Austin Walker, the new chairman of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, acknowledged that he made a mistake when he asked his public relations officer to write press statements pre-announcing the outcome of a MEPA board meeting on the 20-storey Fort Cambridge development.
“I take full responsibility for my mistake. I pray to God to give me the wisdom not to repeat similar mistakes in the future,” Walker told MaltaToday.

A press release pre-announcing the approval of the Fort Cambridge development before last Thursday’s MEPA board meeting was found in a press pack by one of the journalists attending the meeting.
During the meeting, when faced with MaltaToday’s question on whether the meeting should have proceeded in view of the damning press release, Walker claimed that MEPA had also prepared another press release, pre-announcing MEPA’s rejection of the project. But when asked to divulge its contents, he refused.
Walker still refuses to divulge the contents of the second press release, acknowledging that people would find it hard to believe that it was not written after the meeting.
Asked why he had ordered his own public relations officer to write these press releases, Walker insisted that he “got carried away by enthusiasm.”
“I wanted MEPA’s voice to be the first one to be heard even before that of the NGOs.” But now Walker admits that his “enthusiasm backfired and the bomb has exploded in my hands.”
Walker promises that he will never again ask his public relations officer to write press releases pre-announcing MEPA’s decisions. He blames the incident on his lack of experience.
“I am still learning about the process. Till some time ago I did not even know what the initials DCC (Development Control Commission) stand for.”
Asked why he chose not to interrupt the meeting in view of the press release, which gave the impression that the project’s approval was a foregone conclusion, Austin Walker insists that since none of the board members were aware of the press release, he felt that the meeting should proceed.
“In the full knowledge that the MEPA board members were not even aware of the press release I felt that you were the only one who was influencing them.”
While taking full responsibility for ordering his PRO to write two contradictory press releases, Walker insists that he was not involved in the wording of these press releases. Neither was he aware that his PRO had brought a copy of the press release with him.
“I had not even seen the press release myself and when you revealed the content of one of the press releases I was surprised because I had no clue how a press release had found its way to the board room.”
Since the press release seen by the journalists present in the meeting gave clear arguments for the approval of the project, Walker’s claim that an unpublished second press release exists prompts the question: what reasons were cited to justify the refusal of the permit and why were these arguments not raised in the meeting?
Walker insists that the second press release simply stated that “the MEPA board rejected the development because it disagreed with the project.”
Unlike the second unseen press release, the press release seen by journalists attending the meeting went as far as to anticipate the board’s rejection of the Sliema Local Council’s call for a social impact assessment.
While acknowledging that the incident has not helped to restore public confidence in MEPA, Walker insists that his role is that “of making sure that things are done properly.”
Asked by MaltaToday whether the Prime Minister will be investigating the matter, a spokesperson for the Office of the Prime Minister informed MaltaToday that the OPM has looked into the matter and has asked MEPA for a clarification.
“The OPM is informed that the Public Relations Officer of MEPA was given clear instructions to prepare draft press statements prior to the meeting covering the eventuality that a permit would have been approved, or the permit would not have been granted.”
MEPA has also informed OPM that such draft statements had to be amended after the decision taken by MEPA, to reflect the proceedings of the public hearing and the outcome of the stand taken by the board.
MaltaToday also asked the OPM to publish the contents of the second press release drafted in the eventuality of a refusal. But the OPM declined MaltaToday’s request.
MaltaToday also asked the OPM whether the board meeting should have continued after the board was informed that a press release was pre-announcing the approval of the project, and whether the Prime Minister agreed with the chairman’s decision to continue the meeting.
The OPM also declined to answer this question.

jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt