Partit Demokratiku leader Marlene Farrugia is requesting more details on how prime location land in St George’s Bay was handed over for development to a hotel group.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Dr Farrugia said that in the light of the transaction of the land until now occupied by the Institute of Tourism Studies, she would like the PM to give more details about the deal via a statement in Parliament.

In this way, certain points that were raised after the deal was announced would be clarified, she said.

Last week, the government signed a 99-year temporary emphyteusis with db San Gorg Property Ltd for the current ITS site, and during the press conference it was stated that the government will receive nearly €60 million in return. The project includes the building of a hotel, a commercial centre, and two towers primarily consisting of residential units, with a few floors dedicated to office space. The project still needs to go before the Planning Authority.

Arthur Gauci, the CEO of the db Group, has defended the €60 million valuation of the ITS site deal signed earlier this week, following a number of arguments made that the draft Paceville master plan had valued the site at a higher price.

In another statement, the Nationalist Party also called for the immediate publication of the contract that was signed with the db Group.

Shadow minister Marthese Portelli and spokesman Ryan Callus said that once again the government chose to publish half a contract, and the piublic deserved to know more about the deal.

It has transpired that 14 documents related to the deal have not been published so far, the PN said, including the site plan showing peninsula and shoreline

Government reacts

In a reaction, the government issued a press release saying that "for the first time ever since contracts between the government and a private entity were made," the contracts were published in their entirety after the launch of the investment last Thursday.

The government also published the annexes in relation to the controversial project, link here: https://we.tl/UYrbc79Rik.

"This shows how the government is transparent and finds no problem in publishing major government contracts. It's a pity that the Opposition is trying to attack an investment of €300 million"