopardi’s business on the road leading to the bay, but no action has been taken so far.

Those who decide to do as they please do not pay anything, compete with us and are protected by the authorities

Last year Mepa refused to grant a permit for the man to reserve land for his commercial activity.

Still, this summer he set up shop anyway, to the detriment of fully licensed hawkers giving the same service a few metres away.

“We have been reporting this for a long time to the police and Mepa. It seems that there is no one who can stop this person as he seems to have the blessing of someone in power,” a livid owner of another nearby commercial activity told this newspaper. “This is really not fair. Those who are here legally pay thousands of euros in licences and per-mits to the land and com-merce departments.

“Those who decide to do as they please do not pay anything, compete with us and are protected by the authorities,” another businesswoman complained.

Approached by this newspaper, Mr Azzopardi said he had all the necessary permits and he was not breaking any law.

Asked to produce the permits he replied: “That’s not your business.

“If you want you can go and report me to the police. No one will move me from here,” he said.

Mepa had turned down his permit application in October stating that “no new planning permissions will be awarded in this area pending the approval by Mepa of a management plan”.

When asked why no enforcement order was issued against Mr Azzopardi’s continued trading, the planning authority pointed a finger at Transport Malta, saying: “The owner is not parking his vehicle on a fixed point.

“The owner is using different areas available in the street leading to Ramla and all his equipment is found in a pick-up and trailer all registered with Transport Malta,” a spokesman said.

“It is the competence of Transport Malta and the trading department to determine if there is a breach.”

Times of Malta is informed that Mr Azzopardi parks his vehicle at the same spot every day.

“This is just the official excuse they are using so that they do nothing,” a businessman said.

“Their tactic is to shift the blame from one authority to the other until the summer is over.”

In its comments to Mepa on Mr Azzopardi’s request for a permit, Transport Malta noted that “parking of hawkers does not fall within its remit”.