Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1237083
9 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 19 APRIL 2020 INTERVIEW ing the spring hunting season despite the COVID emergency, which capriciously allocates resources to supervise hunters (when the same excuse is used not to save lives at sea)? The Gozo Minister was already parliamentary secretary in a ministry responsible for hunting. Apart from this, I think that the environment, climate change, waste, and planning make for an extensive portfolio. In the current circumstances, the decision to open the spring hunting season was taken collec- tively by Cabinet for a number of reasons, mainly due to the fact that it concerned a number of factors apart from hunting per se - such as health and enforce- ment. If the PA and ERA have equal powers, should ERA not have the power to veto decisions tak- en by the PA? I don't think that it should. It was a courageous decision to place both the PA and ERA un- der the same Ministry, and it will be the policies that will create a balance between the two. In fact, new policies within both entities are being finalised as we speak. This is what intelligent and bal- anced planning stands for. The PA's controversial rural policy was placed under re- view. Judging by the foot-drag- ging on the reviewed fuel station policy, this might take years: what are you waiting for on both reviews? In my first few days as envi- ronment and planning minister I asked for clear deadlines for the review of the SPED, rural policy, and fuel stations policy among other things. My request was respected, and in the com- ing days we will begin seeing the results of these decisions. Will the appeals on refusals of fuel stations be decided on the basis of the new or discarded policy? I am informed that legally, the appeals tribunal needs to decide on the basis of the policy which was in place at the time of refus- al. You removed Elizabeth Ellul from the planning commission on ODZ projects – did you doubt her integrity? Why not launch a full investigation instead of playing musical chairs? Members of commissions have expiry dates, in the sense that they are appointed per term. The appointments and changes that I made in the commissions, and similarly any boards, were based on my own vision for the sector. Ellul's husband was an architect who worked for major develop- ers like Joseph Portelli whose applications ended up on Ellul's desk. Will you immediately in- troduce a new code of conduct to prevent this from happening ever again? Yes. It is a work in progress. You talk a lot about greening urban spaces. But planning pol- icies allow developers to build a depth of 15m inside many urban open spaces and gardens… are these policies under review? All planning policies are auto- matically under review through the SPED review. Naturally, this review is a comprehensive one which takes into consideration a number of factors including the economic, social, and environ- mental - and would therefore need time. The PM says construction will be vital in the post-COVID re- covery: do you agree that Malta should press on the accelerator to kickstart the economy? You also have spoken of the 'bal- ance' between construction and environment, yet this al- ways turns out to be greenwash for a pro developers' bias… Currently we are facing a pub- lic health crisis. But this crisis will have repercussions that go beyond health, including long- term social and economic im- pacts. The construction industry makes up for almost 4% of our country's economy. It employs thousands of people. It is indeed one of our strongest industries as well as the work ethic of our people that will help us recover from this crisis. I think that the Prime Minister was correct to say that construc- tion will be vital post-COVID – and this is the same Prime Min- ister who brought planning and the environment back under the same Ministry. This is testament that Government is aiming to- wards a stable balance between construction and green projects, economic strength and well- being. I believe that the public, including environmental NGOs with whom I converse regularly, are not against construction per se: we are all envisioning con- struction and planning which is intelligent and sustainable. Don't you think it's unaccept- able for a 70-year-old on lock- down to live near unabated construction and excavation from 7am to 7pm? Although construction does not fall under the remit of my ministry, the Malta Developers Association told me about their wish to have shorter hours. My answer was that they don't need Government to do this. A new online hearing system at the PA will probably limit objectors uncomfortable with protesting via livestream. Don't you think the digital divide is benefiting developers here? And if schools and the law courts shut down, why could we not afford to postpone the PA hearings? We are obviously not in the ideal situation right now, but we are trying to do our best in the circumstances. Various sectors across Malta were quick to make use of the digital systems that we have at our disposal in order for life to carry on, including eco- nomic activity and public life. We need to be realistic. I think the Planning Author- ity found a way to ensure that the planning processes contin- ue, without affecting people's rights. I would say that it would be better to go back to the way we were before – but the truth is that post-COVID-19, we could perhaps look at a hybrid sys- tem which would be even more inclusive and would allow per- sons to participate in the process even if they could not physically attend. I am proud to say that other countries followed our example and their planning committees have also moved towards the digital era. Of course, we have had to adapt and learn as we go along. In the case of video con- ferencing for PA's meetings, the Authority established a system with which persons who do not have access to an internet device at home could still participate in a private room at the PA offices. So far, the outcomes have been positive and the meetings have been going very well. On Monday the EPRT act will be amended so that meetings and appeals will also begin to be heard in this way. I think this was a step in the right direction, and a balance could indeed be found. economy' The pace with which the planning sector was developing in our country was not on par with that of environmental regulation, and was therefore unsustainable. The time has come to balance this out