New solutions were needed before the “damaging” Bills on the split of the environment and planning authority were enacted, three environmental organisations said.
The Ramblers’ Association, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar and Friends of the Earth said in a joint statement yesterday they endorsed the declarations of David Pace, the Ombudsman’s Environment and Planning Commissioner, as well as former Mepa chairman Christopher Falzon who said the proposed restructuring was “a major step backward”.
The NGOs believe that measures announced “under the guise of reducing bureaucracy” revealed a calculated resolve to do away with all internal checks and balances. “The recent development decisions taken by the authority, like the ODZ land in Żonqor and the shameless three-storey commercial building replacing the agricultural winery in Burmarrad, betray the style of autocratic rule favoured by this administration,” they said.
The NGOs added that the move was accompanied by a parallel resolve to neutralise public scrutiny. “Recent public participation has been purely cosmetic as public consultation took place only after decisions were taken, secret contracts signed and laws enacted. The disdain for public consultation was proven on the recent ODZ policy, when none of the NGOs’ suggestions were accepted,” they said.
Recent public participation has been purely cosmetic
They endorsed the environment commissioner’s proposal for the State of the Environment report to be drawn up by the Ombudsman’s office to give it credibility. They also went further, saying the environment authority should play the leading role in planning decisions, considering the irreversible damage already inflicted on the environment by unrestrained development.
They suggested that members of the executive boards and the CEO of the new environment authority and planning authority be appointed by the Prime Minister only after their credentials were scrutinised and approved by the Parliamentary Committee for the Environment and Sustainable Development.
The NGOs called for a round-table conference, including all stakeholders, to identify the best way forward.