Dozens of Gozo residents gathered outside the Curia in Floriana on Sunday urging Archbishop Charles Scicluna to reverse his decision “to hand over control of a medieval foundation to ruthless speculators.”
Residents fear that these speculators are threatening many of them in Qala and Nadur with eviction, while increasing the leases of farmers and building “monstrous projects that are ruining Gozo’s landscape and natural environment.”
The residents joined forces with the NGO Moviment Graffitti and called on the Archbishop to dismiss Patrick Valentino from rector of the Abbazia, and initiate legal action to annul the transfer of Abbazia's land to private companies as well as seek legal remedies to cancel the 2017 agreement with speculators.
In a statement, it was explained that their predicament is a result of Archbishop Scicluna’s decision in 2017 to appoint Valentino as rector of the Abbazia di Sant Antonio delli Navarra, acceding to the wishes of powerful businessmen and other influential figures who had been trying to take over swathes of land in Gozo for two decades and a half.
The Abbazia was founded by noblewoman Cosmana Navarra in the 17th century, placing land she owned under control of the foundation and giving power to the Archbishop to appoint a rector who administers these lands for the benefit of the foundation.
The rector must be a male descendant of Cosmana’s nephew Federico or, in his absence, a priest.
In 1992, Richard Stagno Navarra claimed descent from Cosmana Navarra and rectorship of the Abbazia. This was resisted by the Curia but in 2013 he won the court battle that confirmed the Archbishop’s right to appoint the rector.
Residents claimed that however, in 2017 a” bolt out of the blue” struck residents and farmers when Archbishop Scicluna accepted the Stagno Navarras’ descent claims and appointed a rector of their choice, Valentino.
“The new rector immediately started transferring land to companies owned by the Stagno Navarras, by Gozitan lawyer Carmelo Galea and by ex-magistrate Dennis Montebello and his children, one of who is Valentino’s partner.”
Residents expressed their shock when Scicluna recently admitted in court that he never verified the Stagno Navarras’ claims of descent from Cosmana Navarra, the noblewoman.
Families in Qala and Nadur are now being hounded for large sums of money by the Abbazia and other companies owned by the same group of people, placing them under immense pressure and stress for the past four years as well as leaving them with a pervasive feeling of injustice.
Apart from residents, farmers tilling land claimed by the Abbazia are also being asked for increases in the price of their leases, with some starting to let go of the land they have cultivated for generations.
Moreover, undeveloped land claimed by the Abbazia was given to developers for “monstrous” projects. On such land, Joseph Portelli is currently building a massive complex in Ta’ Kassja consisting of hundreds of apartments engulfing the locality of Qala.
Titan Developments Ltd. is applying for another “hideous” apartment block on agricultural land in Nadur. Many people have objected to the project.
The Planning Commission is scheduled to decide on the Nadur project on Wednesday 15th December.
“In 1992 a handful of powerful persons concocted an incredible plan to hoodwink residents and build on undeveloped land in Gozo. In 2017, Archbishop Scicluna made the actualization of their plan possible by handing them over swathes of land with the stroke of a pen, no questions asked. Scicluna is responsible for the suffering of hundreds of persons and for enabling greed that is destroying Gozo’s environment,” Moviment Graffitti said.
Consequently, Gozo residents and Moviment Graffiti are calling on Scicluna to take responsibility for his actions and honour his obligations, both moral and those under the contract of foundation.
According to the NGO, Scicluna can do so by immediately revoking the decree appointing Patrick Valentino, and hence dismissing him, from rector of the Abbazia, by initiating legal action to annul contracts granting these lands to private companies on the basis that such transfers go against the contract of foundation of the Abbazia, as well as the long-term interest of the Abbazia, and lastly, by seeking legal remedies to get the contracts of 27th February 2017 and 26th March 2018 annulled.