Labour says it is duty-bound to oppose Nazzareno Vassallo supermarket

Labour has insisted that it was its duty to take a stand on development decisions, in a reaction to statements by MEPA chairman Austin Walker on its qualified opposition to Nazzareno Vassallo's application to construct a supermarket in Qormi.

"This democratic right is enshrined in the law and the Parliamentary scrutiny on the Mepa board," Labour MP Roderick Galdes said.

On Wednesday, Labour MP and Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) board member Roderick Galdes said he would be opposing the development for Vassallo's two function halls, a supermarket, a garden centre, an administrative office and surface parking in Qormi.

The decision on the application filed by construction magnate and PN donor Nazzareno Vassallo to transform the former Lowenbrau brewery in Qormi into a supermarket, adjacent to another large-scale shopping mall, will be taken on Thursday.

While saying that Labour was not opposed to such development projects, Galdes insisted that the project had been fast-tracked for political reasons, and that planning norms had been ignored and for these reasons he would vote against this development.

In reaction, MEPA said that it considered Galdes's comments as "inopportune and ill-timed", noting that that applications should be decided solely on their own merits, on the basis of planning grounds and policies. 

Insisting that the project was evaluated within the stipulated legal time-frames that apply to all applications submitted after the 1 January 2011, the authority said: "Mepa's decision taking process should not be subjected to any form of interference, political or otherwise."

In its statement, Galdes pointed out that the public should be informed of what is happening at the authority, paid for by taxes and whether decisions were taken in transparent and accountable way.

Branding MEPA's actions as "unethical", Galdes said that the authority's management was ignoring planning rules and that people were being accommodated for political issues.

"Ethical behaviour requires that the government and MEPA do not withhold the facts on development decisions. It is questionable how the development in question took precedence over other major projects just before Christmas."

Galdes also asked whether business outlets on Polidano's site will be allowed to operate despite permits have not been isssued. "MEPA chairman Austin Walker should explain whether there was pressure to have the development approved hastely before Christmas and who made this pressure."