Walks Programme: October to December 2009

October to December 2009

Below please find the programme of walks that RAM has organised for the last three months of 2009. Good walking shoes and suitable clothing for the weather are recommended. It is always a good idea to bring some drinking water along, especially on the longer walks. Some walks might present problems to anyone who is not used to walking over unpaved ground. RAM endeavours to adhere to the published walks programme but reserves the right to make changes without prior notice as the need arises. All walks are circular walks unless otherwise noted.
Walks are organized for the benefit of RAM members. Non-members can join for a nominal fee of €5-00. Participants in the walks will be asked to show their membership cards.
In case of very bad weather, walks might be cancelled. If in doubt please consult the blog (http://ramblersassociation.blogspot.com/) or phone 99497080.
RAM takes great care in picking the trails but one’s safety is ultimately one’s responsibility. One can choose to stop walking at any stage as one deems fit. RAM declines all responsibility for any personal injury or loss of belongings.
Our grading standards are described as follows:
Very Hard - only for hardy ramblers loving difficult challenges, ready to take a beating.
Hard - for the fit rambler in good physical shape to take on steep inclines and long stretches.
Moderate – for the average rambler who can take on three to four hour stretches of walking on uneven surfaces.
Easy – for the occasional rambler who prefers leisurely strides at a slower pace.

Finally, please make a note of the new 24-hour MEPA reporting telephone number, below.

Note: Booking a place on a restricted walk is not the same as buying a ticket to a concert. I.e., if a member is accepted on the walk, then the member cannot decide to transfer his/her place to another person. If a member cannot make it to a walk that he/she has booked, he/she should inform the organisers at once as there might be others on the waiting-list eagerly waiting to come along.

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Saturday 3rd October: Chapels, Redoubts &Towers.
(Scenic/Cultural/Historical)
The idea of this walk is discover lesser-known chapels and fortifications pertaining to this area. We shall strive to pass through secondary roads and footpaths as much as possible. This is a circular walk but there is a possibility to reduce the walk to 3 hours by using public transport from Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq. More details will be given during the same walk.
Rating: Moderate
Duration: about 5 hours
Meeting place: Kennedy Grove Memorial
Time: 8:15am sharp

Saturday 10th October: Ħal Għargħur Mystery Walk (Scenic, Cultural)
The idea of this walk is discover lesser-known areas pertaining to this area. We shall strive to pass through valleys, secondary roads and footpaths as much as possible. More details will be given during the same walk. This is NOT a restricted walk, but requires the participants’ full attention. Only experienced ramblers should opt for this walk.
Rating: Hard to Very Hard; steep inclines; only for experienced ramblers
Duration: About 4 hours
Meeting place: Għargħur Parish Church
Time: 8:30am

Sunday 18th October: Central Highlands. (Scenic/Cultural)
The walk will take ramblers to the hamlet of Ħax-Xluq with its picturesque chapel. From there we proceed in the direction of the Qasam area, through the disused Qrendi air-strip and pass by San Niklaw chapel onwards to Fawwara. We will enjoy the seaward sights there before proceeding to is-Salib tal-Għolja (Laferla Cross) where we can enjoy the landward view of the southern part of Malta. From Laferla Cross we return to Siġġiewi.
Rating: Moderate - A walk along country roads/lanes with some stiff gradients
Duration: about 3 hours
Meeting place: Siġġiewi’s Main Church Square
Time: 9:30am

Sunday 25th October: Qammieh. (Geological/Scenic/Cultural)
The main concept of this walk is to discover little known examples of our cultural heritage such as the Girna, Cart Ruts, Punic tombs and of the geological features such as the karstic doline at Il-Latnija and the scutella bed down Rdum il-Qammieh. While observing all these little known features, the panorama is continuously changing, with magnificent sea and country settings and rugged coastline, whence we will make our way to the Ramla taċ-Ċirkewwa. At the end of the walk the Paradise Bay Lido has been booked for a “Fenkata għall-frisk.” For the price of €18-00 we have managed the following menu, with a glass of wine or soft drink thrown in for good measure:


