Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1431464
16 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 21 NOVEMBER 2021 NEWS POSTS FOR LAWYER WITH THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Jobsplus Vacancy No. 369626, Permit Nos. 273/2021) The Office of the Attorney General Agency is inviting applications for Lawyers to carry out prosecution and related duties. The selected candidates will be employed on a full-time indefinite term basis, subject to a probation period, and will be required to work for a minimum of forty hours per week. Applicants must be in possession of a warrant to practice the profession of Advocate and, must also have at least one year experience in the practice of the profession covered by a warrant. POSTS FOR TRAINEE LAWYER WITH THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Jobsplus Vacancy No. 376134, Permit Nos. 689/2021) The Office of the Attorney General Agency is inviting applications for Trainee Lawyers to carry out prosecution and related duties. The selected candidates will be employed on a full-time indefinite term basis, subject to a probation period, and will be required to work for a minimum of forty hours per week. Applicants must have completed and obtained their U.O.M. law degree and warrant. ___________________________________________________________________________ Applications must quote relevant Jobsplus Vacancy Reference, include a detailed CV, and should be addressed to: The Administration Office of the Attorney General, No. 53, Admiralty House, South Street, Valletta VLT 1101 or emailed to ag@attorneygeneral.mt and should be submitted by not later than Friday 3rd December 2021 at 13:00 hrs. POSTS OF SENIOR MANAGER WITH THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Jobsplus Vacancy No. 369628, Permit No. 274/2021) The Office of the Attorney General Agency is inviting applications for Senior Managers to assist lawyers in prosecution and related duties. The selected candidates will be employed on a full-time indefinite term basis, subject to a probation period, and will be required to work for a minimum of forty hours per week. Applicants must be in possession of a degree in Accounts, Banking or a related subject. Villa no, hotel yes: How ERA blundered on Dingli hotel JAMES DEBONO THE environmental watchdog found itself in the line of fire af- ter changing its position three times on a controversial request to build a hotel at Dingli Cliffs, replacing a disused explosives factory. Environment and Resources Authority chairman Victor Ax- iak's vote against the proposed hotel at this week's Planning Authority board meeting was a face-saver for the ERA, which re- versed a strange and unexplained U-turn. This is because during last Thursday's meeting it emerged that in 2020 the ERA had object- ed to the development a single dwelling and office block on the same site. Originally in 2017, the ERA had also objected to La Toc Limited's proposal for a hotel on the Dingli site, warning of the fu- ture difficulty to contain similar development within the commit- ted area for "utility services and drainage systems, and longer- term development pressures to extend the established develop- ment." Subsequently in 2020, the Bi- lom Group's Michael Bugeja pro- posed the redevelopment of the explosives factory into a residen- tial unit, an administration block and a pool. But the ERA said the factory should "not be used as a pretext to gain further develop- ment permissions and expanding the range of land uses in this par- ticular area". Bugeja's sizeable ur- ban development threatened the secluded and natural feel of this sensitive area in Dingli, a propos- al the ERA said was in breach of the SPED's provisions that rural areas do not get exploited for un- necessary uses. ERA also warned that "expe- rience has shown that commit- ments for development such as this proposal are almost irrevers- ible once they are allowed to be- come established". After its withdrawal, the appli- cation was immediately followed up by Sun Route Ltd's 14-unit hotel, spread over 10 one-storey blocks, and a communal pool. Again in September 2020, the ERA welcomed the project's downscaling but said it did not support the principle that the ex- plosives factory "should serve as a pretext for committing sites for further development." Yet in March 2021 it inexpli- cably reversed its position in a screening report in which it said it "has no objection to the pro- posal", and even said the project's environmental impacts did not warrant an Environment Impact Assessment. During last Thursday's PA board meeting, Victor Axiak rec- ognised the project's downsizing but then announced he was still against the development, arguing that tourism facilities are best lo- cated in the village of Dingli. Axiak's declaration was a blow for the developers, whose ar- chitect had constantly referred to the ERA's go-ahead for the project. Right up until the mo- ment Axiak pronounced himself against the development, the meeting appeared to be headed in favour of the development, be- cause the planning directorate's case officer was making a case in favour, while the PA executive chairman Martin Saliba actually intervened to refute arguments made by objectors. Axiak's shocker saw six board members, including Planning Authority board chairman Vince Cassar, declare their intention to overrule the case officer and reject the application. A final decision is expected in the next weeks. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Pigs exposed to harmful noise from illegal Haz-Zebbug plant JAMES DEBONO THE owners of two pig farms in Ħaż-Żebbuġ who have been operating for the past 44 years, are saying their livestock is be- ing exposed to dust and contin- uous noise from an illegal con- struction waste-recycling plant, which is having a severe impact on their health. The owners of the plant pre- sented an application to regu- larize the illegally-constructed recycling plant for construction waste a yaer ago. The Attard Road site has been subject to a planning enforcement which has been pending since 2006, for turning agricultural land into a site for the deposition of construction material and the storage of construction vehi- cles. Daily fines are due on this case. A report by veterinarian Dr Oliver Frendo submitted by the pig farm owners argues that such activity has had severe ad- verse impact on the welfare of the pigs due to both noise as well as airborne dust. Dr Frendo cites multiple stud- ies showing that pigs are very sensitive to noise and should not be exposed to constant or sudden noise. Dr Frendo cites a Europe- an Union directive which lays down minimum standards for the protection of pigs, which should not be exposed to noise levels over 85dBA. The pig farmers contend that noise levels in the plant re- sulting from the use of heavy equipment and vehicles clearly exceed this limit. Along with exposure to dust particles, which is inhaled deep into the pigs' lungs, this has a severe im- pact on the welfare of the pigs. In an objection submitted by former Nationalist minister George Pullicino, the pig farm operators say that while the re- cycling of construction waste is an important and useful activi- ty, the plant should be sited in an already permitted quarry or where it poses no impact to hu- man habitats or habitats where rearing of animals takes place. The Superintendence for Cul- tural Heritage also expressed concern on the plant's regular- isation, saying any illegal devel- opment not in line with rele- vant policies for ODZ (outside development zone) areas, must be removed and not sanctioned. The Environment and Re- sources Authority objected to the take-up of 2,780sq.m of agricultural land by the plant, which resulted in the loss of the area's rural character. The Veterinary Regulation Di- rectorate also objected because the plant would affect animal welfare on the adjacent farms "due to the noises generated and possible toxins that may be produced." The Ħaż-Żebbuġ council also objected to the regularisation of the plant due to the negative impact it has created on farm- ers in the area.