Hey, Astrid – Carmel Cacopardo and Charles Buhagiar are busy in Bahrija too
PN's Robert Musumeci, AD's Carmel Cacopardo and Labour's Charles Buhagiar are all working on Bahrija valley 'farmhouses', but Astrid takes her army only to Musumeci's
I know that Astrid Vella and her FAA pick their battles carefully.
But I had no idea just how carefully.
Didn’t they march on PN president Victor Scerri’s Bahrija house with politicians from the Labour Party and AD?
Well, just read what comes next.
Two permits were applied for a few years ago for the demolition of farmhouses and the redevelopment of the land, about 200 metres away from Victor Scerri’s place.
The owners of the land are not politicians, so no thrills there.
But the architects are – hold your breath, honeys – AD’s Carmel Cacopardo for the one (PA/05036/02) and Labour shadow minister of works Charles Buhagiar for the other (PA/03520/00).
Strangely, the only Bahrija valley architect who appears to have got Astrid’s goat is Robert Musumeci. You’d think that if she was going to lay into him, then she’d lay into Cacopardo and Buhagiar, too, and lead Jason Micallef with her megaphone to Buhagiar’s project as she led him to Musumeci’s.
What can I say? Either butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-her-mouth (they’re the worst) Astrid is a manipulative hypocrite (and didn’t that artfully posed photograph outside the Sliema police station just say it all?).
Or just as she wound up protesting outside the wrong ‘armoury’ in Qormi and fought for the preservation of a ‘baroque’ house in Sliema, she hasn’t a damn clue what’s going on.
I don’t know what’s worse: that she knew about the Labour and AD architects’ developments 200 metres away from Musumeci’s and didn’t say anything. Or that she didn’t know about them at all, because research isn’t her strong point.
And what in God’s name was that Jason Micallef doing prancing around behind Astrid’s megaphone in Bahrija if he knew that Charles Buhagiar was doing the same thing a few metres away? Please don’t tell me that he didn’t know. Oh dear, perhaps he really didn’t know – after all, he’s not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer.
The case officers had recommended refusal of both Cacopardo’s and Buhagiar’s Bahrija applications, because they went against a number of the MEPA’s policies – do you read me loud and clear, Astrid? – but the DCCs issued the permits anyway.
Should Astrid’s toy soldiers in their Tower Road war-rooms wish to look it up, all the information they need about Buhagiar’s and Cacopardo’s Bahrija ‘farmhouses’ is available on the MEPA website.
But then I rather suspect that they knew about them already, but kept their mealy little mouths shut because – hell – we don’t touch Labour and AD, do we?
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Daphne… But FAA was formed – if I am not mistaken – in 2006 or so!
What’s next? Trying to convince us that FAA remained silent on the disgraceful behaviour of the PAPB during the eighties?
[Daphne – What exactly does the date of FAA’s formation have to do with it? Victor Scerri applied for HIS permit nine years ago. As you are obviously an FAA member or supporter, instead of getting angry with me, direct your anger at Mrs Vella, who misled you and failed to tell you that there are another two architects operating in that valley: Charles Buhagiar and Carmel Cacopardo. Perhaps you could ask her why she only finds Victor Scerri’s ‘farmhouse’ interesting. I’m not saying she’s wrong about Scerri’s – I wrote an article about this – but she is definitely wrong to focus only on him while ignoring the other two. It raises questions about political objectives and ulterior motives – and if she didn’t know about them, it raises other questions about competence.]
Mr/Ms Disgusted – you are disgustingly clutching at straws.
Daphne: Again you assume and assume incorrectly that I may be a supporter or member of FAA. I am not. I have to add, however, that I am quite against any application lodged on ODZ by whoever they were lodged and am even more against approval of such permits.
One must must, however, see when those permits were approved. I cannot, by default, condemn FAA or any other objector which has not voiced an opinion if these permits happened to occur after they were established as otherwise we are not being fair.
[Daphne – No, ‘Disgusted’ (of what? Tunbridge Wells?), what’s not fair is selectively picking on people and projects depending on your political agenda. You may be politically and socially naive. I am not. And that is why, to me, people like Astrid Vella, George Debono and Miriam Cremona are completely transparent.]
