Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/841483
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 25 JUNE 2017 9 News Godfrey Farrugia urges PM to bring amendments to Public Administration Act into force Alternattiva Demokratika welcomes Wied Incita development permit's refusal MATTHEW AGIUS PARTIT Demokratiku MP Godfrey Farru- gia has asked the Prime Minister to bring into force a number of amendments to the Public Administration Act, introducing measures intended to safeguard good gov- ernance. "As a sign of good will, as a unifying ges- ture so necessary to unite our beleaguered nation, still deeply divided after a brief and fierce electoral campaign, Hon Dr Marlene Farrugia and myself invite the Hon Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to issue the Legal Notices necessary to empower the follow- ing articles of The Administration Act Chapter 497 which to date are not yet in force," he said in a media statement. The recommended amendments to the Public Administration Act aim to affirm and implement the values of public ad- ministration and include making appoint- ments by competitive selection on the ba- sis of merit, guidelines on appointments to posts in the public service and the creation of a Merit Protection Commission to audit the appointment of employees of govern- ment agencies and government entities and verify that they are made in accord- ance with the law. "With this meaningful act those amongst us who voted for good governance will be immediately appeased and made to feel ac- knowledged and respected," said the PD in a statement, listing the proposals. Such a move "will go a long way towards strengthening our young democracy" and augur well for the upcoming legislature, Farrugia said. GREEN party Alternattiva Demokratika (AD) has expressed its satisfaction at the Planning Authority's decision to refuse a permit for the construction of commercial buildings in Wied Incita, Attard. Earlier this week, the Author- ity's Planning Directorate had recommended the refusal of the application for the construction of industrial storage facilities, shops and other buildings in the valley's quarries – themselves already subject to enforcement orders. "It is satisfying to see that af- ter years of work, the Planning Authority is affirming that Wied Incita needs to be protected and that there is no place for an indus- trial zone in the valley," AD local councillor Ralph Cassar said in a statement issued yesterday. "It is encouraging to see the Au- thority insist that this develop- ment is incompatible with a rural zone and a valley." Cassar said he will continue to push for the reha- bilitation of the existing quarries. AD deputy Chairman Carmel Ca- copardo said that the detailed re- port from the Planning Directorate explains the technical, environ- mental and planning reasons for refusing the project at length and in detail. "Alternattiva Demokratika is sat- isfied," Cacopardo concluded, that "our efforts for the residents of At- tard are bearing fruit." Implementing the amendments would be "a unifying gesture so necessary to unite our beleaguered nation, still deeply divided after a brief and fierce electoral campaign," the party says The Planning Directorate had previously recommended the refusal of an application for the construction of industrial storage facilities, shops and other buildings in the valley's quarries, which are themselves, already subject to enforcement orders Godfrey Farrugia