Activists urge White Paper on planning reforms, warn of escalation
Ġustizzja għal Artna campaign write to PM urging him to withdraw the bills
The Ġustizzja għal Artna campaign on Friday sent a letter to the prime minister urging him to issue a White Paper instead of the controversial planning reforms bills.
They also warned that they will “intensify” their actions if the government continues to persist with the bills which “read like a wish-list for developers”.
Signed by Andre Callus of Moviment Graffiti, the letter urges the prime minister to withdraw the “malicious so-called” planning reform and instead initiate discussions on genuine planning reform in the spirit of collaboration and unity through a White Paper.
“This is the spirit of collaboration and unity we wish to see and participate in,” Callus writes.
He expressed regret that the government intends to “persist” with these laws despite last Saturday’s protest which saw thousands of people march through Valletta supported by over 70 organisations and more than 160 academics.
“The people’s justified anger at this attempt to undermine the interests of the common person in order to favour those of powerful developers has become increasingly evident. At this stage, and on the basis of these laws, no form of consultation can appease this anger or repair this so-called “reform”, which is flawed at its very core precisely because it was conceived with the wrong intention: that of enriching the few at the expense of the common good.”
In his letter, Callus said “it is never too late” for the proposed bills to be withdrawn and for discussions to be held.
“We still have the opportunity to work together – involving the various groups in society, including residents, farmers, hobbyists, and all economic, cultural, and social sectors – to achieve a planning reform that strengthens, rather than weakens, our country.”
This is not the first time the activists have proposed their own changes to planning laws but they said their suggestions “were ignored” by the prime minister who “instead chose to heed only the wishes of developers”.