One thing you fail to note on the Scerri/Musumeci case is that both these gentlemen are part of the PN and it was the PN who embarked on, for example, the current MEPA reform and on the mess associated with the ODZs a couple of years ago. And, besides, both gentlemen knew very well what our PM’s direction on this area was and is.
[Daphne – I haven’t ‘failed to note’ it. On the contrary, it’s exactly what I pointed out: that of three ‘farmhouse’ demolition and rebuilding projects in that valley, Mrs Vella, Mrs Cremona and Dr Debono chose the one linked to PN officials and ever so carefully ignored the other two where the applicant architects were a Labour shadow minister and AD’s Carmel Cacopardo – even though the situation in both those cases was identical to that of Robert Musumeci. Why did they ignore these two cases? Because they would have completely undermined their argument that Robert Musumeci used government-related ‘haxi’ and undue PN influence to get approval. So what did Cacopardo and Buhagiar use then?]
Thanks, Daphne, for this information.
What do you think about the chances of Astrid or FAA giving us their comments on this?
[Daphne – Well, if I worked in a newsroom, that’s the first thing I would do this morning: get on the phone and ask her.]
Well written – in your face – article. To Buttercup out there – Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar? Jew Flimkien Ghal Interess Taghna?
Make that “Flimkien U Ghal Interess Taghna” – FUG IT!
She obviously posed for the photo outside the Sliema Police Station. Who would have waited for hours for her to turn up – who knew the date and time when she decided to visit the police station? And she posed at exactly the right angle to expose her developing “figure”. Obviously, with The Times in hand. Was the photo taken by a photo-reporter from The Times?
I believe the police expected her to provide solid facts to back her serious allegations. She simply cannot expect to throw mud against others without being challenged. Unfortunately, the architect will bear the consequences until his name is cleared. So she does not need to play the victim and ask for financial support – is she actually expecting to lose her case in court?
Again, another prosecutor, judge and jury… Were you present for the interrogation? I wasn’t so I can’t assume anything! Do you know whether the police are going to take any steps? Rushing into assumption can damage the case – be it FAA’s or Musumeci’s!
[Daphne – ‘Rushing into assumption’…isn’t that what Astrid Vella thrives on? Direct your anger elsewhere, please do.]
What was the aim of the publicity given to her visit to the police station? Did she mean to send any message? In whose favour?
1) I have been unable to trace those applications on the MEPA site – could you provide a more direct link, please?
2) Nobody said that all applications in that area are dodgy.
[Daphne – I will provide the link. But even better, if you let me have your real name and email address (you can do so privately) I will send you the actual PDF documents. “Nobody said that all applications in the area are dodgy” – apparently, for them to be dodgy, people connected to the Nationalist Party must be involved.]
‘Twanny’, I’m still waiting for your email address. Or maybe in your thrusting quest for The Truth on behalf of The People, concealing your identity takes paramount importance over having these useful documents to hand. Or perhaps you just don’t want The Truth, because then you’d have to deal with it. What a joke you people are.
‘Twanny’: Here’s what you do. Click on the ‘planning’ tab and you’ll see a menu running across the top of the page. Click on ‘applications’ and you’ll get a drop down menu. Click on ‘PA applications’ and then on ‘PA application search’. You can then use the references given above to find the relevant records.
In both cases, the refusal of permits was recommended. Likewise, in both cases, the DCC/MEPA board approved the issuing of a permit and permits were then issued.
Follow Milone’s instructions on this link http://www.mepa.org.mt/
NGOs have become so hypocritical in this country. They have become regularly disingenuous and resort to half-truths or fantasies just to protect their private agendas, normally sources of funds obtained on the basis of disingenuous submissions. It is a total disgrace.
here you go twanny….
Current Application Status
Case Status: This application has been approved by the DCC/MEPA board and a development permit has been issued.
Application Details
Case Number: PA/05036/02
Location of development: Diana, Tat-Tilliera, Limits Of, Rabat (Bahrija)
Description of works: To demolish existing farmhouse and reconstruct on a smaller footprint, to construct rubble boundary walls, to demolish small rooms in fields, to set up sign indicating vineyard and to construct underground reservoir.
