Partit Demokratiku has asked chairperson Alex Muscat to invite Minister of Tourism Konrad Mizzi to attend this afternoon’s Permanent Committee on Environment and Planning Development so that he is questioned by the committee.

“Minister Konrad Mizzi has committed himself to conceding public land earmarked for tourism in the Local Plan, to be also used for high market accommodation. This is irregular,” stated MEP candidate Martin Cauchi Inglott. “If residential units are to be issued, this would need a change in Local Plan, which is a process dictated by law.”

“Public land is being given away by illogical concessions. It uses the same computation, as was done for the ITS mega project of dB Group, to sell our land far below market prices. OPM Castile is distributing public assets to the detriment of public interest,” stated MEP candidate Anthony Buttigieg.

“A Development Brief is called for. That is best practice. This is an entertainment venue with adjacent residential areas that has ALREADY been strained beyond its limits,” stated Martin Cauchi Inglott. “Paceville is still without a Masterplan despite the massive and shameless development that is taking place.”

“Our coastal waters are rightfully public domain,” claims MEP candidate Camilla Appelgren. “Government cannot commit land reclamation without adequate and sustainable planning,” she remarked.

Partit Demokratiku Leader Godfrey Farrugia, who sits at this afternoon’s committee, will ask Minister Konrad Mizzi:

• Why are you using tourism as an excuse to justify one mega-project after another, when the real intention is not so?

• Don’t you think that it is capricious to use the peninsula where the Corinthia is situated for accommodation purposes, when tourism would benefit more?

PD also expects that Minister Ian Borg, who covers the Planning Authority and the Lands Authority, shows up for the meeting. Amongst other questions he will be asked:

• Are you not creating a different playing field between developers who are granted public land cheaply when compared with those who buy private land for similar development at market prices?

• Do you intend to break Planning rules by using your Ministerial discretion?

Partit Demokratiku expects that Minister of Environment, Dr Josè Herrera, who does attend such Committee meetings, to champion Malta’s social and environment wellbeing without reservation.

“We need to rebuild the way government works,” concluded Farrugia.