Planning Ministry denies removing NGO seat from PA planning board
Architect Jorge Spiteri was nominated to the board by the voluntary council
Updated 3.06pm
The Planning Minister has denied claims his ministry gave a seat on the Planning Authority’s planning board reserved for environmental NGOs to an architect in breach of regulations.
In a Facebook post, Planning Minister Clint Camilleri said architect Jorge Spiteri had been nominated to the PA board by the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector (MCVS), and not by the ministry.
He was responding to a statement from eight NGOs slamming the decision not to reappoint environmental NGO representative Romano Cassar in favour of Spiteri.
The organisations had said the ministry had taken the decision in breach of regulations requiring an environmental NGO representative to be present on the board.
Responding to suggestions Cassar had been removed for his recent criticism of the decision to sanction construction tycoon Charles Polidano's Montekristo estate, Camilleri said the claims were "absolutely untrue".
"The ministry appointed the very person who was nominated by the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector", he said.
In a statement later on Thursday, the ministry stressed Cassar was not "'removed' arbitrarily", reiterating Camilleri's words that Spiteri had been appointed at the voluntary council's request.
Email communication between the ministry and the voluntary council, seen by Times of Malta, shows the council nominating Spiteri for the board seat.
"The allegations suggesting that Mr Romano Cassar’s position on the Board was terminated due to his views or voting record are totally false and unfounded", the minstry added.
In a statement earlier on Thursday, the eight NGOs said they had not been consulted on Spiteri's appointment, describing the board as "now not regularly composed" and warning its composition could compromise the legality of decisions taken by the board.
The statement was signed by the Ramblers Association of Malta, Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Aħjar, Birdlife Malta, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Nature Trust Malta, Moviment Graffitti, Wirt Għawdex and Għawdix.
Commenting on the timing of Cassar’s tenure not being renewed, the organisations had noted it had occurred after he had condemned the sanctioning of illegal structures at construction tycoon Charles Polidano’s Montekristo estate.
Cassar criticised the sanctioning as “sending the wrong message to the public that people can do whatever they want and apply for sanctioning later".
The NGOs had thanked Spiteri for “immediately” alerting them to the “anomalous situation”.