Applicant: Mr Joseph Giordemaina
Architect: Cacopardo, Mr. C.
Reception date: 09 September 2002
Initial Processing
Validation Date: 17 September 2002
Target Date: 03 April 2003
Application Type: Full development permission
Case Category: Outside Scheme
Date Published in Newspapers: 28 September 2002
Representation Expiry Date: 13 October 2002
The period for Representations is 15 days. However the Authority reserves the right to reduce the representation period for special cases.
Images
Site Notice Image:
Recommendation
Case Officer: Richard Lia BSc(Hons)
DPA Report Cleared date: 24 September 2002
Recommended Decision: Refuse Permission
DPA Report sent date: 25 September 2002
DPA Submissions received date: 11 October 2002
Case Officer Report: Purchase Case Officer Report
Agenda DCC date: 21 October 2002
Decision
DCC Decision: Grant Permission
Decision date: 21 October 2002
Decision posted date: 27 November 2002
Decision Notice: Purchase Decision Notice
Further Information
Correspondence List: View Correspondence Received
twanny…it only took me two seconds….
And here’s the other one:
PA/03520/00
Location of development: Site at Tas-Serena, Bahrija, L/O Rabat
Description of works: To replace existing dangerous roof and construct an additional store at first floor level (for agricultural purposes).
Applicant: Mr Joseph Zahra
Architect: Med Design Consultants, Mr C. Buhagiar
Reception date: 03 July 2000
Initial Processing
Validation Date: 03 July 2000
Target Date: 27 January 2001
Application Type: Full development permission
Case Category: Outside Scheme
Date Published in Newspapers: 15 July 2000
Representation Expiry Date: 30 July 2000
The period for Representations is 15 days. However the Authority reserves the right to reduce the representation period for special cases.
Images
Site Notice Image:
Recommendation
Case Officer: Joseph Azzopardi Dip. Planning
DPA Report Cleared date: 03 October 2000
Recommended Decision: Refuse Permission
DPA Report sent date: 04 October 2000
DPA Submissions received date: 30 October 2000
Case Officer Report: Purchase Case Officer Report
Agenda DCC date: 28 May 2001
Decision
DCC Decision: Grant Permission
Decision date: 28 May 2001
Decision posted date: 12 July 2001
(It took me one second …)
I am sure that FAA will react. I am sure they were not aware of this situation.
[Daphne – Not very good at their job, then, are they?]
Tghid dan jigi minn dak James li dejjem joqmos ghall tal-FAA, tal-Labour, ecc?
What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Thank you for this exposition. Well done.
It is not just Astrid who is the hypocrite. I may add Christian Peregrin, Kurt Sansone & the rest of The Times pseudo-investigative journalists. It is the latter who decided to hype Victor Scerri’s storyand ignored completely the other two. It is the lip service to Astrid given by these sham journalists that amplify her screams.
[Daphne – I wouldn’t call Christian Peregin a hypocrite. As for the other one, he’s got the same rabid political agenda he had at Malta Today. It’s sort of being kept under control by his current bosses, but once a political activist, always a political activist, especially when you’re an AD ahdar.]
Very few will know of Cacopardo and Buhagiar’s involvement because The Times decided not to report these cases.
Permit me an off-tangent comment. It is this newspaper which has somehow rediscovered its 1930s anti-Nationalist vocation that may lead to a Labour win in the next election.
[Daphne – I don’t think The Times is anti-Nationalist. I think it needs to take a stronger editorial line on certain issues, that’s all.]
Not being oblivious to certain information, I highly doubt that The Times could ever be anti-Nationalist. Or can it?
“artfully posed photograph outside the Sliema police station”?
Somehow, I’m glad I missed that one, and yet some morbid part of me just wants to go and look for it …
I’ll get me coat …
[Daphne – I hate to see you miss out: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090717/local/astrid-vella-questioned-over-alleged-libel ]
Ic-chicken fillets tista ssibhom ukoll minghand Piccinino, u mhux biss minghand tal-laham.
