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OBA repeats call for Govt to release results of controversial planning decisions

Government is yet to make an announcement concerning a review of controversial planning decisions made by former Environment Minister Walter Roban. And the Opposition One Bermuda Alliance is calling on it to do so before Christmas.Questions were raised about the propriety of Mr Roban upholding appeals in planning applications in which Ministers Zane DeSilva and Wayne Furbert had an interest.Mr Roban made the controversial decisions on his last day in charge of the Environment Ministry.Following the controversy, Mr Roban resigned his cabinet post saying he had no regrets about approving the appeals, but regretted the decisions bringing accusations of corruption upon the Government.But it is not clear if a promised review of the decision has taken place.“A few weeks ago the PLP Government advised that Minister of the Environment Marc Bean would be reviewing the decisions made by then Minister Roban in November 2011 in respect of planning applications where Ministers DeSilva and Furbert had an interest,” said Senator Michael Fahy this week.“We are still waiting for the decision based on this review to be announced. I made mention of this in the Senate last week that I hoped a decision would be announced before Christmas.“I repeat that call today. In the OBA’s view the Minister at the time, Minister Roban, should have simply followed advice from the independent inspector. We trust Minister Bean will do exactly that.“Our environment is our most precious resource. It needs to be protected. We must review again our planning laws to prevent the kind of behaviour exhibited in these instances from happening again.”Mr DeSilva’s plan, which proposed the construction of warehouses on Devonshire Marsh, was rejected by technical officers due to significant discrepancies and insufficient information about the environmental impact of the project.An appeal was launched in March, but the Planning Inspectorate recommended the appeal be dismissed.Mr Furbert’s proposal to build two additional lots next to his home was been rejected by the Development Applications Board because the land was marked as an agricultural reserve. An appeal was launched in April.The then Minister, Walter Roban, upheld both appeals.Environment Minister Marc Bean had not responded to our requests for comment at the time of going to press last night.