News | Sunday, 16 August 2009

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MEPA’s revocation of Bahrija permit ‘weak and feeble’ – Rabat Mayor

Rabat Mayor Sandro Craus yesterday described MEPA’s decision to revoke the permit granted to former PN President Victor Scerri for a development in Baħrija as “weak and feeble”.
Despite MEPA’s decision, “one of Malta’s most beautiful valleys with such ecological importance” will still be destroyed, Craus said.
“Even though PA7719/06 was revoked, the three preceding permits are still valid – meaning that the development much desired by Victor Scerri, but not so much by the Maltese population, will still go ahead,” he explained.
Wied Marġa in Baħrija, where the disputed development is to take place, is classified as a special conservation area.
“The development will accommodate Victor Scerri and his family, to the detriment of the Maltese population,” the Labour Mayor said. “This means that the appeals made by Rabat residents and the vociferous complaints made by civil society against the development have fallen on deaf ears. This is not the behaviour expected from a modern democracy.”
Craus called on MEPA to assure that the damage that has already been done by works that have already started, is repaired as soon as possible.
“It is shameful that the MEPA board made an attempt to lay blame on the person who made the mistake in issuing the permit,” he added.
“The real mistake is that there should have never been an application for that specific development, especially when it was filed by a person who was meant to lead by example. MEPA should have never considered such a development, as from the time it received the first application. But in spite of warnings issued by the MEPA auditor, the environmental damage will still be done with the blessing of the authorities concerned – especially that of the Prime Minister – who are meant to be protectors of the environment.”

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