This board, chaired by the Mepa chairman, is entrusted with providing direction to the authority and is responsible to decide upon all matters falling within Mepa's work portfolio. In addition, this board is also the decision-making body for the granting of certain development permits.
The DPA establishes the composition of the Mepa board to provide for the coverage of various sectors - planning, the environment, infrastructure and social policy, among others - and is representative of the various stakeholders affected by planning and environmental regulation. Notwithstanding, the government feels that the current Board composition could be further improved by providing for a wider representation of civil society. In addition, in view of the government's commitment towards the conservation of our cultural heritage, the government feels that this sector merits to be specifically represented on the Mepa board.
The DPA establishes the Mepa board as composed of a maximum of 15 members, consisting of five public officers, eight independent members and another two members being nominated from the House of Representatives.
In their proposals, the TTPPI also highlighted the importance of having a more balanced membership on the Mepa board with representation from a wider spectrum of civil society. The government agrees that the Mepa board would benefit from a wider representation of civil society. Furthermore, the government intends to move towards the further strengthening of the environmental dimension on the Mepa board. To this end, the new legislative instrument will provide for at least one person among the ENGOs or civil society to sit on the Mepa board. Furthermore, the government feels that a person versed in matters related to cultural heritage must also serve on the board.
The inclusion of these two persons is thought to further strengthen the current mix of skills within the Mepa board and provide for a wider representation of society's interests thus contributing towards a multifaceted evaluation of applications while providing a 360 degree approach towards the strategic management of the authority. All efforts will be made to select members that are devoid of any advisory or participatory role to third parties involved in the development application process. Hence, preference will be given to persons who do not have private, professional or commercial interests in the development and environmental processes that are treated by Mepa in order to avoid potential conflicts of interest.
This should also prove to strengthen the public outlook towards the transparent decision-making process we strive to achieve in the governance of public entities. In this context, the government will reflect these criteria in evaluating potential candidates to act as Mepa board members.