Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/340052
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 2 JULY 2014 News 6 JAMES DEBONO AN iron gate and a metal frame have raised questions about the credibil- ity of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) where environmental abuse is concerned. On Monday MEPA issued an en- forcement order against the gate and metal frame which were assembled in a field at San Blas, one of the most pristine beaches in Gozo. The owner, Joseph Portelli, claims he had no intention of developing a kiosk and that all he wanted was a canopy for his own personal use, as several camps have which are set up around the area. But what raised public interest in this case was the realisation that even one of the most secluded loca- tions in Malta is not immune from development. The other issue is that action was taken only following re- ports on the media. Environmental NGO Flimkien Ghall-Ambjent Ahjar claimed in a statement that a report was lodged on June 18 and that MEPA took de- cisive action only after reports ap- peared in the media. If this is so, the case raises ques- tions about the effectiveness of the authority in dealing with cases of abuse in scheduled areas. This contrasts with declarations made by MEPA officials that they intend strengthening enforcement in Out- side Development Zone (ODZ) ar- eas. If no report was lodged, as MEPA is saying, the case still underscores the importance of adequate monitoring of scheduled areas, but this would require a strengthening a MEPA's resources. It is worth recalling that MEPA clamped down on sizeable develop- ment in Golden Bay (a scheduled site) only this year, years after the development was made. A tale of two CEOs What made the case sensational was the alleged involvement of MEPA's CEO, Johann Buttigieg, and the confirmed presence of his pred- ecessor, former CEO Ian Stafrace, at San Blas, which probably led to con- fusion about the two. Probably it was Stafrace and not Buttigieg who was seen on the scene. In fact Johann Buttigieg immedi- ately denied a report in The Malta San Blas: Conflicts of interest and mistaken identities