Daphne, your super scoop highlights two aspects other than FAA’s incompetence and ulterior motives: the hypocrisy of certain architect/politicians; the sad state of local journalism in that nobody else managed to ferret this information – probably too busy quoting press releases.
[Daphne – I wasn’t the one who found that information. A much better researcher did it.]
@ Disgusted,
Maybe I should not condemn the gas chambers because I was born years later? The date is irrelevant; Astrid Vella either knew and kept her mouth shut or she did not know and so is not worthy of speaking for ‘the people’.
Dan iehor li jiccaqlaq minn naha’ ghal-ohra?
Dear Daphne,
Have a look at PA00362/98 – applicant Joseph Muscat. The permit was issued prior to expiry of representation period and consequently permit is null and void. Will MEPA auditor be investigating this case? What does Joseph Muscat have to say? Remember that at the time, George Vella, his ‘political father’ (according to the same Joseph Muscat) was responsible for MEPA. Victor Scerri spent 9 years to get a permit. Joseph Muscat’s permit was issued by express.
Il-permess jista jinhareg qabel “for special cases”. Forsi Joseph Muscat kien “special case”.
Dear Daphne,
Enforcement Notice 00597/09 issued in May 2009 on property belonging to Onor. Anton Refalo. How come that on the day breach was detected, (27/4/09) an application (PA 01786/09) was submitted to MEPA to cover irregularities? What a speedy process?
What really annoys me about this whole story (and many others) is the quality of Maltese journalism.
Surely it was not so difficult for a half-decent “journalist” at The Times to do a bit research and come up with a story rather than the usual noticeboard style reportage. Well, I suppose the readers aren’t too demanding so they can get away with it!
Saw the applications (thank you, Milone, I was looking in the wrong place).
One (PA/03520/00) is “To replace existing dangerous roof and construct an additional store at first floor level for agricultural purposes”.
The other (PA/05036/02) is “To demolish existing farmhouse and reconstruct on a smaller footprint, to construct rubble boundary walls, to demolish small rooms in fields, to set up sign indicating vineyard and to construct underground reservoir.”
Nothing to oppose there – no comparison with the ħerba wrought by Scerri.
Another damp squib.
[Daphne – Oh, that’s where you’re wrong. PA/o5036/02 is virtually identical to Victor Scerri’s. And additional stores for agricultural purposes are the equivalent of washrooms that morph into penthouses. I should know. I live in an ODZ.]
@ Twanny: I think no place looks nice with an enormous excavated hole, a heap of rubble and heavy plant equipment on site – you were right when you called it ‘herba’. Both permits are similar with the difference that one is finished and the other is in its preliminary stage.
Maybe the reservoir would have morphed into a swimming pool, too.
Swimming pool under the farmhouse?
[Daphne – I would have thought that a swimming-pool outside a farmhouse would present a greater visual problem.]
The project that Buhagiar worked on proposed to fix a roof and to add a room (on existing footprint) for agricultural storage purposes.
The project that Cacopardo was involved with actually reduced the existing footprint.
The project that Musumeci worked on extended the footprint by 33%. It also happened to be the property of the President of the governing party.
The 3 cases are not alike by any measure and it is obvious to the objective observer that Victor Scerri’s is the most objectionable project, and every case officer involved thought so too. The one that Charles Buhagiar worked on might raise one or two eyebrows, although I don’t think that it should. Cacopardo’s should be applauded.
[Daphne – You people are just unbelievable. Do you realise that both applications were recommended for refusal? Have you asked why? Have you actually bothered to read the entire thing? I live in an ODZ where I have seen stables turned into houses, pig-sties turned into villas, and ‘agricultural stores’ which house whole families. Ancient farmhouses have been replaced by hideous constructions on ‘smaller footprints’ – ah, but with huge paved terraces and all kinds of accretions which extend the footprint way beyond the original – and then, the icing on the cake, there are the infamous boundary walls, huge and tall like Fort Knox, which make a complete joke out of the footprint business. Behind a wall like that, who cares how large or small your footprint is? All that’s visible is the damned wall. But that’s not the point. The point is the double standards: you can commit an environmental crime only if you are associated with the governing party. You are being naive if you imagine that Astrid Vella doesn’t check the networks of those linked with projects she campaigns against. She has become entirely dependent on Labour, and when you sup with the devil, you need a long spoon. No political party is going to give you kudos, support, all the airtime you want on its television station, and unquestioningly positive coverage if you begin attacking its people.]
