The Ramblers' Association (RAM) has renewed its call for the Prime Minister and Mepa to stop the controversial works on Victor Scerri's property in Bahrija valley.

It said works were continuing despite evident harm to the valley.

The association recalled that four applications had been submitted for the development. All were recommended for refusal by the Planning Directorate but the refusals were overturned by the Development Control Commission and permits were issued for each one. However, after protests by ENGOs, the last permit was overturned by the MEPA board in August 2009.

"RAM still believes that all four permits should have been withdrawn, and not just the last one. In any case, RAM believes that the 2002 PA permit, issued in January 2003, is long past its five-year validity period, and had therefore expired long before the works started. Furthermore the 2004 application did not ask for an extension of the 2003 permit, but simply “to delete Condition 3 in order to confirm with condition 1 in PA 6321/02," the association said.

The association said it is calling on the Prime Minister, as the minister responsible for MEPA, to use whatever jurisdiction he has over MEPA to stop the works forthwith.