The Labour Government is pushing a “Permit Authority” instead of a Planning Authority that safeguards the national heritage and plans the country’s future based on a clear and transparent vision, the Nationalist Party said Wednesday.
Once again, the Court revoked permits that should never have been issued after the Planning Authority stretched policy interpretations excessively, the PN said, referring to the Court of Appeal’s revokation of the Villa Rosa development.
This continues to happen because the Labour Government dismantled the Authority’s capacity and competence, leaving it unable to make quality decisions. The Government remains passive in the face of poor decisions and court ruling violations.
The PN, together with civil society, has exposed how the Planning Authority, as seen in the Villa Rosa case, acts solely on Cabinet instructions following agreements with developers.
This environment fosters corruption, where the strongest continue to benefit.
After the Labour Government abdicated its responsibility as the owner of Fort Chambray to conserve and restore this jewel in Gozo, it also failed to protect the British-era barracks through higher scheduling.
As a result, iconic architectural elements of great aesthetic and historical importance will no longer be fully enjoyed, the PN said.
Planning Minister Clint Camilleri, who hired an unqualified consultant paid for work never done, cannot inspire trust that the Planning Authority has any genuine commitment to protecting this heritage. The same goes for the Cultural Heritage Superintendence.
The PN has long insisted that it is time for our country to stop considering development as an activity to be pursued at all costs, regardless of potential harm.
With empty promises and lack of action, the Government led by Robert Abela is endorsing development atrocities and the destruction of historical treasures.
No one believes Prime Minister Robert Abela’s rhetoric anymore. He says one thing today and does another tomorrow.
A clear example is his recent promise to suspend permits under appeal until the appeal is resolved.
We need leadership that talks less and acts more, the PN said.
We do not need leadership that makes half-hearted changes resulting only in a bureaucratic system that favours the powerful and crushes the weak.
The PN said it will continue opposing unjust policies and shallow measures by making the environment a fundamental right for all Maltese and Gozitans. The environment also includes our shared historical and cultural heritage.
We require serious, transparent, consistent decisions that inspire trust and provide peace of mind.
Therefore, while continuing dialogue and consultation to draft a comprehensive strategic plan for the environment and development, the Partit Nazzjonalista promises to implement, from the first day in office, a complete re-engineering of the Planning Authority to make it independent from politicians and speculators – a fair and robust authority.
The PN said it will launch the much-needed radical reform to ensure that what defines us remains intact for future generations and does not fall victim to unplanned development.