Appetizer: Bigilla, Ġbejniet tal-bzar, Ħobż biż-żejt, Fazola bit-tewm u tursin all served with Maltese bread and water biscuits.
Starter: Spaghetti with Rabbit Sauce
Main Course: Fried Rabbit in garlic & wine, served with fries and grilled veg
Dessert : Duo of Cheeses and Nuts

If you are interested in the lunch, please send your details, complete with a cheque made out to the Ramblers Association of Malta, to the above address. Booking opens on 1st October. There is no need to book for the walk itself.
Rating: Moderate - with some inclines and rough surfaces
Duration: about 3 hours (excluding lunch)
Meeting Place: Paradise Bay Car Park
Time: 9:00am


Wednesday 4th November: Żurrieq – Ħal Far – Safi. (Historical/Geological)
From the Xarolla Windmill ramblers will be led down to Ħal Far, stopping on the way at Tal-Baqqarija to visit the archaeological remains of two post-Muslim churches of Sta Katerina and Annunzjata, dating from the re-Christianisation of Malta. To Safi we will take a small country lane up to Ġnien Sir Alexander Ball. The way back to Żurrieq will take walkers through Safi centre.
Rating: Moderate – part of the walk is on lanes and roads with traffic.
Duration: about 3 hours.
Meeting Place: Xarolla Windmill, Żurrieq.
Time: 2:00pm


Sunday 8th November: Vapur ta’ l-Art (Historical)
This walk follows as much as possible the track of the old railway line between Valletta and Mdina. A few kilometres will be in the still un-built countryside but much of the walk will be in built-up areas. We shall try to identify as much as possible the remains of railway civil works that can still be seen. We shall back-track in some places due to development interrupting the line. Since most of the walk is along busy roads the number of participants is being limited to the first 25 persons. (If necessary this walk will be repeated).
This is a restricted non-circular walk, intended for those who did not make it the first time. Please book by email on ram205@gmail.com quoting subject “Il-Vapur ta’ L-Art”. If you have no access to email please ask someone to send an email on your behalf. If you do not know anyone at all who can send an email, then please send an SMS to 79425744. If you have sent an email, please do not send an SMS as well. Booking will open 10 days before the walk, i.e., on 29th October. Any requests before that date will be disregarded.
Rating: Moderate – with the attendant risks of walking along busy roads
Duration: 4-5 hours
Meeting Place: To be notified by email.
Time: Morning, exact time to be notified by email.


Wednesday 11th November: Naxxar to Salina (Scenic/Historical/Geological)
The walk will go through the rural farmland and coast of the Eastern side of Malta. From San Pawl tat-Tarġa church the direction is taken of Ta’ Alla u Ommu down to the cart-ruts there and through a country lane amid fields to Salina. Roman Catacombs there that were used by early Christians will be explored and described before the return journey is taken along the main route to Naxxar, where a wide sidewalk will ensure safety for all walkers.
Rating: Moderate – some country lanes are on clay and slippery when wet.
Duration: about 3.30 hours.
Meeting Place: Church of San Pawl tat- Tarġa, Naxxar.
Time: 2:00pm


Wednesday 18th November: Attard to Mdina Old Railway Track (Historical) Following the rail track from the Mdina end a visit is paid to the old stations at Mdina, Rabat, and Balzan besides taking in other important constructions connected to the Malta railway, like railway bridges, a dam, tunnels, as well as an old railway carriage. However the highlight of the event will be the visit to the private Railway Museum in Attard that is owned by Mr N. Azzopardi. Entrance will be free but donation will be welcome. Mr Azzopardi himself will take us round the museum explaining items of interest and a miniature model of the Malta Railway.
Rating: Easy - but longish
Duration: about 4 hours
Meeting Place: Roman Villa, Rabat.
Time: 2:00pm


Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd November: Gozo Weekend.
For this first time we are introducing an autumn edition of the popular event. The number of rooms made available by the Hotel San Andrea this time is just 20, which will restrict participation considerably.
The programme of walks for each day will be given only to participants at the hotel every morning during our stay.

