Planning Authority chief Martin Saliba has a lot to answer for. Installed by former planning minister Ian Borg after relations with now-Malta Tourism Authority head Johann Buttigieg soured, the PA’s executive chairperson has stayed on under Minister Aaron Farrugia’s tenure. This can be understood as a sign of the much-vaunted continuity, even in the chaotic world of Maltese planning.
In a recent interview with this newspaper, Saliba made the headlines for his brutal declaration that Malta and its population have to “accept that they’re moving into a modern era”. That in itself shouldn’t shock anyone, until one remembers that Saliba is tasked with the stewardship of a regulatory authority, not a vehicle for investment.
And while the PA supremo has, efficiently and perhaps conveniently, used this argument to justify the destruction of much of our built and unbuilt heritage, his mentality is no different to that of his predecessor, who used to speak proudly of the profits made by his PA at the end of each financial year.
Saliba employs a mercantilist vision of planning in Malta, too. His statement that “property is valued according to its development potential” ignores the existence, and indeed value, of communities, open spaces, clean air and sunlight.
Interestingly, PA annual reports written with both Buttigieg and Saliba at the helm will include fierce criticisms of the disregard for planning policies and internal procedures by the PA itself. This criticism comes from the office of the otherwise powerless Planning Ombudsman, a role occupied in subsequent years by upstanding investigators who have, however, no power to penalise the authority or its staff.
Saliba claims that “development is controlled”. However, the PA has never excelled at control, especially when it comes to big developers. There’s no guessing whose side Saliba is on when it comes to choosing between regulating development in favour of quality of life or rubber-stamping it to favour economic growth. To him, citizens objecting to massive developments are a form of nuisance; at the same time, his PA slashes thousands in fees owed to it by errant developers.
Saliba’s behaviour is reminiscent of that of another chairperson, Victor Axiak, who heads the Environment and Resources Authority. Axiak has recently come under attack by a group of NGOs after a spate of questionable decisions taken by the ERA. Now, one of his board members has just resigned.
However, Axiak has not only strenuously defended his position but doubled down on his stance. Since the NGOs’ call for his resignation the ERA has given its blessing to the db City Centre development in Pembroke, an ODZ boutique hotel in Dingli (ERA had previously objected to its development in 2017), a roundabout set to destroy arable land in Burmarrad, and the stealthy change in conditions given to the Fortina Group, intent on building a jetty in Balluta while the appeal is still pending.
But much of what has been said in this editorial goes for a whole array of institutions, authorities and boards, which seem to be enjoying the general atmosphere of deregulation granted to the private sector. In the light of recent news, a reform of the Lands Authority would be advisable, as would be a strict monitoring of Infrastructure Malta’s activities.
Buoyed by generous surveys, the government insists on sweeping scandals and incompetence under the carpet. Citizens have little strength or ways to seek redress, especially when one considers that the Ombudsman (just like the Planning Ombudsman) has no mandate to enforce.
In the absence of laws holding senior public officials legally responsible for their misdeeds, the buck for authorities and their chairpersons will finally have to stop with the respective minister.