The proposed reform of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority will not bring about the required changes, Alternattiva Demokratika believes.
AD spokesman for sustainable development told a news conference this afternoon that the government’s proposals for the reform were insignificant.
“Proposed legislation is substantially a consolidation of the existing legislation with minor amendments. References to The National Commission for Sustainable Development have been omitted from the proposed legislation,” he said.
Mr Cacopardo added that the environment was still relegated to one of several issues of importance.
“There is no focusing on its central importance as competence in environmental issues is not considered as a criterion for the appointment of members of the board of the authority.
“AD considers that it s a must that the environment be upgraded to a separate authority in order to focus on the importance of adherence to environmental issues.
“This is not a matter of principle but one of strategy as it is the only way to ensure enforcement of environmental responsibilities.”
The government, Mr Cacopardo said, had also retained absolute control over the nomination of members of the Mepa board and the Development Control Commissions.
“AD believes that this should be shared with Parliament which through its select committee should be in a position to vet nominees through a public hearing.”
This would be done to weed unsuitable nominees, appointees who were not appropriately qualified or were prejudiced against the central role of environmental criteria in Mepa’s role, glaring cases of conflict of interest and those whose only qualification was political allegiance to those appointing them.
Chairman Michael Briguglio said civil society should have a more central role in Mepa.
“Civil society representation on the Mepa board should be strengthened, and it should be up to registered environmental non-governmental organisations to select their representative/s, and not the government.
“Unfortunately, the government has lost a chance to transform Mepa in the right direction.
“The government's reform does not seem to tackle the main problems at Mepa, namely the undue pressure of the construction industry and of partisan politics,” he said.