Rates have remained unchanged from February. The rates per room on Half-board
basis, are:
Side view: €120.00 per twin room for 2 person 2 nights (€30.00 pppn)
Sea view: € 138.00 per twin room for 2 persons 2 nights (€34.50 pppn)
Side view: € 160.00 per triple room for 3 persons 2 nights (€26.67 pppn)
Sea view: € 182.00 per triple room for 3 persons 2 nights (€30.33 pppn)
Side view: € 82.00 per twin room for 1 person 2 nights (€ 41.00 pppn)
Sea view: € 90.00 per twin room for 1 person 2 nights (€ 45.00 pppn)

Please note that the third bed in the triple room will be a folding bed that needs to be folded away during the day to make space in the room.

No arrangements for the ferry crossing will be made because Gozo Channel will have discounted rates to make Gozo attractive for visitors. So we leave all participants in liberty to decide when and how to travel to Gozo. The first walk will be held on Friday afternoon at 2.30pm after check-in at the hotel.

Participants can check into the hotel anytime after noon on Friday 20th Nov. The management of San Andrea has always given us the best service and our fifth time should not be an exception. We have been promised good value for money once again. Only paid-up members need apply, as always on a first-come first-served basis.

If you are interested, please send your details, complete with a cheque made out to the Ramblers Association of Malta, to the above address. Booking opens on 20th October.


Wednesday 25th November: Central Malta (Scenic/Historical/Geological)
The walk will start off at the National Stadium of Ta’ Qali and head towards Attard through the Crafts Village and the National Park. Following old village roads to Lija the walk will take the country lane that leads to Mosta centre and on to the Ta’ Speranza chapel. Rambling along country lanes the route will lead to the Victoria Lines which will be given up as we approach our starting point at Ta’ Qali.
Rating: Easy – smooth surfaces with some car traffic possible
Duration: 3 ½ hrs
Meeting Place: Entrance to Ta’ Qali on the Attard-Rabat Road.
Time: 2:00pm


Wednesday 2nd December: Victoria Lines East. (Historical/Scenic)
This promises to be a marvellous tour that will take ramblers through British-formed army territory with such landmarks as Fort Madliena and the Victoria Lines, the garrison at Pembroke, etc. Add to this the many watch-towers from the time of the Knights along the rock coast and the overwhelming geological features of the Great Fault for an exceptionally interesting walk.
Rating: Moderate – some steep inclines and more uneven surfaces.
Duration: 3 ½ hrs
Meeting Place: Luxol Grounds
Time: 2:00pm



Sunday 6th December: Clapham Junction (Historical/Cultural)
We will visit the “Cart-ruts” at Clapham Junction where we will discuss some theories about the formation of these Neolithic ruts.
Rating: Easy
Duration: 2 ½ hrs
Meeting Place: Near the Buskett exit just before the steep hill leading to Dingli Cliffs.
Time: 9:30am


Tuesday 8th December: Birgu Kalkara Rinella Bormla (Scenic/Historical) From the Couvre Port the route will be taken to the picturesque bay of Kalkara and up to the old fort of Rinella, which will provide the views over the coastline. Passing by the old cemetery of the plague victims the road will lead to the Capuchin Convent of Santa Barbara and on to the Notre Dame Gate on the Cottonera fortifications. The high walls will lead down to Bormla and on to the Birgu starting point.
Rating: Easy – smooth surfaces and inclines.
Duration: 3.30 hrs
Meeting Place: Bus Terminus at Birgu
Time: 2:00pm


Sunday 13th December: From Tower to Battery: (Scenic/Historical/Cultural) The idea of the walk is to take in the many interesting features that lie in the route from the luxurious Selmun Palace built for leisure by the Knights to the rudimentary coast-guard battery at Ghadira that was later converted by the British into a gun-post and lately by the Maltese into a Museum of the traditional tuna-fishing trade. We will try to arrange for a visit to the museum, where Mr Anthony Valletta will explain the history of the old battery and then go on to explain the very interesting craft of fishing for tuna in the old way using cages. On the way from Tower to Battery some interesting features will be met and explored, like paleo-christian tombs and old bee-hive stations. For those who opt not to walk back to their cars after the visit to the Tunnara Museum, from Ghadira it is easy to take a bus up to the old Bellview.
Rating: Moderate – with rough ground and some steep inclines.
Duration: 5 hrs (including visit to Tunnara museum)
Meeting Place: Old Belleview, Mellieha
Time: 9:00am



