Interview | Sunday, 15 February 2009

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The prize for dissenting?

Lija mayor Ian Castaldi Paris has waged war on unsightly buildings and unhealthy mobile phone antennas in his locality. Is this the beginning of a meteoric rise to political stardom?

James Debono

Ian Castaldi Paris became a household name after leading a campaign to stop a four-storey block from being built next to Lija’s Belvedere tower openly clashing with the architect of the project: fellow PN mayor Robert Musumeci.
He was also the first to confront the Prime Minister with a major planning issue since he took over responsibility for MEPA after the election.
Yet instead of being penalised for dissenting MEPA’s decisions and holding the Prime Minister to account, he was first appointed president of the PN’s college of councillors and then chairman of the management board of the Majjistral Park, limits of Manikata.
“The Nationalist Party deserves the first-in-class prize for granting their mayors and councillors full autonomy and freedom… The fact that you stand up to be counted does not affect your relationship with the party… I found a fine line by showing my objections without earning the government’s rebuke. I found a way of working hand in hand with MEPA, which in the end of the day told us that we were right.”
Still, Castaldi Paris has not been tamed and does not refrain from opening new fronts with the authorities.
HE was the first mayor to give institutional backing to residents objecting to the way mobile phone antennas have mushroomed on rooftops.
After presenting a judicial protest against a mobile phone antenna installed on a roof top in Lija’s narrowest street he found himself receiving phone calls from citizens and mayors of other towns requesting his advice.
“People who were living in full tranquillity until one fine day without any warning one finds an antenna installed on the neighbouring roof top.”
To add insult to injury the owners of the Lija house in Luigi Preziosi Street, on which an antenna was installed, do not even live there. The mayor claims that they receive €1,000 for installing the antenna on their property.
“I want this antenna removed immediately and I will not stop here.”
Castaldi Paris intends to file a civil case in the law courts after the warning in the judicial protest presented last month was ignored.
“I want this case to serve as a precedent for all the antennas being installed in Malta because unfortunately nobody is taking a stand. Every department is passing the buck to someone else... Nobody should be allowed to play games when public health is at stake. This is not a partisan issue.”
Castaldi Paris has nothing against mobile phone antennas but wants a new system through which permits for antennas are issued.
According to the Lija mayor instead of issuing a permit for an antenna on top of a particular roof top an application should be first presented to choose the location of the antenna. He insists that Lija has a number of open areas where the antennas can be installed.
“Why should antennas not be located in these spaces, instead of being installed in a narrow road in which 250 families live and sleep with an antenna next to their bedroom? I was on their rooftop and I could grab the antenna with my hands. It is unacceptable that these families live in constant fear of something which could potentially damage their health. ”
Castaldi Paris is also calling for a radical overhaul of the country’s warden system.
“Wardens are strong with the weak and weak with the strong. The system should be revised in a way that people are warned before they are fined. The present attitude is to maximise the number of fines. I want an awareness campaign. Only people who persist in error should be fined.”
But can one expect any better from a private company which runs the warden system?
“I am not happy with the way they are conducting this service. I am faced with people receiving €46 fines. Some of them do not even have money to live till the end of the month. I wonder the level of pressure brought upon families by these fines.”
Castaldi Paris reveals that the Lija local council has not gained any revenue from the warden system.
“We have not received a single cent from the warden system. I do not even know why. If we, as a council, were to employ three of our people as full time wardens we would make a profit. But this is not the case now. Something is wrong in this system. At present the warden system is a burden on the locality and the local council.”
Castaldi Paris is neither a scientist nor an expert on nature parks. What credentials does he have to chair the committee responsible for a park five times the size of Valletta?
Castaldi Paris promises that his major contribution to the park will be his perseverance and determination.
“Nobody expected a small council like Lija’s to convince MEPA to revoke an already approved permit.”
Nor is he perturbed by his lack of scientific knowledge on park management. He draws parallels with his crusade to save Lija’s village core.
“One always needs to consult experts who should be part of the team. I was not an architect or a planning expert. But the council managed to consult experts in order to propose revisions to the local plan for Lija. My commitment to the nature park is to consult with everyone and seek the advise of experts, but finally I will take responsibility for my decisions.”
He also promises to add a touch of localism to the management of the park. “I want to bring the people of Manikata on our side,” says Castaldi Paris.
