Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/279808
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 19 MARCH 2014 7 News Notice of meeting to be held in public e Malta Environment & Planning Authority will meet on ursday 20 th March, 2014 at 14:00 hours at the MEPA boardroom, St. Francis Ravelin, Floriana, to discuss the following: DETERMINATION OF DEVELOPMENT PLANNING APPLICATION: PA 2770/13: Site at, Azalea Court, Triq il-Ferrovija l-Qadima, Balzan To demolish existing dwelling and proposed basement garages, semi basement maisonette, apartments at elevated ground oor to second oor and penthouse at roof level. 9 units in total. Subject to the maximum seating capacity, seats can be reserved on request for the applicant and registered objectors. Remaining seating is lled on a rst come rst served basis. RESERVATIONS: 2290 2018 14 th March, 2014 www.mepa.org.mt Energy minister reassures power plant is 'safe' as cigarettes and welding and me- chanically and industrial generated sparks. He added that this could not be guaranteed since the gas storage vessels will be berthed in a bay which is "very active" and sur- rounded by a number of industrial facilities, such as the Freeport. Labour MP Marlene Farrugia, who chairs the Parliamentary com- mittee on planning which last week requested a ruling by Speaker Ang- lu Farrugia whether a debate should be held at committee stage, said she had hoped that experts appeared before the committee to give their advice on what was best for the country. "I was hoping to engage with the experts in an atmosphere which is not politically charged... however this did not happen, unfortunate- ly." Stressing that the decision to con- struct a new gas powered plant was unquestionable, Farrugia called for political consensus built on expert advice. PN leader Simon Busuttil said the government "has a mandate to reduce energy tariffs, build a new plant and convert the BWSC to gas. But, it does not have a mandate to berth a tanker carrying LNG in Marsaxlokk bay". Announcing a rally for Marsax- lokk residents, Busuttil said that the PN would support and represent the residents who were raising con- cerns. "In the absence of the govern- ment, we will be the voice of the residents," he said. In a direct appeal to government, Busuttil added: "Stop, do not be stubborn, listen to the people. Do not bulldoze over the people's con- cerns." Reiterating his party's call to re- locate the gas storage vessel and re- gasification plant offshore, Busuttil asked what affect the vessel will have on the fishing industry, tour- ism and the value of properties in the area. Saying that these were the "resi- dents' legitimate concerns," the PN leader said that these worries were being ignored by government and the PN was representing the resi- dents. Quoting independent Dutch ex- pert, Hans Pasman, the Opposition leader warned that "a gas leak would be disastrous". He added that the reports published by the govern- ment, "were not enough to put the people's minds at rest". He said that government can choose alternative solutions. "Why did government exclude the possi- bility of anchoring the LNG tanker outside the port?" Busuttil asked why the govern- ment was ignoring the experience of other plants abroad and ploughing ahead with its plans without study- ing and weighing other options. Belittling claims that an offshore storage vessel was more dangerous than anchoring a LNG tanker in- side the port, Busuttil asked: "How is this possible if the tanker would be located further away from the people?" Energy minister Konrad Mizzi said that thanks to the new plant, which is set to be commissioned next year, emissions will be drastically reduced Attempted robbery in Rabat entering what used to be The Verdala Hotel. While the Dis- trict Police entered the site, their colleagues from the RIU kept on the look out and cornered off the area. After a few minutes, one of the men appeared on the scene and approached a pick-up van, but he was stopped by the police. A thorough search in the area for the other two suspects resulted in negative results. The Police found pieces of iron lying around, which the three men were alleg- edly going to steal, but they aban- doned everything when they saw the police were very close. While the man was held by the District Police, the RIU kept on patrolling the area for the other two who managed to escape. Less then half an hour later an- other suspect was apprehended by the RIU Police near Saqqajja in Rabat and taken to Rabat Po- lice Station. The third went by himself to the same Police Sta- tion. The three men, all from Tarx- ien, are being interrogated by In- spector Robert Vella. JOHN PISANI THREE schools were the targets of theft in the past few days, with the thieves appearing to be tar- geting only cash, particularly from the office of the headmas- ter at the Hamrun Lyceum. Be- tween 14 and 16 March, the sum of €25,000 was raised during the annual Bike Marathon, and the thieves may have assumed that the money was still being kept at the school. The robbers managed to get into the school through a toilet window and then made their way into the headmaster's office. Af- ter ransacking the office, they made off with around €800. The money raised from the marathon was not in the office and so none of the €25,000 were touched. Meanwhile, two other schools were broken into during the last few days. These occurred at the Maria Assunta Girls Secondary School in Hamrun and Umberto Calasso in Santa Venera. The amount sto- len from both schools amounted to under €100. Three schools ransacked over two days The thieves who broke into the Hamrun Lyceum may have been under the impression that money amassed for a Bike Marathon was still kept at the school