Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/467065
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 22 FEBRUARY 2015 8 JAMES DEBONO THE Civil Aviation Directorate has written to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority to object about the development application for a playing field and the installa- tion of shading canopies in the Lidl supermarket's car park in Luqa. The supermarket itself was ap- proved by MEPA in 2007, against the advice of both the Civil Aviation Directorate and the Malta Interna- tional Airport, which both had ob- jected because of the proximity of MICHAEL CASSAR SEVERAL people could have ac- cessed recordings of communica- tions between former ministerial security driver Paul Sheehan and the police control room that were eventually leaked to the Nationalist Party's media, police commissioner Michael Cassar said. "Unfortunately, it was incredibly easy to access the recordings and as such no one has been charged in front of a disciplinary board in rela- tion to the leaks," Cassar told Radju Malta presenter Andrew Azzopardi on Ghandi Xi Nghid. The recordings were taken in the incident in which Sheehan allegedly shot at a fleeing motorist who had accidentally hit the parked ministe- rial car in Sheehan's custody. The incident led to the dismissal of home affairs minister Manuel Mallia, after an inquiry into the shooting. Sheehan is facing charges of the attempted murder of motor- ist Stephen Smith. Cassar said he had considered the problems that led to the leakage and access to police recordings has now become less easy. "I've changed the part of the build- ing where the apparatus was kept, as well as how it's opened and who opens it," Cassar said. "People can now enter the room in which the recording device is kept only two at a time. I have also instructed all police officers on how they should request and handle recordings, as well as on their responsibilities for the recordings." Terrorism unit in need of revamp Cassar warned that the Anti-Ter- rorism Unit is desperately short of manpower and that officials in the Forensics Unit are in need of train- ing. However, he has no plans to add more numbers to the Drugs Squad because having too many of- ficers in the unit could encourage slacking. He also said that he would like to set up a small group of police mo- torists in the traffic branch. "Each motorist would be respon- sible for the traffic flow in a partic- ular district," Cassar said. "During the hours when traffic eases up, the motorists would patrol these dis- tricts to prevent crime. However, human resources are limited." The human resources problem also means that a return for the Special Mobile Unit is unlikely in the near future. "In an ideal world, the police force would have a specialized squad, but we have a serious problem re- garding manpower and human re- sources. However, we are and will continue to provide training to the Rapid Intervention Unit squad and some of their squad will be special- ized in certain sectors." The police commissioner said that the interior of the mobile po- lice station in Wied il-Ghajn truly resembles that of a police station. "It has offices for sergeants and orderlies, a toilet, a sink, a drainage and water system, Internet, an air conditioner. It is a police station." The mobile police station, which Cassar described as an "eyesore", had been forced to move from its original location as it did not have a MEPA planning permit. Cassar said that its new location is not only cov- ered by MEPA but is a prime spot for a mobile police station. "It hit two birds with one stone," he said. "It has been placed in a cen- tral location with parking space in front of it and it blends well with the surrounding environment," he said. News Civil Aviation objects to Luqa Access to leaked police recordings was 'incredibly easy' – police commissioner Request for Quotations Web Design & Development The Building Industry Consultative Council (BICC) requests quotations for the design and development of a website as part of an EU funded project entitled 'Online Tool for Green Building Technology' which is being carried out in conjunction with the Malta Re- sources Authority. A copy of the documentation can to be collected from the BICC offices during office hours between 08:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Quotations are to be received at the offices of the BICC, Building Research Centre, 36, Old Mint Street, Valletta by not later than 13th March 2015 at 12.00PM BICC/RFQ:01/2015 Operational Programme I – Cohesion Policy 2007 – 2013 Investing in Competitiveness for a Better Quality of Life Project part-financed by the European Union European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Co-financing rate 85% EU Funds; 15% National Funds Investing in your future Development Fund (ERDF)