Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/349229
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 20 JULY 2014 News 5 THE Riviera beach at Ghajn Tuff- ieha cannot be awarded the coveted Blue Flag status for Europe's best beaches because of illegal structures inside the bay. This was confirmed by Michael Falzon, the newly appointed parlia- mentary secretary responsible for the Malta Environment and Plan- ning Authority on TVM's Reporter, hosted by Saviour Balzan. "It's no secret that much of MEPA's work is controversial. I think one has to look at the past – not to 'forgive' what is wrong – but to recognise that the abuse on the coastline has been ongoing for over 40 years," Falzon said. "One of the things we have kick- started and that still needs working upon is a policy on unsanctioned lidos and kiosks. At present, we are cleaning up the roads from illegal billboards. "We need to look forward in a ho- listic manner: not to legalise that which is impossible to legalise, but to have clear guidelines. I don't exclude the possibility that in future, we will have a policy on certain lidos and ki- osks in certain places." The Riviera beach can only be awarded 'Beach of Quality' status be- cause it fulfils just 70% of Blue Flag requirements. Under Criterion 13 of the Blue Flag authority – the Foundation for Envi- ronmental Education in Europe – any facilities on the beach must be in com- pliance with planning regulations. Falzon pointed out as an example the former set of the 1980 movie Pop- eye, starring Robin Williams, which today is the tourist attraction Popeye Village in Anchor Bay: the structure is illegal in its entirety. "Popeye Village is a tourist attrac- tion and we must decide on how to deal with it. We should be looking at these issues on a case-by-case basis, and where we can clean up illegalities, someone needs to have the guts to do that." Falzon says a distinction will have to made between structures whose illegality may have been overlooked over a long period of years, and re- cent structures that were served with enforcement notices "Should we re- move all of Popeye Village? All of it is illegal. It has been there several years. Then there are other places where en- forcement notices have been served. Small kiosks that started out with a permit that then went on to build a small store room." Falzon also said that Malta was los- ing the Blue Flag status for Ghajn Tuffieha because of the abuses of one person. "This is not right. I am com- mitted to preventing this from hap- pening next summer." Balzan put it to Falzon that politi- cians were facing lobbies demanding that their irregular establishments are regularised by the planning author- ity. "More than a lobby, I think it is a matter of attitude that has gone on for years," Falzon said. "Everyone thinks that one particular lobby is calling the shots. I don't think that is always the case. "I will say 'no' if someone knocks on my door. I'm not the only one. Recently we stopped accepting semi- basements, a commitment we made and which developers accused us of having changed the goalposts. But it was a commitment to improve qual- ity of life and we did it." MIRIAM DALLI STOCKBROKER Paul Bonello, of Finco Treasury Management, has been appointed by the Ministry of Education to head an inquiry into the Skola Sajf and Klabb 3-16 open- ing fiasco. In its terms of reference, the board has been tasked to identify the per- son or persons responsible for the initiative's mismanagement. The opening of the summer club centres was delayed by four days after the Ministry for Education re- alised that there were not enough centre coordinators, teachers, and playworkers to cater for the 10,800 students. Education Minister Evarist Bar- tolo is expected to take a final deci- sion on the matter after the board of inquiry concludes its investiga- tions. He has however made it clear that the situation was "unaccept- able" and that he "preferred work- ing with people who inform me of problems instead of insisting eve- rything was fine". Responsibility for the Skola Sajf and Klabb 3-16 falls under the Foundation for Educational Serv- ices (FES). Bonello will be chairing the inves- tigation board, and board members include Gemma Debono and Noel Borg. Ray Camilleri will be the board's secretary. According to the board's terms of reference, they have a month to conclude their investigation. The board must establish the facts surrounding the administration of Skola Sajf and Klabb 3-16; exam- ine the administrative procedures that were followed and identify shortcomings; recommend a way forward in established timeframes and identify those responsible for the shortcomings. Bonello made his mark as a cham- pion of consumer rights when he spearheaded a bid to recoup mil- lions in lost investments by cli- ents of Bank of Valletta's La Val- ette multi-manager property fund Sicav. His three-year campaign saw the financial regulator fining BOV and Valletta Fund Manage- ment over breaches of investment regulations. He is still representing clients who are fighting in court to have their full investment reim- bursed by Bank of Valletta. Popeye village at Anchor Bay – never legal! Investors' 'guardian' heading summer school inquiry Ghajn Tuffieha denied Blue Flag status because of illegal structures on bay www.kinnie.com NO ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS NO ART RT R IFICIAL SWEETENERS ENER HALF THE SUGAR & CALORIES OF A REGULAR SOFT DRINK New A distinction will have to be made between structures whose illegality may have been overlooked, and recent structures that were served with enforcement notices