He also insists on setting achievable targets. “I am aware that I will have to face difficult issues like the illegal occupation of a substantial part of the land by trappers as well as the hunting issue. I want the park to succeed and that deadlines are respected. People want to see tangible progress. After the first meeting I will issue target dates by which time people will be able to see improvements. I will not be afraid of taking a stand.”
Should hunting be allowed in the park? Castaldi Paris makes it clear that he still has to discuss this issue with the other stake holders but he does not refrain from expressing his personal opinion.
“I personally think that since people visit a nature park for country walks or to stay in a camping area, I do not think it should also be a place for hunting.”
But his first priority is to formulate a holistic plan.
“I do not intend to treat issues like hunting, trapping, off-roading and illegal squatters separately. I will allocate three or four meetings to discuss this plan. As soon as the plan is approved, I will start to enforce it. I will use all legal ways to stop these abuses.”
For the past two years people have seen very little tangible progress. Replying to a parliamentary question, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi revealed that the management plan to regulate activities in the park is still being finalised. The only tangible thing which happened in two years was a massive clean up of construction waste, the printing of 8,000 brochures on country walks, and 10 welcome and information boards.
“We should look ahead. We have to set targets. We have to thrash out all problems,” the Lija mayor turned park manager says.
Does he see the risk of environmental deterioration as more people start visiting the park?
“I want to turn the park in to a national attraction where people can spend their leisure time, but I would also like to see proper surveillance to ensure that it is impeccably kept.”
But does he have the funds for doing this?
“I do not know. I am still enquiring about this. I will also try to seek EU funding for this purpose. So far I do not know anything about funds. All I have is ambition and determination. I promise that I will be knocking on all doors even those of the Ministries to ensure that the project succeed.”
Under Castaldi Paris, the Lija council was the first to propose a revision of the local plans approved two years ago.
“After our success in stopping the development in Transfiguration Avenue next to the Belvedere, we wanted a sustainable plan, tailor made for the whole locality.”
The council appointed urban planner Paul Gauci to conduct this exercise in a professional way.
“We sent questionnaires to residents and also organised seminars with residents. And following this exercise we came up with a tailor-made local plan.”
Castaldi Paris contents that the problem with the local plans approved in 2006 was that they were not tailored made to fit the characteristics and needs of each town and village were not identified properly.
“We therefore outlined the needs of our town. There were also a number of good things in the local plan, like the traffic system which we retained.”
He admits that very few people answered the questionnaire which the council had sent by post.
“But the council was inundated by emails and phone calls. People feel more comfortable communicating by email or phone, than filling questionnaires.”
Castaldi Paris had a stormy relationship with MEPA uNder its previous chairman Andrew Calleja. But now he sees a lot of goodwill from new chairman Austin Walker.
“I tried to show MEPA that my interest is to work hand in hand with them. What I appreciate now is that when I send an email directly to Austin Walker he replies immediately.”
He considers this to be a big breakthrough.
“When previously I used to attend meeting in MEPA in my role as mayor, my presence was not even recognised. During a board meeting before the permit next to Belvedere was approved, I was ignored by the board members and they moved on to approve this permit like a bulldozer. Under Austin Walker if you show that you are genuine and constructive, MEPA can shows a lot of goodwill to the extent that when we presented our suggestions to change the local plan, he invited me to MEPA to address a joint press conference.”
Still beyond recognition, will MEPA be changing the local plan to accommodate the council’s proposals?
“Now that two years have expired from the approval of the local plan, MEPA can start working on amending the plans. But I will not be rushing MEPA. I will give them some time. But I will insist that our proposals be enacted.”
Castaldi Paris’ star is rising in his party. But he insists that the greatest satisfaction comes from daily encounters with people.
“My first ambition is to be effective in society. My greatest satisfaction is to see someone who entered your office angry leave with a smile on his face. I am very sensitive to the financial difficulties of families. In Lija there is a sector of the population which expect every Wednesday to collect a free packet of pasta.”
He points out that the worst which can happen to these people is to receive a €46 fine from a warden.
Yet he does not hide his greatest ambition that of becoming a member of parliament.
“I want to be associated with my locality but I am also becoming more determined to fulfil my aspiration to become an MP.”

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