MEPA’s description: ‘rubble boundary walls’
Yours: ‘the infamous boundary walls, huge and tall like Fort Knox’. You may be right, but what I read did not sound like Fort Knox. Perhaps I’m being naive. Do you know this to be the case or is it just an assumption?
[Daphne – I won’t speak about Bahrija, but I can certainly speak about Bidnija, which is also ODZ. The only rubble boundary wall round here is the one around our house. Everyone else has the Fort Knox version – regardless of what the permit said – because it is much, much cheaper and much, much quicker to build and can be raised to the sort of height that will keep people from jumping over, while its smooth facade makes it impossible to climb without a ladder, unlike a rubble wall. One person has built a Fort Knox wall right down a stretch of land that runs alongside the road to the village. It might as well be a ribbon development of maisonettes for the visual disturbance it causes, completing blocking out the valley view and creating the impression of driving along a street, rather than a country road – and that is precisely what the ban on development sought to avoid, yet failed because somebody went wild with his boundary wall. I’m all for allowing people to do what they like with their land within reason, but double standards leave me cold – or rather red hot with rage.]
Justin and Twanny, you should look more in depth and not stop at the title of applications since they do not always reflect what is actually being proposed.
In the case where Cacopardo was architect, for example, the title gives a lot of minor details like putting up a sign but leaves out at least one significant point: a second storey was envisaged. This not only increases the floor-space but goes against MEPA policy for rural areas.
Every architect knows that when an existing structure is completely demolished to be rebuilt, it is considered to be a new development. Building a new farmhouse ODZ is allowed only for full-time farmers while the applicant was a part-timer. There was also a number of other irregularities which, on the whole, make this application similar to that of Dr Scerri.
Something else to note is that, as the Planning Directorate was against the development in principle and recommended outright refusal, they did not carry out any consultations or studies about the possible impact of excavating in an archaeological site. The DCC issued the permit without setting the condition that such studies be carried out.
In the other application, the second storey is mentioned in the title but MEPA policy at the time stated categorically that only full-time farmers could have ODZ stores (ground floor only) while the applicant was a part-timer and, to make matters worse, intended to build an additional floor. The Planning Directorate was convinced that there was no agricultural need for the building, the implication being that it was intended as a small dwelling/recreation building. Again, there were also various other infringements. The case officers do not recommend refusals on a whim.
Nobody is claiming that there was something fishy about the way the permits were issued. The DCCs however did disregard the arguments brought forward by the case officers and the Planning Directorate and clearly went against established MEPA policies, exactly as had happened in the Scerri/Musumeci case.
Verissimu! Fil-Bidnija hemm kas tad-dahq (jew tal-biki skond liema nuccali tilbes) ta barumbara tal-hamiem li cumm bumm saret razzett lussuz bis-swimming pool.
Daphne, when you wrote that Dr Scerri shouldn’t have applied for his Bahrija permit, I defended him because he had a right to do what others were given the right to do in that area and in the limits of Siggiewi. When the protesters emphasised about a building at the bottom of the valley, my warning lights went on.
The revelation of Cacopardo’s ODZ permit raises another question.
I never could understand why FAA kicked up a fuss because some DCC board members did some private work. If and where there is a conflict of interest, a member declares it and withdraws from the meeting. As long as it does not happen too often it should not be a problem.
Yet FAA saw no problem in having the investigating officer in MEPA’s Audit office having a private practice. That person, Cacopardo, investigated the very same case officers who prepared the report for his applications and the same board members who decided upon his applications.
I assume Cacopardo did not do anything to put pressure. Even so, a case officer or a board chairman could feel pressurised knowing that the same person might be investigating him or her on some triviality the following week or month.
If FAA was concerned that some DCC board members did private work, the investigating officer having a private practice should have also been source of concern.
Instead FAA unashamedly defended Cacopardo’s potential conflict of interest. Again, because it suited their agenda, FAA applied two weights two measures just like it does when it picks and chooses which development permit to attack.
