Nine NGOs operating in the environmental sector have voiced their support for the Parliamentary motion demanding that the Government withdraw its planning reform with immediate effect.

The Nationalist Party presented a motion in Parliament on Wednesday for the Government to withdraw the Planning Bills.

The nine NGOs, which represent the broadest cross-section of environmental groups within civil society, urged the Government to withdraw Bill 143 and Bill 144 from Parliament.

In a joint statement, the NGOs noted that there is a broad consensus among social partners that the reform as proposed “is unworkable and creates more uncertainty than ever before.

The NGOs feel that they cannot meaningfully engage with these two Bills, not to mention the upcoming legal notice allowing law breakers to pay to get a permit for their illegalities.”

They said that the proposed “reforms” promote “preferential treatment and abuse of power in the planning sector, while also restricting objectors and appellant’s rights and rewarding law breakers. The reforms directly undermine the rule of law in the planning sector, making maladministration the law of the land instead.”

“While the proposed reforms are absolutely objectionable in principle,” the NGOs said that the bills were “deliberately engineered to neutralise their efforts and their hard-won legal battles in protecting the environment in Malta and Gozo.”

Thus the NGOs said that they see “no other option but to urge all MPs to support the motion tabled by the PN in Parliament to withdraw Bills 143 and 144.”

They concluded by saying that, “following this the Government should begin anew with a comprehensive planning reform which has the well-being and quality of life of the Maltese and Gozitans at heart, with the protection of the environment as an essential prerequisite to this end.”

The statement was signed by:

Ramblers Association of Malta

Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar

BirdLife Malta

Din l-Art Helwa

Nature Trust Malta

Friends of the Earth Malta

Moviment Graffitti

Ghawdix

Wirt Ghawdex.

File photo

Permalink: NGOs urge MPs to support motion to withdraw planning reform