A number of Valletta shop tenants – not all - who are renting property from the state may be given a 45-year lease by the government.

During yesterday’s business breakfast organised by The Malta Business Weekly, General Retailers and Traders Association president Paul Abela said that the GRTU is currently negotiating with the government – in this case with Parliamentary Secretary Michael Falzon – regarding this potential scheme. But Mr Abela also said it still has to be approved. Business owners who would qualify for the scheme are those whose leasing contracts are renewed every six months.

A similar scheme had been introduced just before the March 2013 election – in January 2013 - by the outgoing PN government.

Contacted, Jason Azzopardi, who was the minister responsible at the time, explained that the scheme was terminated by a Labour government a month after the general election.

Asked why the scheme applied to Valletta outlets only, Dr Azzopardi said that 95% of shops owned by the Lands Department are in Valletta.

Questioned why only certain Valletta outlets benefited from the scheme at the time, he said that the majority of outlets - out of the 600 owned by Lands which lay in the confines of Valletta - were on a six-month renewal contract.

Dr Azzopardi went on to say that a string of shops had invested heavily following the announcement of the scheme since the scheme had attracted a lot of interest – one particular shop in the centre of Valletta which benefited from the scheme invested over one million euros. He said that shop owners had peace of mind that they were given a 45-year lease contract. But he reiterated that their plans were cut short after a PL government terminated the scheme.