Robert Musumeci to advise Labour government on MEPA reform

Architect Robert Musumeci, formerly the chairman of the Building Industry Consultative Council appointed by the Nationalist government, will be advising parliamentary secretary Michael Farrugia on MEPA reform, and government's plan to separate the planning and environment departments.

Musumeci, who pens a column on planning decisions taken by MEPA on MaltaToday, will work on a part-time basis but his pay is yet to be established. He represents various private clients on planning applications to MEPA.

Addressing the media before MEPA's first formal board meeting under the new chairmanship of architect Vince Cassar, Michael Farrugia said Musumeci had already acted as a consultant under the PN administration.

"If the former government ignored his recommendations on MEPA reform, this new government will act otherwise," Farrugia said over the appointment.

He was less forthcoming over a "major project" - as Farrugia described it - which the government will unveil in the coming weeks. But he refused to say what project this consisted of.

"We must first consult with MEPA and the Lands Department before we announce anything, when then we will also issue an expression of interest for this project," Farrugia said when pressed by the media.

The application process at MEPA for the prospective gas-powered power station at Delimara will also be fast-tracked, Farrugia said.

Farrugia said the MEPA board will initially be meeting twice a week instead of once weekly, because of a "massive backlog" on the board's table. The backlog is reportedly equivalent to four or five weeks of work.

The parliamentary secretary said the government was committed to implement screening schemes for permits, in a bid to fast-track the process while also introducing liability and accountability concepts for applicants.

"This is to ensure responsibility while speeding up the process. Projects which must be fast-tracked are those related to EU funds, as these would be time-barred, and projects which stimulate the economy, jobs and other major projects. These major projects, he said, would be pending projects and other infrastructural projects.

"One of these is the Delimara power unit, where MEPA is already working with Enemalta to make sure there would be no stumbling blocks, or if any these would be solved in the shortest time possible," he said.

The new board includes Sandro Magro and Franco Montesin as deputy chairpersons while the board member representing the Opposition has yet to be nominated. The Nationalist Party wanted to wait for after its casual elections before nominating its representative.