The political manoeuvring that dictated who was to represent green organisations on the planning board was “unacceptable”, environmentalists have said.
Environmental NGOs received an email on Maundy Thursday instructing them to nominate a representative on the planning board within four days, during the Easter weekend, when most take a break from the daily work routine to travel.
Apart from the timing, the letter was sent to a list of addressees that included people and organisations that have never worked on planning issues – some were not even NGOs.
The criticism being levelled at Planning Parliamentary Secretary Deborah Schembri is that the process was intended to make it difficult for environmental organisations to reach consensus within the stipulated time.
Regardless, environmental expert Alan Deidun received the majority of nominations – but he was still prevented by the government from taking a seat on the planning board. Prof. Deidun has been a consistent critic of planning policies and illegal development over the years.
This seems to be a well-conceived ploy to keep a thorn like me away from the PA board
“This could boil down to in-competence, but when you consider the timing and the list of people roped in – some not even NGOs – well, it all seems intentional. The whole process was unacceptable,” according to Friends of the Earth president Martin Galea De Giovanni.
Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar and Din l-Art Ħelwa backed the criticism. Both organisations have a strong focus on planning issues.
The split of the environmental and planning functions of Mepa has led to the establishment of two separate authorities – the Environment Authority and the Planning Authority.
The person appointed to be the eNGOs’ representative is Annick Bonello, who was nominated by Nature Trust and Bicref, both organisations that typically collaborate with the government, while planning issues are not the focus of their work.
The law regulating the planning board states that the minister will appoint “a member representing the interest of environmental NGOs, which shall be chosen from among a number of persons nominated by the said NGOs”.
The parliamentary secretary’s spokeswoman and Qormi mayor Rosianne Cutajar quoted this section of the law to deny any wrongdoing. “The aforesaid is therefore a nomination, more than a pro-cess of consultation. None of the nominees obtained the majority of votes. This is not to say that this was a matter to be decided by a majority vote anyway,” she said.
Reacting, Prof. Deidun said this was false, since he was nominated by eight NGOs, while Ms Bonello was nominated by two. This was confirmed by Ms Cutajar.
“What’s the point of consulting NGOs when the will of the majority is not respected?” Prof. Deidun said. When pressed about why he had been denied a seat, Ms Cutajar explained he could not sit on both the environment and planning boards. She would not state this in writing, despite reminders.
There is no provision in the law that states an individual cannot sit on both the environment and planning boards. The law actually stipulates the opposite – that the environment board must be represented on the PA Board, and in fact Victor Axiak sits on both.
“I’m disappointed with the way Ms Cutajar is trying to play disingenuous or, worse still, deliberately trying to mislead through her statements... this seems to me to be a well-conceived ploy to keep a thorn like me away from the PA board,” Prof .Deidun said.
The organisations that spoke to The Sunday Times of Malta stressed that they were not critical of Ms Bonello – who was described as “capable, honest and hardworking” – but of the selection process.
Prof. Deidun also wished her luck and pledged his cooperation.
caroline.muscat@timesofmalta.com