The National Audit Office is to investigate how exactly the Dingli Interpretation Centre, which had only been permitted to have vending machines and a staff kitchen, has been transformed into an unpermitted full-blown restaurant The Malta Independent on Sunday is informed.

This newspaper had exposed the situation last February of how the interpretation centre, located on Dingli Cliffs, is operating as a full-blown restaurant known as The Cliffs, although planning permits have specifically precluded catering facilities on the property. The project came into being when Parliamentary Secretary for EU Funds Ian Borg was serving as Dingli mayor.

Following this newspaper’s report earlier this year and information sent to various authorities crying foul play and misappropriation, this newspaper is informed that the National Audit Office has chosen to launch a formal investigation into the matter. 

The NAO’s investigation is expected to be concluded by the end of the year. After that, Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee will put the NAO’s report on its agenda.

The facts of the case have revealed a number of apparent coincidences, omissions and irregularities, chief among which is the use of public property for a commercial purpose which was specifically forbidden.

The case’s timeline also shows the involvement of former Dingli mayor and current Parliamentary Secretary for EU Funds Ian Borg in the main documented events and turning points in the case.

The property is valued at close to €1 million but which is being leased by the Dingli local council from the government for the paltry sum, as far as commercial terms go, of €230 a year. As such, the case is one that suggests accounting irregularities and misappropriation related not only to EU funds, but also to public land.

The case involves property on Dingli Cliffs for which a Malta Environment and Planning Authority development permit was issued in the name of Ian Borg as then mayor of Dingli for the construction of an “interpretation centre”, which also benefited from EU funds.

But it turned out that, soon after development, the site had been converted for use as a restaurant in direct violation of Mepa’s specific preclusion of Class 6 activities (operations involving catering, restaurants, food and beverages) in the relative Mepa permit and certain use obligations set out in a lease agreement to which the property is subject.

In the past, the Mepa board had twice rejected Class 6 (catering and beverage) use at the interpretation centre site. However, the centre is very clearly operating as a restaurant – in full contravention of the specific preclusion made by Mepa when granting the development permit and with apparent impunity.