‘Government has no intention of protecting environment’ – Din l-Art Helwa

The government has no intention of protecting the environment after it chose to ignore the findings of the Environment Commissioner's report, Din l-Art Helwa said.

The Commissioner's investigation into the procedures that led to the granting of permits for the redevelopment of Mistra Village, found that the NGO was justified when it instigated its request to revoke the planning decisions by Mepa that are to give rise to the monstrous scheme on the ridge at Xemxija.

But after parliamentary secretary for planning Michael Farrugia's "outright rejection", Din l-Art Helwa is now disappointed.

According to Simone Mizzi, Executive President of DLH, said Farrugia was "not sensitive at all to the results such a development will have on the important national landscape at Mistra Ridge".  

"Even if he does not agree with the Commissioner's findings, the least we would expect somebody in his position to say is that developments of such magnitude will be planned so as to be consonant with the landscape in the future," Mizzi said.  

"Instead we hear that the rape of our countryside is justified because the developers have made a great investment in our economy."

Mizzi argued that the justification put forward is now sounding "like an old LP that is gratingly stuck in its socket and each time a piece of Malta disappears".

Din l-Art Helwa noted that the Ministry for the Environment was keeping mum on the issue. 

"If Planning has no sensitivity of nature within it at MEPA while its Environment Directorate is still constituted, I dread to think what is to happen when it is no longer there," Mizzi said.

Din l-Art Helwa expressed satisfaction that the findings of the Commissioner were totally in line with those of the organisation.  

"Although ministries can use their power to bull their way over everything, the facts remain clear: the planning parameters for the area were not followed, and a policy for tall buildings applied only in selective parts when it strictly called for no tall buildings on Xemxija Ridge," Mizzi said.  

Extremely serious adverse impacts such as that of the design on the surrounding landscape and that of traffic have been left unresolved.  

These issues, Mizzi said, were the duty of the Major Projects Team to point out to the Board and for the Board to question but they were conveniently glossed over.   

"So how Farrugia can say that all procedures were scrupulously carried out is beyond comprehension and gives rise to many questions about his direction of the Planning authority in the future?" she said.

Din l-Art Helwa said Farrugia has now insisted that enforcement will be stepped up after new relaxed planning policies are to come into force.

"We would like to suggest that if these policies - with all their numerous loopholes were not being launched - enforcement would not be necessary.  The question here is prevention not cure and the new laws should be put on hold till sufficient proof is given that they are necessary and all loopholes taken out," Mizzi said.

Meanwhile, Din l-Art Helwa is studying the most appropriate avenue to follow for the Mistra case after this turn of events. It insisted that while planning boards acted only in the interest of the developers, the NGO would continue to protect the interests of the environment.  

The organization urges all those who care for the environment to join it at the Protest March in favour of the Environment on Saturday 7 December at 10.30 at City Gate, Valletta.