Electoral manifesto vs holistic planning

Abstract

It’s a parrot secret that when it comes to planning policies, governments are more concerned with fulfilling their electoral manifesto commitments than opting for a more judicious, holistic approach. This worn-out axiom is being played out yet again at the moment, with the Malta Environment and Planning Authority and government insisting that it’s a matter of weeks before the first draft of the Strategic Plan for Environment andbDevelopment (Sped) is finalised, while concurrently bending head over heels to usher in new policy proposals (floor area ratio, outside development zone, solar farms, cemeteries, hotel heights adjustment, fuel stations, revision of local plans, shooting ranges, firework factories, and so on).