Eleven organisations are calling for the removal of Mr Simon Saliba from Chairperson of the Planning Commission for obstructing the right to a fair planning process.

Mr Simon Saliba has consistently shown disrespect for residents and other objectors during sittings held at the Planning Authority and has often openly and aggressively sided with the developers instead of fulfilling his role as an impartial arbitrator.

Mr Saliba’s behaviour is part of a recurrent pattern. One of his first big hearings was the Balluta ferry pontoon application, when his declared decision to refuse the permit was hastily changed to an approval during a session in which he bizarrely appeared to be acting as lawyer for the developers. On one occasion, he even asked a resident to be escorted out of a hearing simply because she insisted on her right to object. Last Friday, Mr Saliba cut off the microphone of an activist who was finishing an intervention against the building of apartments on a site of archaeological importance in Kalkara, effectively censoring her contribution.

Mr Saliba’s openly hostile attitude makes it clear that he has little respect for NGOs or the public, which has not only the right but also a duty, according to the Cultural Heritage Act (Article 4(2)), to safeguard cultural heritage.

Mr Saliba’s arrogant attitude and outdated mindset, together with his consistent defence of developers’ interests rather than the public good, contrasts starkly with the fresh start promised by Minister Aaron Farrugia.

As a group of organisations we call for Mr Saliba’s removal from his seat, and the appointment of a Chairperson who can take the Planning Authority forward in the public interest.

1. Bicycle Advocacy Group
2. BirdLife Malta
3. Din l-Art Ħelwa
4. Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
5. Friends of the Earth Malta
6. GreenHouse Malta
7. Malta Youth in Agriculture (MaYA)
8. Moviment Graffitti
9. Nature Trust Malta
10. Ramblers Association of Malta
11. The Archaeological Society of Malta

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Mill-ħażin għall-agħar fil-Kummissjoni tal-Ippjanar – għaqdiet isejħu għat-tneħħija tas-Sur Simon Saliba

Ħdax-il għaqda qegħdin isejħu għat-tneħħija tas-Sur Simon Saliba minn Chairperson tal-Kummissjoni tal-Ippjanar minħabba li fixkel id-dritt għall-proċess tal-ippjanar ġust.

Is-Sur Simon Saliba wera diżrispett b’mod konsistenti lejn residenti u persuni oħra li jkunu oġġezzjonaw waqt seduti tal-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar u ta’ spiss żamm, b’mod miftuħ u aggressiv, mal-iżviluppaturi minflok ma qeda dmiru bħala arbitru imparzjali.

L-aġir tas-Sur Saliba huwa parti minn xejra rikorrenti. Waħda mill-ewwel seduti importanti tiegħu kienet dik tal-applikazzjoni tal-moll għall-katamaran fil-Balluta, meta wara li ddikjara li l-permess se jkun rifjutat, malajr biddel id-deċiżjoni għal waħda ta’ approvazzjoni waqt seduta fejn beda jġib ruħu qisu kien l-avukat tal-iżviluppaturi. F’każ ieħor, sa talab li waħda mir-residenti tiġi skortata barra mis-seduta sempliċiment għax insistiet dwar id-dritt tagħha li toġġezzjona. Nhar il-Ġimgħa li għadda, is-Sur Saliba għalaq il-mikrofonu ta’ attivista waqt li kienet qed tagħmel intervent kontra binja ta’ appartamenti fuq sit ta’ importanza arkeoloġika fil-Kalkara, b’mod li l-kontribut tagħha ġie ċċensurat.

L-attitudni apertament ostili tas-Sur Saliba tagħmilha ċara li ma tantx għandu rispett lejn l-għaqdiet u lejn il-pubbliku, li mhux biss għandhom id-dritt imma anki d-dmir li jħarsu l-wirt kulturali skont l-Artiklu 4(2) tal-Att dwar il-Patrimonju Kulturali.

L-attitudni arrognati u l-mentalità antikwata tas-Sur Saliba, flimkien mad-difiża konsistenti tiegħu tal-interessi tal-iżviluppaturi minflok tal-ġid komuni, tistona ħafna mal-bidu ġdid imwiegħed mill-Ministru Aaron Farrugia.

Bħala grupp ta’ għaqdiet mhux governattivi insejħu għat-tneħħija tas-Sur Saliba mill-pożizzjoni tiegħu u għall-ħatra ta’ Chairperson li jista’ jmexxi ‘l quddiem l-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar fl-interess tal-pubbliku.

1. Bicycle Advocacy Group
2. BirdLife Malta
3. Din l-Art Ħelwa
4. Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
5. Friends of the Earth Malta
6. GreenHouse Malta
7. Malta Youth in Agriculture (MaYA)
8. Moviment Graffitti
9. Nature Trust Malta
10. Ramblers Association of Malta
11. The Archaeological Society of Malta