Comments on: Has the FAA chairman ever worked on an EIA? https://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2009/02/has-the-faa-chairman-ever-worked-on-an-eia/ Daphne Caruana Galizia is a journalist working in Malta. Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:12:25 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: edgar rossignaud https://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2009/02/has-the-faa-chairman-ever-worked-on-an-eia/#comment-22290 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:12:25 +0000 http://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/?p=1826#comment-22290 It is not fair that the FAA implies that the specialist consultants who produce EIAs, are not reliable since they are paid by the developers. A number of projects that I have been professionally involved in were subjected to an EIA, and I can assure you that in most cases the developers were close to losing their patience with the consultant. There is no way that an EIA is an instrument for an easy approval of a project. Of course, one cannot generalise, but most consultants are very aware of MEPA’s concerns and policies, and they very often advise the developer to effect significant changes to their proposal, to ensure the project has the least negative environmental impact as practically possible, or they wouldn’t proceed with the document. Is the FAA aware that MEPA has to approve of the EIA consultant chosen by the developer, as well as of his nominated team of experts? Or will this now be termed as collusion? There is undoubtedly a lot to criticise about the MEPA, but criticism has to be serious to be credible.

]]> By: Antoine Vella https://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2009/02/has-the-faa-chairman-ever-worked-on-an-eia/#comment-22289 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 19:29:26 +0000 http://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/?p=1826#comment-22289 I have never done an EIA but if I had I would consider Astrid Vella’s words a personal and defamatory insult. Consultants who do EIAs observe the situation, weigh the facts and assess what would be the effects of the project being considered. To say that they are not reliable because they are paid by the developer is tantamount to accusing them of corruption.

Astrid Vella has variously accused the Mepa ex-Chairman, JPO and lately all members of the St John’s Foundation of improper behaviour; they were all told to resign of course. It’s now the turn of freelance consultants to be disapproved of.

She would definitely have to be on the register of approved consultants (approved by her presumably). Nobody knows the Sliema baroque period like she does after all.

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