It is a characteristic of the present government to attend to the needs of people and to care for their actual requirements. The efficient use of public land has been a priority for the present-day administration, and in this legislature there were numerous cases where it dealt with requests and demands of organisations and society. In the past days, I had the opportunity to present two important motions in Parliament, both concerning the transfer of public land to two different entities with the aim of benefiting students and citizens. The propositions are the result of extremely hard work and dedication especially by members of staff working at the Government Property Division.

The first motion related to the completion of the second phase of the MCP car park in Floriana. The finalisation of this project will create more parking spaces for commuters. Following extensive talks between the government and the car park proprietors, an agreement has been reached that phase two of this car park can be finalised, increasing parking slots by no less than 400 parking spaces. The subsequent granting of a Mepa permit will lead to a €5 million investment over a period of 18 months. €200,000 in rent will start being paid in 2041 when the current agreement expires, instead of the present amount of €23,000 per year. The result of this extension will actually compensate for parking spaces lost in Valletta over the past years, thus making it easier for commuters and consumers to park easily. The GRTU and the public were also in favour of this project. We have also obliged the operators to construct a public garden that must be administered and maintained at their expense. This will create a pleasant environment and make the area more attractive. The gardens will be accessible to everyone to enjoy the new surroundings and the magnificent views of Marsamxett harbour.

In view of this, it is important that the record is set straight once and for all: before now, there was never an obligation on the owners of MCP to roof over this car park or develop it into a garden.

We have also kept in mind the demands of the Valletta business community, suitably represented by the GRTU, and have demanded that the operator runs solely a fitness centre and car-valeting related services from the establishment.

The second resolution relates to the transfer of the Medical School in Pieta to the Province of the Augustine Community. This resolution was unanimously approved in Parliament some days ago. The premises will now be transformed into a primary school, thus enabling it to better meet the needs of the community. We had to seek balance between the environmental demands of the area and the scholastic demands of the Augustine Society, which needed to build a primary school in the area. The Prime Minister deserves special praise for his involvement in the matter and, following his initial proposal, talks commenced and an agreement was reached. Saint Augustine College will now be able to take in 400 new students, resulting in a total of 800 primary students per year. The government will be granting a yearly lease of €1,000 for 99 years, and the new school and sport facilities will cover an area of 2,177 square metres. On their part, the Augustine friars have committed to invest €1 million in the project and work will commence exactly 10 weeks after Mepa issues the permit.

Through these decrees we have shown that we not only listen to and care for the needs of people but also act proactively in their general interest. We are a government that cares, that believes in moral values, which is why the PN, concretely and factually, works!

Mr Azzopardi is the Minister for Fair Competition, Small Business and Consumers