MaltaToday endorses Ġustizzja għal Artna campaign

The two planning bills tabled in parliament before the summer recess have not been withdrawn. They are still on parliament’s agenda despite government going out of its way to try and appease the discontent by holding a public consultation exercise. 

What was initially intended to be a reform that suspends work on developments under appeal—something that is more than welcome—ended up being an exercise that erodes the citizen’s right to challenge development applications. 

Bill 143 would hand strong powers to the Planning Authority, effectively undermining local plans. Effectively, the PA board will be given the power to deviate from policy; it would be able to consider applications to change building heights, either on its own steam or when requested by the developer, or amend zoning restrictions even in areas outside the development zone. 

Bill 144, presented as a reform of the appeals process, would make it harder for citizens to challenge decisions, creating new obstacles and taking away the court’s ability to revoke permits completely—instead the permit will have to be reconsidered by the tribunal. 

But apart from these two bills, the government also published two draft legal notices that would grant an amnesty of sorts for planning and environmental infringements. These legal notices were only published when government backtracked on its initial haste to push the bills through parliament and opted to hold a public consultation exercise. 

The only reason the parliamentary process was stopped in its tracks was because the Opposition did not play ball and more significantly because of the backlash government received from organisations, communities, and individuals. Public anger, even from Labour quarters, forced the government to press the pause button. But it is still just a pause. 

So far, there has been very little coming from government to suggest a thorough rethink of the bills will take place. Planning Minister Clint Camilleri has hinted that the government is willing to reinstate the time period for appeals to 30 days—the bills suggest this be shortened to 20 days—and amend the wording in relation to the increased discretion being contemplated for the PA board. However, he has not said how the latter proposal will be amended. 

The manner by which the government foisted these bills onto an unsuspecting public just before parliament’s summer recess does little to instil trust. This is why we take Camilleri’s declarations with a pinch of salt. Seeing is believing and so far, what we are seeing are two bills and two legal notices still on parliament’s agenda. 

Campaigners who have joined forces under the banner Ġustizzja għal Artna have warned that the danger remains and that the coming months must see stronger resistance. 

The groups have dismissed the consultation process, which closed on 7 September, as nothing more than a smokescreen designed to weaken opposition. They are right. 

The consultation process was opened for a month during August, a time when many people are on holiday and switched off. Meanwhile, the government embarked on a social media campaign using an actor and a staged interview with a former journalist to explain what it described as “facts” about the bills. The propaganda was intended to sugar the pill. And it’s not very difficult to sprinkle the sugar by overlooking the wider repercussions of complicated policies that are difficult to understand in the first place. 

The campaigners argue that the proposed amendments and amnesty—government insists it is not an amnesty because people in the wrong do not have an automatic right to have their illegalities regularised or sanctioned—only serve the interests of developers. 

MaltaToday endorses the Ġustizzja għal Artna campaign and joins in its call for the reform currently before parliament to be completely withdrawn. A fresh approach to planning reform should involve genuine consultation, kicking off with a White Paper. 

Reforms should protect communities rather than strip away safeguards, while ensuring that works on developments under appeal should be suspended. 

The campaign is supported by BirdLife Malta, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth Malta, Front Żgħażagħ għall-Ambjent, Għawdix, Moviment Graffitti, Nature Trust – FEE Malta, the Ramblers Association, Wirt Għawdex, Wirt iż-Żejtun, reLeaf and Azzjoni: Tuna Artna Lura. 

A protest against the planning bills currently before parliament will take place on Saturday, 4 October in Valletta. The protest starts at 10am from in front of the law courts. 

It’s time to stand up and raise our voices.