Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil this afternoon invited all people of goodwill like Labour MP Marlene Farrugia to attend the Nationalist Party’s activity at Zonqor Point on Sunday.

Asked by The Malta Independent for his reaction to the Labour MP’s offer to take over the environment portfolio, Dr Busuttil said that it is not a surprise that the prime minister refused her services because he is comfortable with having a minister of the environment that does not speak up to safeguard it.

It is the PN that is working hard to protect the environment and as such he invited all people of goodwill like Marlene Farrugia to attend Sunday’s activity.

The PN is holding an activity at Zonqor to protest against the government's plans for a Jordanian investor to build a university on virgin land in an outside development zone.

Asked for her reaction to the invitation, Dr Farrugia said that she will accept any invitation coming from any quarter if it gives her the opportunity to defend the environment. "I am ready to address the PN activity only if the Opposition Leader gives a guarantee that possible future governments led by him will not engage in such projects on ODZ land".

'Lecturers concerned about UoM's reputation'

Dr Busuttil was speaking to journalists after holding a meeting with University of Malta lectures. The main topic was Legal Notice 150 which is “lowering the requirements” needed by an entity to qualify for the title of a university. “The lecturers expressed concern over this change in the law, mostly because of the way in which this will affect the university’s reputation. There is nothing wrong in having another university but the government should not lower existing standards.  That could affect the reputation enjoyed so far by the University of Malta and those who graduated here.”

Dr Busuttil said another major concern was the fact that the Legal Notice gave ‘the minister’ the power to grant the title of university in the name of public interest. 

Earlier, Education Shadow Minister Therese Comodini Cachia explained the PN’s concerns on the Legal Notice.  The PN was already concerned about environmental and economic issues when the Zonqor project was announced but those concerns increased when the government published a Legal Notice which, effectively lower the standards for the establishment of new universities. She asked if the government would give equal assistance to the University of Malta and if it would remain committed to invest in it. She also asked what expertise the Jordanian investor had in the education sector and how the government would ensure that the project would not harm Malta’s reputation. 

PN invitation

The Nationalist Party, in a statement, said that everyone is invited to voice his or her opposition to the project. It said that the activity will not be political, but one in which people of goodwill can speak up against the destruction of protected land.

The activity starts at 10.30am.