The mayor and councillors of Zejtun deplored the closure of the Jerma Palace Hotel and the loss of jobs in the tourism sector it brought about in the southeast of Malta, as well as the jobs lost in other connected industries.

“As a local council, we are not just disappointed but we are also preoccupied by the way that the closure of this hotel and proposed alternative developments for this zone have been shrouded in mystery and silence by the very same authorities which are supposed to be safeguarding the development of the tourism industry and jobs connected with it,” the council said in a statement.

They said situations where private speculation suffocated the public interest could no longer be tolerated. “A public zone specifically earmarked for the development of a hotel to enhance the southeastern tourism industry and to provide residents living in this part of Malta with the possibility of employment in the tourism sector should take precedence over the interests of speculators who have only the profit motive in mind,” the council said.