Louis Cassar, the only MEPA board member specifically appointed by the Prime Minister “for his knowledge and experience relating to the environment”, will be absent from the MEPA board when it decides on the Ta’ Cenc development.
Cassar was recently in the news for being the only independent board member to vote against the development of a petrol station in the Rabat countryside, arguing that this poses a risk to ground water sources.
But due to his professional involvement in various mega projects, Cassar regularly abstains from a number of decisions effecting the environment.
The Development Planning Act specifically states that one member of the MEPA board should be appointed for his expertise on environmental matters.
Louis Cassar, whose technical qualifications include an MSc in Environmental Planning was the man chosen by the government to fulfil this role.
But whenever an application in which Cassar has been involved is presented to the board, he sits out the board discussion and does not vote on the application. “In such cases, I always declare my professional interest beforehand and I abstain from any discussion or votes on these applications,” Cassar has repeatedly told MaltaToday.
For this reason, whenever developers engage Cassar as one of their consultants, they are effectively denying the MEPA board of the services of the only person chosen for his expertise in environmental matters.
Cassar has participated in a number of decisions including the Ulysses Lodge development in Ramla l-Hamra, in which he was also involved in studies related to the Project Development Statement.
Cassar was also involved in studies for other projects including Tigné’s MIDI project, the aborted Xaghra l-Hamra golf course and the Polidano’s concrete plant in Hal Farrug.
A spokesperson for MEPA told MaltaToday that regardless of the absence of any member, “the board is fully functional as long as there is a quorum, and irrespective of which member does not participate in the vote.”
By law the MEPA board consists of five public officers, representing the government, and eight independent members chosen from amongst “persons of known integrity.”
One of the independent members is chosen for his knowledge of and experience in matters relating to the environment, while the remaining seven are chosen for their knowledge of and experience in matters relating to development.
Two MPs, one chosen by the leader of the Opposition and the other by the Prime Minister, are also represented on the MEPA board.
According to MEPA, the board’s decision is based on the information made available to it by the Directorate and by the various studies that are carried out.
“As much as one would wish that all members participated in a vote on each application, there is no mechanism to ensure that all members are present and participate in a vote,” a MEPA spokesperson told MaltaToday.
According to MEPA, the DPA Act does not provide a remedy as to what needs to be done when a member abstains from participating in a vote for whatever reason.

jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt