News | Sunday, 08 March 2009

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MEPA fails to publish annual report

The 2008 annual report for the Malta Environment and Planning Authority has not yet been published, despite the prime minister’s commitment to introduce more transparency at the authority.
For the past five years, the report has always been issued in November or early December at the latest.
In December a MEPA spokesperson said the report had not been issued because the authority had extended its financial year by three months. “As of 2008, for administrative and practical financial purposes our financial year will start ending in December, so our annual report will be published end of January 2009,” the spokesperson said.
But the promise to issue the report in January was not kept. When asked to explain the latest delay, a MEPA spokesperson simply replied that the report will be published once it is tabled in parliament as stipulated by law.
The Development Planning Act states clearly that the report must by handed to the minister responsible for MEPA – in this case Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi – by “not later than six weeks after the end of each financial year”, which would be mid-February.
But the report can only be published after being tabled by the Prime Minister in parliament.
The annual report always includes a brief but pungent report by MEPA’s own ombudsman, Joe Falzon. When contacted Falzon confirmed that he has already written his own report which he has already presented to the MEPA chairman.

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