Saturday 19th December 2009: Wied Liemu (Scenic/Cultural/Geological)
From San Duminku in Rabat we shall proceed to the old hamlet of Santa Katerina where we shall see vernacular dwellings and a chapel. From there we proceed to one of the most fertile valleys in Malta, namely Wied Liemu which is highly scenic. On the way down, we shall see interesting geological features. Walking through the valley and surrounding areas we will encounter spring water, irrigated land and typical Mediterranean vegetation.
Rating: Moderate
Duration: about 3 hours.
Meeting Place: San Duminku Church, Rabat
Time: 9:00am

PR on Bahrija development - Environment groups want all permits withdrawn

Ramblers' Association, Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar and Nature Trust consider it a waste of time and resources that the Mepa Board decided to revoke only the last permit issued to Dr Scerri for the development on the Bahrija Valley floor. The fact that the decision was almost unanimous does not increase the NGOs’ faith in the Mepa Board if their decision implies the endorsement of the previous three building permits. For it is clearly evident and it has been amply certified by the Mepa Auditor that similar irregularities prevailed in both the original permit (PA 2835/00) and the subsequent permit which now allegedly comes in force (PA 6321/02). All three development applications were issued contrary to approved policy, and as confirmed by the Mepa Auditor, were issued illegally.


In the opinion of the NGOs the same Board sitting should have applied the same Art 39a also to the two previous applications on the grounds of false declarations, in that the site was wrongly described as level and the existing buildings misleadingly described “existing dwellings” The Mepa auditor pronounced in clear terms that there was “a puerile attempt at misleading” the Authority all along because the applicant never meant to rehabilitate but “wanted to demolish whatever existed on site and rebuild a new building.”



The Board should have realized that the four applications cannot be taken individually but must be treated holistically as the Architect masterfully intended and drew them.



The NGOs note with satisfaction that Mr Seychell, Head of the Environment Directorate, made it amply clear that the Bahrija valley floor is protected by the EU’s Habitats Directive against any development that will not enhance the ecological system there, and any new development in SAC needs full permission from the EPD. For this reason they call on Mepa to do its duty and insist that the site be restored to its former state.



The NGOs take this opportunity to point out that other applications by architects known for their scarce respect for the environment have been, and are still being, processed with similar irregularity. It is hoped that Mepa will act in good time to halt these applications before they reach the Mepa Board stage.



They have always been careful to adopt an apolitical approach in the protection of the environment and condemn indiscriminately architects and speculators who break or bend the rules, as well as the various boards and directorates within MEPA when these reach decisions which run counter to Policies.

Baħrija permit revoked

From the Times of Friday 14th August 2009

The planning authority yesterday revoked the controversial permit issued to former PN president Victor Scerri to extend his planned farmhouse in Baħrija - but the whole affair is not over yet.

The revocation means that his application for the extension will now have to pass through an environmental screening process due to the sensitive nature of the site, a necessary step that was ignored when the permit was approved in 2007.

The revocation of the permit was just the beginning of the process, Dr Scerri said when contacted after the board had made its decision.

"We will allow things to take their due course but we will definitely not be withdrawing the application since my wife and I have done nothing wrong," he insisted.

The decision does not affect an earlier permit, issued in 2003 and amended in 2005, for the reconstruction of a dilapidated farmhouse on the site of natural beauty.

That permit is still valid but the planning authority's Environment Protection Directorate (EPD) yesterday cautioned that any negative impact on the area from the work would have to be mitigated.

The controversy over Dr Scerri's planned development, to which environment NGOs had objected vociferously, came to a head in June when he resigned from the post of PN president in order to be able to defend himself outside of his political ties.

In a report published the next day, Mepa auditor Joe Falzon concluded that the last permit issued, for the extension of the farmhouse, went against the law.

