The contribution of the American University of Malta to the economy will start at €38 million per year and increase to a peak of €85 million a year, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said this morning.

Speaking in Marsascala, Dr Muscat said that the capital expenditure of the project will be of €104 million.

Dr Muscat was visiting the site where part of the AUM will be constructed. On Friday, he had visited Dock Number 1 in Cospicua where part of the campus will be located.

The Prime Minister said that the model being used is the same as Smart City. “Smart City was given land, sold for a few cents per square metre, yet today that land is worth nearly €1,000 per square metre. did we gave an investor land for free? No, the investor is giving something back in the form of value added, and this project will not only bring in 4,000 students, but will also create jobs”.

Dr Muscat said that the decision to use land in an outside development zone in Marsascala for part of the project was because the area in question was being used as a dumping site. No building will take place on the foreshore because it is ecologically sensitive.

He mentioned that the site was previously earmarked for a marine hatchery

He assured the Malta Developers Association that the intention behind the development is for a university, and not for residential purposes. On Friday, the MDA said it will be on the look-out to ensure that this project will be solely for the purpose of a university and not a residential or commercial project.

He mentioned that were governments to use four forts for the university, the road network required would have used a substantial amount of ODZ land to construct. He reiterated that the nature park, which government plans to establish, will not interfere with farmers’ work.

The prime minister also made a plea to the owners of the  former Jerma Palace Hotel. This site has been abandoned for a number of years and it should be regenerated, the PM said.

Internal investigations regarding Joe Sammut scandal already began

Turning to Joe Sammut, he was asked whether he would be opening inquiries into all the departments involved in the visa scandal. In response, the Prime Minister explained that internal inquiries already began and had they not, then this case would not have been uncovered. "There are other ongoing investigations, including on cases that did not begin now, however under other administrations. The answer is yes investigations began. 

Photos Melvin Degiorgio