L-Impjant ta’ Sant’ Antnin Marsaskala – IR-RAPPORT

             

Separatament qed jiġi pubblikat ir-rapport intitolat Audit Report 2007/026 Preliminary datat 2007. Ara http://www.alternattiva.org.mt/filebank/documents/Report-2007-026.pdf

Dan ir-rapport jeżamina ilmenti dwar l-ipproċessar tal-applikazzjoni PA4607/06 quddiem l-MEPA dwar l-impjant għall-ipproċessar tal-iskart f’Sant Antnin Marsaskala li kien ġie rilaxxjat fil-bidu ta’ Frar 2007.

Dan ir-rapport sar wara investigazzjoni li saret minni fuq inkarigu tal-Uffiċjal tal-Verifika tal-MEPA.

Il-MEPA oġġezzjonat li tippubblikah minħabba li tikkonsidra li dan jippreġudika l-interessi tagħha. Jiena qiegħed nippubblikah għar-raġunijiet segwenti :

1. il-MEPA għandha l-obbligu li tiddefendi l-interessi tal-komunita’ u mhuwiex aċċettabbli li taħbi mill-istess komunita’ rapporti li jixħtu dawl fuq l-operat tagħha,
2. l-istituzzjonijiet kollha fallew fl-obbligu tagħhom li jżommu l-komunita’ infurmata dwar materja ta’ interess pubbliku u bħala riżultat ta’ hekk qed jinsatru azzjonijiet ta’ ħsara lill-komunita’ ta’ Marsaskala,
3. f’dawn iċ-ċirkustanżi nħoss l-obbligu morali, anke fl-assenza ta’ Whistleblower Act illi nikxef dan ir-rapport.

Ir-rapport twil 21 paġna jeżamina 9 ilmenti dwar il-proċess tal-impjant ta’ Sant Antnin.

Tlieta huma l-punti ta’ interess pubbliku :

1. fl-identifikazzjoni tas-sit biex fih isir l-impjant ma sar l-ebda sforz serju biex jiġi identifikat sit alternattiv; l-ewwel billi t-tlett siti alternattivi identifikati (Zona Industrijali tal-Kalkara, l-Għallis Naxxar u l-Mara Birżebbuġa) kienu żgħar wisq u t-tieni billi sit barra miż-żona industrijali ta’ Ħal Far li kien identifikat bħala li seta’ kellu l-potenzjal bħala sit alternattiv kien skartat mingħajr ma sar studju adegwat fuq il-potenzjal tiegħu (ara paġni 3 sa 10 tar-rapport);
2. studji li skond it-Terms of Reference (TOR) stabiliti għall-Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) kellhom isiru baqgħu ma sarux. Dan huwa stabilit fit-Taqsima intitolata Impact on Air Quality and odour tat-TOR. Kellu jsir “odour impact assessment” li sal-lum baqa’ ma sarx. Dan hu neċessarju biex jiġi stabilit jekk l-operazzjoni tal-impjant ikollux impatt fuq is-saħħa tan-nies (ara paġni 10 sa 12 tar-rapport)
3. waqt l-ipproċessar tal-applikazzjoni saru laqgħat bejn dawk l-uffiċjali tal-MEPA li kienu qed jipproċessaw l-applikazzjoni u l-Ministru responsabbli għall-Ambjent; dan jitfa dell fuq il-proċess u ma jagħmel xejn biex ineħħi l-impressjoni ta’ indhil politiku fl-ipproċessar tal-istess applikazzjoni (ara punti 5 u 6 f’paġni 19 u 20 tar-rapport).

Fid-dawl ta’ dan jinftehmu iktar il-proposti ta’ riforma tal-MEPA li qed tagħmel l-Alternattiva Demokratika fil-Manifest ta’ Koalizzjoni u ċjoe : 

1. li t-Taqsima tal-Ambjent u t-Taqsima tal-Ipjanar dwar l-użu tal-art ma jibqgħux jiffurmaw parti mill-istess awtorita,
2. li jkun il-Parlament permezz ta’ Kumitat Magħżul li jkollu l-aħħar kelma fuq il-ħatra tal-membri tal-Bord tal-MEPA u s-suċċessuri tagħha wara smiegh pubbliku u
3. li jkun introdott Referendum Lokali biex ir-residenti direttament permezz ta’ 10% tagħhom jew permezz tal-Kunsill Lokali jkunu jistgħu jsejħu referendum ħalli jkunu huma  jkollhom l-aħħar kelma fuq proġetti soġġetti għal EIA.

Dawn huma l-fatti li sal-lum inżammu mistura u li jiena nħoss l-obbligu li nqiegħed quddiem il-pubbliku ghall-konsiderazzjoni tiegħu.

The Basis of Good Governance

 

article published in The Times on Saturday 16 February 2008

by Carmel Cacopardo 

Being green means being transparent and ensuring full accountability. Not just of the political process. Not just relative to environmental issues. It is a basic principle enshrined in the Charter of the Global Greens approved in Canberra in 2001. It is also a basic principle in the Manifesto for a Coalition issued by Alternattiva Demokratika – the Green party in Malta for the March 8 general election.

Transparency is a basic requirement for good governance. It is not a familiar word in the Gonzi Administration dictionary accept during election time. In fact, this government has only recently considered it necessary to put pen to paper and propose a Freedom of Information Act. Some, like yours truly, have been harping on the issue since the mid-1990s, well before Lawrence Gonzi considered it necessary to return to national politics.

Transparency and accountability are inseparable twins. Accountability is, in fact, non-existent or severely diluted in the absence of transparency.

Within this context, the financing of political parties is fundamental in ensuring transparency of the political process. AD has been harping on the issue for ages, yet the only reactions from the other parties are the occasional grunt. A coalition government will, within the next few weeks, ensure that this issue is tackled. The construction industry has ensured its unsustainable existence at the expense of our environment on the basis of bankrolling the political system. It is no wonder that the PN and the MLP never act decisively on all issues that affect this industry. Transparency is the right of the public to know what is being carried out on its behalf. Its objective is not curiosity. At times it is, unfortunately, a reactive measure when, in reality, it should be a proactive requirement of any democracy.

In a democratic environment transparency means active disclosure of information, irrespective of whether one asks or not.

The public wants to know why and how decisions are taken. It needs to be convinced as to who is financing the political process and thereby reach conclusions as to the real motivation behind particular decisions.

All of us active in politics would do well to heed the 10 rules of transparency:

What’s done in private is eventually public.
What’s acceptable today probably won’t be tomorrow.
If it looks bad today, tomorrow it will look worse.
Today’s penalties will be worse tomorrow.
Each denial generates more pressure to disclose.
With each denial, enemies and detractors multiply.
With each denial, more friends desert you.
The more denials, the more severe the punishment.
Covering up is more damaging than the original sin.
Nothing is forgotten and seldom forgiven.
Further comments are unnecessary!

Mr Cacopardo, an architect by profession, is the spokesman on sustainable development of Alternattiva Demokratika – the Green party in Malta – and will be contesting the March 8 election on a Green ticket on the third and 11th electoral districts.