Naxxar’s Naughty Builder: Seven Fines and Counting

Imagine this: you’re driving down Triq San Pawl in Naxxar, Malta’s rural heartland, and you spot a construction site. It’s not the sight of progress that catches your eye, but the fact that it’s been fined seven times in just over a year. Welcome to the story of a building agency that’s been playing a high-stakes game of cat and mouse with Malta’s environmental regulations.

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) has been keeping a close eye on this particular construction site. In the last 14 months, they’ve conducted a whopping 110 inspections. Now, that’s either the most thorough site management ever, or a sign that something’s not quite right. The numbers tell the tale: seven fines have been issued, totaling €14,000. But who’s counting?

Let’s rewind to the first fine, issued in March 2021. The agency was caught with its pants down, so to speak, for not having an environmental impact statement (EIS) in place. Oops! You’d think they’d learn from their mistake, but no. They went on to be fined six more times for similar offenses, including not having an EIS, not following approved plans, and even for not having a site manager present.

While the builder has been dancing with the devil in the details, Naxxar’s residents have been watching. Some have spoken out, expressing concern about the environmental impact and the constant presence of heavy machinery. Others have chosen to keep quiet, preferring to let MEPA do their talking. But one thing’s for sure: everyone’s eyes are on this site.

Take Maria, a long-time Naxxar resident who lives just around the corner from the site. “I’ve seen them working on Sundays and public holidays,” she says, shaking her head. “And the dust! It’s like they don’t care.” Maria, like many others, is hoping that MEPA will finally put an end to this environmental charade.

MEPA, for its part, is not messing around. They’ve been clear that they won’t tolerate environmental violations, no matter how big or small. “We’re committed to protecting Malta’s environment,” a spokesperson told Hot Malta. “And we’ll continue to monitor this site, and others like it, to ensure that builders are following the rules.”

But with fines seemingly doing little to deter the offending agency, some are wondering if stiffer penalties might be in order. “Maybe they need to lose their license for a while,” suggests Joseph, a local businessman. “That might teach them a lesson.”

As the construction site in Naxxar continues to make headlines, one thing’s clear: this isn’t over yet. MEPA has promised to keep a close eye on the site, and the builder has vowed to “rectify any shortcomings.” But with seven strikes against them, will they finally shape up, or continue to push their luck?

. But one thing’s for sure: Naxxar’s residents, and Malta’s environmental watchdogs, will be watching.