The Ta’ Qali crafts village project was confirmation of how the Gonzi administration reneged on its promises, Labour Party leader Alfred Sant said yesterday when he visited Ta’ Qali.

Promises relating to the crafts village had been made by five ministers and Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi himself. At least five dates had been given when work was to start – the mid-90s, 2004, 2005, 2006 and now. But it had never got under way.

In 1992 then Minister George Bonello du Puis had visited and said he had been irritated by the evident neglect there. In 1993 work on a rehabilitation plan was announced and in May 1994, the Planning Authority had approved plans for a crafts village. Up to 1996, when the PN lost the government, nothing was done.

Dr Sant said the Malta Development Corporation, under Labour in government, had in June 1998, announced a project for the crafts village, which was approved by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority. In 1999, when the PN was again in government, new proposals were made and in July 2000, a development brief was approved by Cabinet.

Other ideas were announced and Parliamentary Secretary Edwin Vassallo had given three different dates for the start of the project. In 2004, Mr Vassallo said the project would be the main priority for the Nationalist government in 2005 and in July that year, he had announced that work would start in 2006.

A year ago it was the Prime Minister himself who said it was expected that work on the crafts village would be fairly advanced by the time of the general election. And after 15 years of promises, Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett did not feel at all embarrassed two months ago to say that the crafts village project was another link in a series of promises being implemented by the Nationalist government.

The promised tenders had still not been issued, Dr Sant said. Lawrence Gonzi’s government, as other Nationalist governments before it, was taking the country for a ride, promising much and delivering nothing. Not only was there a lack of transparency and accountability, the government was also riddled with incompetence, Dr Sant said.