Updated | Farrugia fears future generations 'will suffer for the sins we commit’

Labour MP Marlene Farrugia fears that the “sins being committed by this side of the House” will haunt future generations while she condemned the pressure works faced to serve the political needs of the government, rather than the people’s.

During her intervention, Farrugia said MEPA should work to convince the people that it was really working in the best interest of the country and not feel the obligation to serve the politician before the people.

“I am concerned that even in parliament we are leading to a degeneration of debates by launching ourselves into political bickering. Ever since its inception, MEPA was misused by every party in government. For 25 years it was a pawn in the PN’s hands; Now, I am much concerned that the same is happening under this Labour administration,” Farrugia said.

The vociferous MP questioned whether there was political interference in the leadership of MEPA: “We should allow all officials to work independently of any political party and to be able to carry out their work at liberty without feeling the need to accomodate the government of the day.”

Farrugia said the Maltese electorate had voted in favour of meritocracy and against “political oppression”.

“If we want MEPA to safeguard our quality of living, we must allow it to do its work and to be autonomous.”

Farrugia said that if MEPA remains in the hands of politicians, controlled to serve the needs of the government of the day, “in the years to come we will be sorry for the sins which this side of the House is committing”.

The backbencher said the Labour administration was in power thanks to the battle cry of meritocracy and Malta for all but this was not being honoured.

Earlier

The Opposition came down hard on the Malta Environment and Planning Authority and its CEO Johann Buttigieg, who according to the PN had “hijacked the authority through the absolute power” he enjoyed.

The accusation was made by PN MP Ryan Callus after Buttigieg carried out the interviews for the members sitting on MEPA’s interviewing boards. Callus said that when he requested the information on who sat on the interviewing board, his request had been turned down. The request was turned down by MEPA’s lawyer Robert Abela – a decision which Callus described as “obscene”.

Callus called on the government to make justice with MEPA workers which were not given a promotion despite their qualifications and abilities while other officials had been favoured.

Parliament was this evening discussing the budgetary estimates allocated to MEPA.

Kicking off her speech, Portelli said that MEPA had lost track of its vision, which is “to pass onto our children a better country than we inherited. It is for this very reason that we compare our environment to a treasure, something we place our energies in, to protect, care for and improve”.

MEPA’s vision statement also describes the environment as being the “nature, cultural and architectural heritage, towns and villages, the countryside, the seas and air. We believe that together we should carefully plan so that our heritage, this gem which we treasure, will not fade away”.

“But what is supposed to be MEPA’s vision and mission, to protect and to care for the environment, is exactly the contrary of what’s going on,” Portelli said, referring to MEPA’s controversial decision to propose Zonqor as a location for the construction of the American University of Malta.

During Monday’s environment committee, MEPA CEO Johann Buttigieg confirmed that his office had been briefed to locate a land in the southeast of Malta. It was revealed that the site selection report was compiled by the CEO’s office, without the input of the environment protection department. Indeed, Buttigieg said that the report had been treated as “confidential” on orders of the Office of the Prime Minister.

“What is the OPM trying to hide? What shouldn’t we know? Everything is top secret,” Portelli said.

Buttigieg also informed the committee that he had been included in the negotiations of the heads of agreement with Jordanian investors Sadeen Group. “It is evident that some are more privileged more than others because

Portelli said it was now more evident than ever that there was a direct link between MEPA and OPM and the “confidence between the two” because the request to select a site was done by word of mouth.

The shadow environment minister said that despite experts having shot down the site selection report as “a fake”, MEPA has refused to say who drafted the site selection report.

Portelli said that while one of MEPA’s guiding principles was for professionalism in implementation through ability and accountability, it was evident MEPA had discarded its accountability pledge.

The shadow minister said that over 20 people had left the environment protection department while people who “are not close to the core don’t know what’s going to happen to them”.

Portelli said that the MEPA chairman had been asked to act as a temporary director of the EDP “as a stop gap solution”.

“Two years have since passed and no director was appointed. This person is being abused in the most blatant manner, forced to carry two jobs at the same time. Perhaps it was intentional that the directorate doesn’t have a full-time director?”

Portelli pointed out that a top MEPA official – a deputy director -  had been censored by former MEPA auditor Joe Falzon over a case officer report he had compiled in connection with a planning application for the construction of a vineyard and winery. The application had been submitted by Johan Gaffarena.

The auditor had found that the development application had been assessed contrary to official policies.

Concluding her speech, Portelli called on to the Prime Minister “to govern for the whole country”.

“You did all you could to win the general election … but now you should do all you can to govern for the whole country. People no longer believe your promises of meritocracy, transparency and accountability. The buck stops with you,” she told Joseph Muscat.

During her intervention, PN MP Kristy Debono said that what had appeared to be a reduction in red tape had resulted in interference to serve the hidden interests of a small circle of people. Debono said it was unacceptable that negotiations were being held being closed doors and after hours at MEPA.

Debono said politicians should have the courage to stand up and stop compromising on the environment.