The Maltese arbitration centre can attract international cases by offering a cheaper service with the same quality as its counterparts, Parliamentary Secretary Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici said in parliament yesterday.

Closing off the session, after continuation of the discussions related to the bill on terrorism, Dr Mifsud Bonnici praised the work of the Malta Arbitration Centre, which he said is carrying out sterling work.

He announced that, this week, the centre had managed to attract the second international case. “We can be a magnet for foreign cases,” he said, pointing out that Maltese lawyers are among the best prepared. The training given by the local university is so extensive that Maltese lawyers stand at an advantage. Furthermore, he said the proceedings at the Maltese centre, which is an international institution, are cheaper than those of its counterparts elsewhere.

Last year, 36 cases were ruled by the centre. This year there were already 30 cases registered and if the rhythm is maintained, there will probably be 100 cases registered.

Contrary to what was recently said by many, the centre has not buckled under the pressure of greater responsibility but is delivering and is doing so efficiently. He mentioned how, the other day, he had joined in a conversation between a lawyer and his client where the lawyer was explaining the benefits of the arbitration centre.

“It was music to my ears, even more so because the conversation was ongoing and it was not kick started by my presence,” he said. “But the benefits are obvious.”

The service delivered is faster than that offered by the court. It is cheaper, less formal and sessions are done by appointment, he insisted.

The setting up of the centre was an important landmark since our country was one of the few democracies in the world which did not have such an institution. With the centre in place, citizens now have the opportunity to see justice being done in a matter of months.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici also replied to a petition MLP spokesman Anglu Farrugia had tabled some time ago. The petition, signed by a number of Mosta residents from the Santa Margerita area, requested Interior Minister Tonio Borg to look into the alleged fact that the public land which was being used as a garden had been given by the government for development.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici, who was replying in Dr Borg’s stead as the latter is away on government business, said there are absolutely no irregularities in the case. It is just a case of the residents making a storm in a tea cup, he added.

The land had been originally expropriated by the government under the BDA scheme in order to build a number of buildings. Part of the land was developed while the other part, what is known as a green belt, was not. After some time, the owners of the land which was not developed requested to have it back. Since there were no plans to develop the land, government felt this was only fair.

“After all this was their land and it was not being used. The government had no intention to use it. However, this does not mean that the land can now be developed as no permits were given with the land. It was just handed back to the original owners.”

The Parliamentary Secretary also tabled official plans indicating the land which the government gave back.

Coming back to the petition, the tract indicated as problematic by the residents since these suspect that the government issued permits for development is owned by one of the people whose land was expropriated and then given back.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici explained that he sent people from the lands department to check whether there had been some sort of development.

From the pictures these officers took, one can see a rubble wall which he described as well constructed and respecting the environment of the surroundings.

There is nothing irregular and nothing giving any particular advantage to particular persons. It is just a case of residents making two and two together to make six, he reiterated.