The withdrawal of the plans, approved by the Planning Authority, for the building of a villa in rural land in Qala puts the chairperson of the Planning Commission “in an impossible situation”, former Labour Prime Minister Alfred Sant said.
“Morally and professionally she has to resign the post as the conflicts of interests – or their appearance – are glaring,” the Labour MEP wrote on his Facebook page, referring to Elizabeth Ellul, whose husband works as an architect for the developer behind the Qala countryside project.
Sant was reacting to the news that Gozitan businessman Joseph Portelli was withdrawing plans to build a villa in Qali – which were approved by the Planning Authority this week – following public outrage. Sant had been one of many to ask for explanations when the PA approved the project.
In the destruction of the environment the strategy has become to first put your foot in the door to open a sliver, then insert your knee and finally open the door wide for the floods to come in, he wrote.
The spaces where these floods can hit are being reduced drastically. Whoever can defend us from the floods cannot be seen to be enjoying its benefits, he said.
Independent candidate Arnold Cassola agreed with Sant, but she should not be the only one, he said.
Amongst these, Cassola named Labour Party MP, Clayton Bartolo (who voted in favour of the project) and “the stooges appointed on the board as government representatives by your party Leader, Joseph Muscat.”
