Just a few steps away from the Domus Romana (Roman Villa) in Rabat, there may be another, and bigger, Roman villa which is still buried and awaiting excavation. However, the continuous pressure on the site by the cars that are parked there and the wait for the excavation may produce untold damage to the site.
Parliamentary Secretary Tony Abela was yesterday morning replying to questions by Noel Farrugia, who has long been insisting on this site needing cleaning and protection.
Dr Abela was replying after having read out a reply by Transport Minister Jesmond Mugliett to a question by Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando who spoke about the inconvenience of parking on such rough land.
Mr Mugliett said the site is in part the property of some people, and there are at present court procedures on it.
Apart from everything else, Mr Mugliett added, the use of that site for parking must be studied carefully given the possibility there may be a national treasure buried underneath.
First time property buyers
The figures of first time property buyers over the past five years were given out in Parliament yesterday morning by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi. 3,808 bought property for the first time in 2001, 3,530 in 2002, 4,013 in 2003, 4,600 in 2004 and 4,506 last year.
Dr Gonzi was replying to Adrian Vassallo.
Illegal immigrants
There are at present 1,061 illegal immigrants held in the closed centres and guarded by the army, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi told Adrian Vassallo.
451 are held at the Hal Safi centre which is a building with a concrete roof.
610 are held at the Lyster Barracks in Hal Far, 306 are housed in a building while 304 are under tents.
If more illegal immigrants arrive, these will be housed in these centres and at the police centres at Ta’ Kandja and Hal Far, Dr Gonzi said.
Meanwhile the following are the numbers of illegal immigrants held in the open centres: 142 at Hal Far, 620 at Marsa, 31 at Police HQ, 34 at Dar il-Qawsalla, Birkirkara, 18 at Dar is-Sliem, St Venera and 186 at the new centre at Hal Far.
And in yet another reply to Dr Vassallo, Dr Gonzi said that so far this year, 177 illegal immigrants escaped from the army centres and 140 were caught.
Following the riot at the Safi centre on 27 June, two groups of illegal immigrants escaped: one made up of 14 persons and the other of 31. Of these, eight and 27 respectively have been caught.
No concessions on park and ride
The government will not be paying for the parking of cars used by its employees for private purposes, Transport Minister Jesmond Mugliett said.
He was replying to Angelo Farrugia who asked if the directors in the government service will be treated the same as other employees. Mr Mugliett said there will be no distinction between different grades of government employees.
No protest by PI-Privacy International
The government has not received any protest by PI-Privacy International regarding the alleged breach of confidentiality when details of financial transactions were passed on by the Swift Centre in Belgium to US authorities, Investments Minister Austin Gatt told Leo Brincat.