Former planning authority chief Godwin Cassar dies aged 75

Architect Godwin Cassar, a former director general of the Planning Authority, has died aged 75, his family announced on Monday.

Cassar was a chartered town planner and was instrumental in the late 1980s and 1990s in the setting up of the Planning Authority and the first structure plan for Malta.

In 1992, Cassar was made director of planning and CEO within the newly-founded Planning Authority.

After the Environment Protection Department was merged with the PA in 2001, he became the first director general of the new entity now called the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.

His contribution was recognised last year when he was awarded the Buonamico Award by President George Vella.

Cassar is also remembered for the legal tussle he had with MEPA’s then lawyer Tony De Gaetano in 2001, which saw the latter successfully sue his employer. The clash resulted in the authority’s legal caseload being awarded through direct order for a hefty retainer to the legal firm Abela, Stafrace Associates – then run by George Abela, the current prime minister’s father, and Ian Stafrace.

Cassar was born in Valletta in 1948 and graduated as an architect from the University of Malta in 1971.

He later obtained a postgraduate diploma at the Bowcentrum International Education (Rotterdam) in Housing, Planning and Building in 1975.

Cassar’s funeral will be held on Wednesday at the Stella Maris Parish Church in Sliema.