Mr Falzon also raised doubts about the legality of the original permit since the plans submitted by the architect did not take into account the sloping nature of the site.

Acting on a recommendation of the EPD, the authority's board yesterday agreed that an important screening process had been ignored on the Natura 2000 site.

With eight votes in favour and one against, the board applied Article 39 (A) of the Development Planning Act which allows it to withdraw a permit if the application process is found not to have followed the procedure set out at law.

The Nationalist Party representative on the board, Joseph Falzon, voted in favour of the revocation. The only member to vote against was Joseph Tabone Jiacono, a government appointee.

EPD head Martin Seychell said the directorate had concluded that the site where the farmhouse was to be built needed to be screened since in its opinion the development would have a negative impact on the ecology of the area.

He explained that part of the zone had been given the highest level of protection granted by law in 1996, which meant that development was prohibited and any interventions to improve the site had to be kept to a bare minimum.

After that, in 2006, the area became a Natura 2000 site, which meant that any development application would need to pass through an additional screening process.

Mr Seychell said the EPD could not exclude that the development would have a "significant" negative impact on the site during construction and afterwards. He particularly pointed to the dangers posed by the sewage generated by the farmhouse, which risked contaminating the valley floor during periods of heavy rainfall.

In view of his department's conclusions, Mr Seychell said that the lack of a proper assessment was an "error on the face of the record" and Article 39 (A) had to be invoked.

Lawyer Franco Vassallo, who spoke on behalf of the Scerris, insisted on knowing who should have been responsible for recommending the screening process since at no time had it been suggested by any of Mepa's case officers or the Development Control Commission board members.

"An error has to have a perpetrator," he said.

Mepa chairman Austin Walker tried to deflect the lawyer's question insisting it was not the function of the board to determine who was to blame.

"It is not the DCC that carries out the assessment but in my opinion the obligation to determine the need for screening was both Mepa's and the applicant's," Mr Walker insisted.

Dr Vassallo rebutted the statement, insisting that the law did not put the onus on the applicant to decide whether the screening process had to be held.

"My client should not shoulder the blame. An applicant only has an obligation to make an assessment if asked to do so by the DCC or the directorate and in this case there was never such a request," Dr Vassallo said.

PR: NGOs request investigation on Qala permit.

Il-Bukkett before and after

NGOs request investigation on Qala permit.

The DCC Board has just approved another application (PA7810/06) irregularly in a sensitive Category 1 ODZ rural settlement, this time in the eco-island (sic) of Gozo. Following so soon upon the Bahrija debacle, nine NGOs comprising Ramblers’ Association of Malta, Nature Trust, Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar, Friends of the Earth, BirdLife Malta, Din l-Art Helwa, GAIA, Malta Organic Agriculture Movement, and Light Pollution Awareness Group cannot understand, and would again like to query, why MEPA persists in disrespecting its own internal regulations and continues to freely interpret Local Plan policies, breaking them flagrantly at will.

The location is none other than the “Il-Bukkett” complex on the panoramic road that from Mgarr leads to Qala, overlooking the scenic coastline of Southern Gozo and the panoramic view of the Comino Channel with the Blue Lagoon and the Maltese Island beyond. The Board irrationally granted permission, in this Category 1 ODZ rural settlement placed on a site of high landscape value, to turn the present low lying rural “casa-bottega” restaurant into a multi-storey imposing development that will involve the construction of "additional floors, the demolition of dwellings and construction of new units with a pool, the construction of an underground basement parking as well as the sanctioning of infringements at the existing commercial area."

It is already suspect that the designation of “rural settlement” (and the development potential that comes with it) has been accorded to just this and another structure which were previously out of development zone. Far larger clusters have been denied that designation.

In spite of valid arguments put forward against the development by the Local Council of Qala and others, in spite of the well-informed recommendations of the Case Officers to dismiss reconsideration of the application, the DCC board irrationally overruled and decided to break Structure Plan and Local Plan policies with the usual nonchalance. What had been refused for 7 valid reasons by the same Board only a few months before was reconsidered and approved after the applicant made alterations so minor that 6 of the 7 valid reasons were not adequately addressed.

