The American University of Malta at Zonqor and Dock 1. The Gozo General Hospital, Karen Grech Hospital, and St Luke’s Hospital. Australia Hall. Café Premier. Old Mint Street. The former ITS site. And this is just to mention a few.

All these have one thing in common – the giving away of public land and public property for peanuts to a few blue-eyed guys. Mr Prime Minister, public land and public property is not yours. It is Taghna Lkoll. You were simply given a mandate to administer it in the best interest of the people of Malta and Gozo.

Therefore you are responsible for its maladministration in as much as you would be entitled to applause in case of its good administration. This is a Government of surprises. Last month, during parliamentary question time, precisely during the sitting held on the 30th April, we got to know that Government is again seriously discussing selling Selmun property, albeit this time it has given a different twist.

It is common knowledge that attempts to sell Selmun Hotel have been on the table since 2009. However, it was always Selmun Hotel that was up for sale, full stop. Now it is Selmun Hotel AND Selmun Palace.

This comes out loud and clear through the Minister’s own admission when he expressly stated “Ninforma lill-Onor. Interpellant illi qegħdin jitħejjew il-pjani li hemm bżonn sabiex il-Palazz u l-lukanda ta’ Selmun jinħarġu għall-bejgħ. Il-proprjetà ndikata hija mgħassa kontinwament minn persuni tassigurtà. Isiru wkoll b’mod regolari spezzjonijiet tal-post minn persuni fil-Ministeru. Se tiġi kkummissjonata evalwazzjoni teknika dwar l-istat strutturali tal-Palazz.”

Is this the way we value and treasure our heritage? We have seen pristine land being given away for peanuts. We have seen prime public land being given away for peanuts. Are we now going to throw our heritage to the dogs? We should be protecting what makes us Maltese and what makes Malta unique. We should be using our heritage and identity to increase economic growth and development. Economic growth and development should not come at the expense of losing our identity and treasures.

May I remind Government that Selmun Palace is scheduled as a Grade 1 national monument, and it has been scheduled as such since 2012? Personally I do not believe that we should be selling our monuments, or any of our heritage for that matter. I urge Government to reconsider the decision that it has taken and refrain from selling Selmun Palace.

Furthermore, I would not like to see another repeat of what happened with the former ITS site – the way in which public land was disposed of is simply inconceivable (and that, just to mention one aspect).

I want full transparency from the beginning. I want full disclosure from the outset. I want the electorate to be treated with respect. I want to see proper engagement with the electorate. I want to see a level playing field for everyone. I want to see proper application of policy. I don’t want to see policy window shopping. I don’t want to see sham consultations.

For this reason, and as a start, I am putting forward a number of questions to Cabinet.

1. Has Government consulted with the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage on the ‘disposal’ of Selmun Palace, and what was the feedback given?

2. How is Government planning to sell Selmun Palace and Selmun Hotel? Will they be sold separately, or together? Will it be an outright sale? What are the conditions, if any, of this sale? I re-iterate that Selmun Palace should not be sold.

3. What type of process will Government be using in order to conduct this sale? Will it be issuing a call for bids, through highest offer mechanism? If no, which mechanism will Government be using?

4. I assume that the Government will be issuing a project brief on what and how the property in question can be used/developed, and its scope. I ask Government to confirm this.

5. Which authority/ies and agency/ies are being consulted or will be consulted in the preparation of the documents that Gov will be publishing with respect to call for bids from interested parties?

6. What time frames is the Government seeing? When is it intending to issue the call for sale? How many weeks will the interested parties have in order to prepare their bid?

7. Which authority/agency will be issuing the call for bids from interested parties? Will it be the Department of Contracts, Lands Authority, Projects Malta, or some other entity?

8. Who will be the Minister responsible to spearhead this sale?

9. Who will be the Minister responsible to see that all the contract conditions are being adhered to? I expect public answers to the above.

The electorate deserves to know.

 

Dr Marthese Portelli is the Opposition Spokesperson for Planning, Capital Projects and Property Market