The Nationalist Party has launched its document on good governance in which it lists 103 points on how this may be achieved. Cynics may ask why are the Nationalists proposing this now and not during the 25 years they were in power? Nonetheless, I cannot but observe that Dr Simon Busuttil is moving from words to action. Thus as PN Leader, he is spearheading change, willing to support the present administration if action is indeed taken against those who are occupying land illegally.
The same cannot be said of our present administration, which appears to be perpetuating a culture of abuse. This abuse is now moving into the area of private property of the individual.
We are faced with the absurd situation where our Government on the one hand is defending the rights of citizens who have illegally misappropriated public land and, on the other, it is actually encouraging and funding works to be carried out on rented requisitioned property behind the back of the legitimate owners. I happen to be one such owner and this is why I am going public.
In Malta we have a situation where a number of individuals are still living in rented requisitioned property and paying paltry rents. In most cases the owners have no say. Past Governments requisitioned property built before a certain date in order to rent it to third parties without the owner having any control. The Government not only selected the tenant but also established the rent that the owner was to receive per annum - in my case an approx. rent of LM 22 per annum. The amount was automatically pegged to the old rent system which regulated rents as established by law, which, until recently, could not even be improved upon.
Ironically, while Government has no money to subsidise rents, which a past government had once established, it does have the cash to pass on to the tenants living in past requisitioned properties for embellishments or other works at the expense of running roughshod, once again, over the actual owners.
On 1st December, I wrote to the Housing Department to request information concerning the type of work being carried out to my property and being paid by the Maltese taxpayer. I believe that one would agree that it is my right to know what is happening in my property.
In principle, I have no objection that the Social Housing Services finance repairs and embellishment in my tenant’s apartment. I was cooperative with my tenant when the latter wanted to apply to the Housing Services and as owner had no problem to endorse the tenant’s application form. This further legitimizes my request for information about what type of work the Social Housing Services are financing in my property.
Not having received a reply to my first email, on 9th December I sent a ‘gentle reminder’. Within a couple of minutes, I did get a reply from Ms Rose Anne Debono, co-ordinator at the Social Housing Services, Customer Care who wrote and I quote:
Dear Sir, Kindly be informed that since the application is in the client’s name we are unable to send you the requested information as we adhere to the Data Protection Act.
The reply is not only highhanded, but an outright abuse of my fundamental rights. I have the right to know what is happening to my property and the type of works being financed by Government at the expense of the taxpayer. However, Ms Debono, with her reply has at least confirmed that the tenant did submit the application and therefore what I had been told about the Housing Services was correct. This Department is helping out financially but thanks to the Data Protection Act, the Department will not give me any further information. On my part, I wrote to Ms. Debono again, where I reiterated that I am the owner of the property in question and asked her whether her reply had the endorsement and clearance of her Department’s Data protection officer. I am still till today waiting for an answer.
Perhaps those involved in this umpteenth mismanagement and charade of abuse would kindly clarify who, should something go wrong on my property, would be liable morally and financially? Is it the Government Social Housing Department?
I am stating this in the light of the fact that, on visiting my property, I found that there were projected works, which were being carried out, without my prior approval. One in particular was going to cause permanent and irreversible damage to the property.
Government, instead of dilly-dallying should act now and instead of just setting up bodies to investigate (which takes time) it should start by appointing the right persons to sensitive posts and acknowledge that one cannot expect the inexperienced to run a department without first learning the ropes from the white-haired predecessors.
Unless this Administration is truly willing to act and take action any amount of good governance discussions are futile.