In fact the application remains objectionable because it infringes (i) Policy GZ-RLST-1: unacceptability of basements and need of side gardens; (ii) Policy GZ-Hous-1: the mixture and inclusion of large commercial areas in a purely residential zone is unacceptable; (iii) Policy 2.7 of the Policy and Design Guidance 2005: development disrespects the topography of the site; (iv) GZ-EDGE-2, BEN 2 & Policy & Design Guidelines 2005 on the sensitive design of the valley side of developments, where the mitigation of visual impact is of tantamount relevance; (v) Policy RCO 4: devalues the high scenic value of area. The permit is also at fault with respect to normal parking requirements.

Both the Directorate and the DCC treated very lightly an unclear situation regarding a claim of illegality of part of the structure. More emphasis should have been laid on the existing illegality and the consequential lack of any attempt to include it in the sanctioning request, considering that this is such a sensitive site. This premise alone should render the permit null. It is unexplainable that building infringements were here ignored and permits issued when an almost adjacent habitation was denied water and electricity services for years and had its windows wall up because of building infringements.

Furthermore, the Local Plans Unit allowed a basement in violation of the area policy on which the Local Plan is very clear. In such a prominent first-impression location of pristine landscape value, visible to all arriving visitors from the ferry, any development proposal should be totally screened and definitely should not be highly obtrusive as this development will be (see montage). In this case the Local Plans Unit irrationally assigned a commanding role to the urbanization policy GZ-RLST-1 over the environment policy GZ-RECR-4, in a rural setting with high scenic value, when the opposite should have been applied.

The insensitive development will have serious repercussions on the remainder of the belvedere road, will lead to more ribbon development (this time between Mgarr and Qala), will impact negatively the visual impression that visitors first get, and irreversibly destroy the landscape value of the cliff face of the southern coast of Gozo.

The nine NGOs, backed by the Local Council of Qala, have called formally on the MEPA Auditor to immediately investigate this irrational DCC decision, certainly not taken in the best interests of Gozo.

Hal Far Mystery Walk - 11th July 2009

About 30 members opted to wake up early for this walk. After crossing Wied il-Mixta, we passed by Ghar ir-Rih and continued towards il-Mara till we reached Fort Benghisa. From there we headed towards il-Kappella tal-Kuncizzjoni, crossed Wied il-Buni & headed upslope in a secondary road parallel to Wied il-Qoton. We struggled to pass through the last stretch of this valley, reached tal-Baqqari Archeological Remains, and finally had a longish break at the cliff edge.

Afterwards we continued along the cliff edges, passed by ridge of Wied Znuber and descended the same valley from the other side… Here we had another rest until we completed the circular walk near Ghar Hasan.

Walk Leader: Simon
Duration: 4hours (0515-0915) including all breaks
Distance: 13 km

Heading towards il-Mara

Il-Kappella tal-Kuncizzjoni, Benghisa

Wied il-Qoton

A well-deserved rest

Hal Far Cliffs

Wied Znuber

A military bridge ( British Period )

A good summary of current MEPA practices.

From the Times of 30th June, 2009,

Letter from Alfred E. Baldacchino, Attard.

Lack of checks and balances at Mepa

Edward A. Mallia and Marco Cremona made a number of comments and suggestions regarding Mepa's reform (June 26).

A lot is being expected out of this promised reform; expectations from all strata of society whose one and only interest is the protection of the ever dwindling national and natural heritage, both rapidly disappearing.

Mepa is an authority formed of two directorates: the Planning Directorate and the Environment Protection Directorate, which, as has been officially declared, are two different and distinct directorates within one authority, contributing to one decision, taking into account planning and environment protection.

