Permits for the Ta’ Qali Crafts Village project were already out in June 1998 and the Malta Development Corporation had already started issuing letters of intent to owners of shops at the Crafts Village, but the project was sidelined as soon as the Nationalists were elected to government, said Chris Agius, Labour’s main spokesman for industry and public investment.

In a statement, Mr Agius said that in July 2000, the government had said that all the necessary plans were approved and the project could begin by means of a public private partnership.

In the beginning of 2001, during a presentation of the plan for Ta’ Qali, Minister Tonio Borg had said that the public consultation period on the project would draw to a close by the end of March, said Mr Agius, adding the Cabinet had to approve the project within six weeks and the tenders had to start being awarded for the work on the project to begin. An approved development brief on the project was also issued in January 2002, said the Labour MP.

He said that so many dates were mentioned with regard to when the project had to start and end, that the owners of the shops at the Crafts Village have gone through a long time of uncertainty.

Now, the government has announced that tenders will start to be awarded at the beginning of next year and the project will be completed within four years of the adjudication of the chosen tender, said Mr Agius, adding that it is no wonder that people have doubted the truth of this new timeframe for the completion of the project.

He said he hoped the government will now keep its promise with owners of shops at the Crafts Village, but added that should the Labour Party be elected to government, it will consult with the shop owners and ensure that the project kicks off in a serious manner, so that Ta’ Qali will truly be transformed into a centre for Maltese crafts and trades.