PN Leader Simon Busuttil today called on government to clearly declare that the ODZ land in Zonqor will not be used for the new university, adding that there has been a lack of transparency in the whole affair.
Dr Busuttil was speaking during the General Council today, at the PN Headquarters in Pieta.
He said he had an interesting discussion with a woman who had voted for Labour.
"Today, she is not only disappointed in the Prime Minister, but disgusted by him as for her he represents the opposite of the promises he made. She no longer wants to form part of his lie. I asked her if she couldn't tell he was lying before the election. She said 'I did not vote for him because I fell for his promises, but I voted for him to remove the PN from government'. If we do not accept that there were people who wanted a change, told us to head into opposition, we cannot regain the peoples' trust. She also told me that she has lost all trust in politics and in politicians, and this hurts me. I am not in politics for people to be disgusted in politics, but this strengthens my determination for the PN to be an example and regain the trust of people".
He argued that Dr Muscat is hurting himself by his actions, however these actions are also affecting the public's trust in politics. "We must continue to remove Joseph Muscat's mask while also offering a credible and serious alternative to Labour".
He spoke of the American University of Malta in Zonqor, which has seen numerous objections by the public. "The most important objection related to the environment, where a closed agreement between the Prime Minister and a foreign investor will see a large plot of ODZ land taken away. The government will use this land for a project when it is clear that there are a number of alternative areas for this project to occur, within development zones".
"We have grouped with those against this project for environmental reasons as it is a project which will damage the environment. We have a duty to protect the environment for future generations".
"The Prime Minister, when asked what he will do for the farmers there, he cynically said that he would send them to St Lukes, isn't that where Simon Busuttil suggested? What arrogance, what disrespect towards the people".
"We have a huge obligation to the environment and the future of the PN must be the environment. When we protect the environment we will be doing a service for our future. The environment must be the PN's future".
"Don't let anyone say that the PN's environment record is bad. One of main reasons I wanted Malta to enter the EU was for the environment and I knew, when entering the EU, there would be over 200 laws to raise environmental standards on the island. We raised environmental standards in air and water quality, soil quality, the environment in general as well as waste treatment".
"In an infantile argument the government argues that we built a sewage treatment plant in an ODZ. The plant was in favour of the environment".
He questioned whether the scope of the project in Zonqor, for education, is genuine. "However now it results that it is not a University and is not American. The word University has a lot of meaning. Our University has been around since before independence. The title of University is very important and thus there is only one on the island, aside from those who have opened a campus here. Yet now the Prime Minister comes along wanting to give a university license, as if the title is worth nothing. Does this university have the qualifications, he asked?
"A title of University must be given to institutions that truly deserve it not someone with a history in hotels. By doing this, we will lower the standard level of universities in Malta as well as students in university and those who have already graduated".
He stressed that the Legal Notice "reducing the requirements for academic institutions to become universities was introduced behind everyone's backs. This was done without consulting us, lecturers or students. Do not reduce standards for education, try and improve standards not reduce them".
He appealed to academics and students to defend education standards on the island and not allow the Prime Minister to lower standards.
A lack of transparency
He spoke of the "lack of transparency, where the Prime Minister chose whoever he wants. One expects that a call for applications would have been made, yet he chose this person. He gave this foreign investor public land, the land he wanted, yet this art belongs to the people. It was set to be a nature park, yet government decided to take land away from it".
He mentioned that there is a large portion of land that isn't in the university or nature park plan. "What will it be used for? Where is the transparency?"
He stressed that a whole movement has awoken against the Prime Minister, stating that the PN want a declaration from government that ODZ land will not be touched, that no more bluffs will be made, no more ambiguity, "We want you to clearly say that the project will not be built there".
"If not, we will be there, together with the movement you created. We will defend this land for future generations. We are ready to be a part of the environment movement. The future of the PN lies in the environment as we have a responsibility to take care of it".
Enough is enough
"Prime Minister, enough is enough, the environment is ours as well, keep the promises you made. Whenever government has its back to the wall, it always tries to deviate attention and we can smell this from a mile away. Now, like always, it will try and invent something against the PN to draw attention away from Zonqor, insulting peoples' intelligence. You must truly disrespect the peoples' intelligence when everyone is speaking about Zonqor, yet government speaks of concrete, making allegations., saying the concrete is not strong enough".
"It is Energy Konrad Mizzi who makes these allegations, the same Minister whose wife is Sai Mizzi, the same Minister who was supposed to build a power station, the same Minister who goes on secret meetings. Take what he says with a pinch of salt".
As for the allegations he had made against George Pullicino, Dr Busuttil said that nothing has been found 6 months down the line. When the allegations were made I said that George Pullicino would be held accountable if they were true, however I also said that if the allegations were not true, the Konrad Mizzi would need to take responsibility".
"Turning to concrete, the Minister should see who built the building and who supplied the concrete, but not, to deviate attention, make allegations which yield no results. Investigations must truly be independent".
My soul is not for sale
He said that Jeffrey Pullicino Orland and Cyrus Engerer had a price and were bought to cross over, however "People do not have a price and it is wrong to try and buy them, not everyone is for sale. My soul is not for sale. Do not let him buy you. This is Joseph Muscat, the one after the mask falls".
Turning to Chris Said, he thanked him for his work as Secretary General, arguing that he has no doubt Dr Said will do just as good a job working on Gozo as he did working as Secretary General.
He spoke of the need to continue to improve party media, arguing that government has taken over public television. "We must continue to put forward the PNs message. He mentioned that this requires help and that a strong PN able to bring its message forth effectively, is important.
"In the coming months, we will release a number of proposals of what the PN would do in government if elected in 2.5 years time".
"The question on peoples' minds is - if we are again elected to government, would we listen to people? Yes we will be the party for the people and listen to the people".
He mentioned that people are standing up to be counted on the Zonqor project, telling the Prime Minister that they do not agree with him even if he might take a vindictive act against them. "These are people ready to tell government that they are doing wrong, ready to fight for good".