Mepa has a healthy percentage of scarce, motivated and dedicated, academically qualified personnel, who very well know both the national and international obligations of their authority. The crux of the problem are Mepa's boards and committees who take final decisions, and who lag far behind such technical and academic expertise. Very often they tend to by-pass or completely ignore the recommendations of the technical staff, which recommendations sometimes are far above the boards' and committees' grasp. Judging from the number of permits which were publicly scrutinised and criticised, these were all recommended for refusal by the technical staff, but overturned and approved by the Mepa boards or committees. Such permits, among others, include:

The Xagħra l-Ħamra golf course application;

The Ramla l-Ħamra, Gozo, development;

The Safi application for the building of a supermarket;

The Mistra valley disco;

The Baħrija villa development;

The Nadur cemetery in Gozo;

A number of high-rises in Sliema.

When the recommendations of the technical staff are blatantly dismissed and reversed, resulting in such a waste of resources and energy, one must indeed ask what the role of the technical staff is, and the role of the board and committees. In the past when the EPD was still a government department, it had a representative on the Mepa board, who also had a vote. Today with the EPD as part of Mepa, the EPD director is just a spectator, hands tied, without a vote. In some of the above cases, following a public outcry, the political side had to intervene and back-track on such decisions, without any action being taken as if nothing happened, meaning that if it was not for the public and some of the NGOs, the development would still have taken place.

One has also to keep in mind, that besides the lack of technical and academic background of some of the board and committee members, there are some with known political leanings whose only qualification is the extension of their master's voice. It is pertinent to point out that on the Mepa board and most committees, if not all, there is not a single member with environmental credentials. When such technical recommendations are ignored or reversed, it becomes a political decision, and it is not any more a technical one. One cannot but seriously ask if Mepa is just a smoke screen for political decisions. If it is true that there is going to be a reform of this unbridled authority decision-making-machinery, the above has to be the main issue addressed.

Another convenient loophole is the issue of appeals. It is true that on paper, the public can appeal, but it is also true that until the appeal is concluded the applicant can carry on with his works. One can mention the appeal that was lodged against the pulling down of a particular historic building, and the building of the Nadur cemetery in Gozo. The construction of both projects carried on regardless, to finalisation in one case, and the appeals were, or still are being deliberated. If the public is not to be taken for a ride, as soon as an appeal is lodged against projects which leave irreversible damage, the works should be immediately stopped until the appeal is concluded.

Without a doubt, the EPD and the PA are not bedfellows at all, and do not see eye to eye. Checks and balances cannot be met and executed. And when a decision is taken by the Mepa board and committees, the EPD is dragged into the decision as if it has approved the project, irrespective of whether it objected or refused. This is very convenient to the Mepa's decision-making-machinery, who would otherwise have to shoulder all the accountability (if such a terminology exists within the Mepa's vocabulary) on their own.

One of the best measures to be taken for Mepa's reform is to completely separate the two directorates once again as was originally planned before the merger of the two became a takeover by the one. Naturally this can be done if the reform is to really benefit the public and the national interest.

From the Times online, Sunday, 28th June 2009

NGOs slam architect, demand investigations

A number of environmental groups have slammed Siggiewi mayor Robert Musumeci for his request to the police to investigate environmentalist Astrid Vella.

The NGOs BirdLife Malta, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth Malta, Gaia Foundation, Nature Trust Malta and the Ramblers Association said the authorities should investigate the notorious planning applications from the mayor's district that went against planning policies and were approved by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority boards, and not environmental campaigners who brought these cases to the public's attention.

Mr Musumeci is the architect behind a controversial project in Bahrija valley belonging to Nationalist Party president Victor Scerri. Besides his request to the police about Ms Vella over a comment submitted on timesofmalta.com, he has also filed a libel suit.

The NGOs said that in 2005, Mr Musumeci had 23 planning applications most of which were outside development zones in Siġġiewi.

These were recommended for refusal by Mepa planning officers but were approved by different boards within the authority. There were other cases since.

"This means that Mepa boards approved planning applications that were against theauthority’s own policies," the NGOs charged.

The NGOs asked if the authorities had initiated investigations about Mr Musumeci’s private business activities during his mayorship.

“Mr. Mussumeci should set an example as a mayor and is obliged to adhere to a strict code of ethics as established by the Local Councils Act.

"Instead he seems to be using technicalities to replace ethical considerations on environment, and deploying bullying tactics to silence environmental campaigners” they concluded.