Embor, there is nothing wrong to be an investigative officer and apply for permits because after all the investigative officer does not decide cases. Apart from this, Musumeci has a practice with hundreds of applications every year and it is not the case for Cacopardo.
[Daphne – I don’t approve of people using unusual surnames which are not their own. If you’re not really called Tyrell, choose another name, please.]
@ michael tyrell
Where there is the possibility of using your position to apply pressure, there is the potential for abuse. This was the case with Cacopardo as investigating officer in the Audit office, even if I am not in any way implying that Cacopardo did actually abuse his position.
FAA alleged that there was wrong-doing in the DCC on the mere pretext that some architects on the DCC had some private work. If they were to apply the same standard, they would have objected to a situation in the Audit office where there is much opportunity for abuse.
FAA went further and used a very broad brush, and by means of the usual letters to the editor, branded all architects (irrespective of whether they were in private practice or not) on the DCCs as corrupt.
And more to the point- why should one architect get all the business while others are left looming in the sun? There is a thing called social justice. An architect must not be assessed in relation to his convincing tactics – the MEPA is not a court…if Musumeci thrives on law he should have become a lawyer. I am sure he would have scored just the same.
[Daphne – Oh, so that’s what it’s about – our old friend Mister Envy, simmering away beneath the surface as usual. Social justice does not enter the equation in private practice and the free market. In a market economy, you get your work however you can, as long as you don’t break the law. Now in your next breath, I imagine you are going to tell me you are a liberal. Please look up the definition. I think the thing I can’t stand the most about Maltese society is precisely this: iss hej, miss, mhux fier; dak ghandu u jien m’ghandiex. Irrid ukoll! Nehhilu tieghu u aghtih lili!” Jaqq. Gej bis-social justice.]
No comment.
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http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080121/local/cacopardo-severs-ties-with-pn-after-30-years
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Monday, 21st January 2008
Cacopardo severs ties with PN after 30 years
Carmel Cacopardo severed his ties with the Nationalist Party after 30 years on the same day Alternattiva Demokratika appointed him spokesman for sustainable development.
In a letter sent to PN general secretary Joe Saliba, dated January 16 but e-mailed to the media over the weekend, the former assistant audit officer at the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa) had strong words of criticism for the party he had served for so many years.
“When I joined the PN, I had no problem identifying myself with the party. However, lately, I’ve been making an effort to establish whether it’s the same party I joined in the 1970s.
“I’ve reached the conclusion that, if I had to choose today, I wouldn’t join,” he wrote.
Here’s the latest:
MaltaToday July 19.
Astrid, “”The public wanted a theatre and the City Gate reconstruction. But it never asked for a new parliament.” She now expects to set the agenda for the government on behalf of ‘the public’!
@ emanuel darmanin
So, what’s your point?
Is the Labour Party the same party it was 30 years ago? Heaven forbid – although bringing back old hacks was not such a good idea and keeps reminding us that not only is the LP not on a forward-moving mode but steady in neutral with reverse tendencies.
Cacopardo had his own reasons for doing what he did and he chose to keep those reasons to himself, but if the Nationalist Party of today was not listening to him, maybe his ideas were passe and did not fit the circumstances. He forgot that he had a better chance of fighting from the inside rather than joining a party which is unrepresented where it counts most and on a steady decline, so much so that it desperately threw its grappling hooks at theLabour ship and tenuously hangs on barely staying afloat.
I think MEPA was ‘organised’ by some Italian . There is too much ‘arte di arrangarsi’: the art of getting by. My question is whether Mario de Marco will be influenced by his father in this reform. If so, it will be worse than it is now.
[Daphne – It is unfair to compare the two. They couldn’t be more different.]
Who was the chairman of the DCC responsible for the issue of the permit for the extension of the monstrous Floriana car park beneathe the RAF Memorial despite strong protests and barely 100 metres away from our gem of a city Valletta.
[Daphne – I hope this isn’t going to turn into a competition. I agree it’s hideous, but then car-parks always are. Where would you have put a car-park to serve Valletta, given that having no car-park is not an option?]