The Gozo Ministry’s duplicity with two regulatory bodies – the Planning Authority (PA), and the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) – sets a bad example on top of the damage it has caused to Ramla Valley.
I have covered the entire story for Lovin Malta, with the latest article published this morning, which reveals that ERA has fined the Ministry and EU funding may be withdrawn.
This post is an extended analysis about the implications of a Ministry acting in an unruly, untrustworthy manner, destroying rare chaste trees with unnecessarily heavy-handed works.
The story is simple. The Gozo Ministry drew up a report on how it was going to "restore" or "rebuilt" around 3km of rubble walls. The report promised use of minimal machinery, no use of cement to hold wall together, reuse of existing stones and more brought in if needed, and maintaining existing footprint of wall - and the PA and ERA both granted their approval.
But the contractor then moved in with heavy machinery, dug into the terraced fields and bedrock and rebuilt walls several times thicker with limestone blocks, concrete infill, and rubble stone cladding.
Then the Ministry descended into duplicity when the works were halted by the Planning Authority, restarting the works under the guise of repairs after storm damage.
This is appalling because we expect the government to maintain certain standards and conduct itself with dignity and resolve.
If the Gozo Ministry can be so indifferent to law and procedure and nature, can we blame anyone else for doing the same?
See the illustrations below that compare architectural drawings or design of works as drawn up by the Ministry's architect in comparison with the walls as actually being built.
Then go to Lovin Malta to read the whole story.
