Unruly works division

Abstract

This column has often revealed the uncouth ways adopted by the Works Division, which frequently show utter disregard for the planning process by proceeding with works before permits are actually in hand - cases in point are the works at Wied Ghollieqa and Salina. Recently, Works were involved in the excavation of a stormwater culvert in a valley bed at Gharghur without permit and an enforcement notice was meted out in this case. It was only after works had actually started that baseline studies concerning the removal of trees on site, etc., were presented. The same thing happened at the Nature 2000 site of Wied Babu in Zurrieq - after MEPA halted procedures for the construction of the obsolete belvedere because of a breach of the permit conditions, works on site still proceeded on March 8, as local residents can testify.