The Birzebbuga Regatta Club has questioned the Lands Authority’s claims that they’re illegally occupying a warehouse in Valletta, by saying that “if this warehouse wasn’t passed to us from the proper authority, then why do we have the official keys?”

The controversy concerns the Birzebbuga Regatta Club’s use of a warehouse in Valletta, after it was reported by The Malta Independent that the club was losing access to one of two warehouses it had in the capital for the storage of their boats as the government was handing it over to the private sector instead.

The Lands Authority on Monday however clarified that “the storehouse that was rented to the club by the Authority [warehouse 36] will remain with the club,” but “the Authority will be taking back a space located next to the storehouse [warehouse 37] that was occupied without permission.”

The club had said that the government reneged on an informal agreement to allow them the use of two warehouses in Valletta, warehouses 36 and 37.

The government on the other hand said that an agreement was only reached in relation to the former warehouse, but not the latter.

“No rental fee was being paid on this site, and there was no title to it,” the authority said.

“The club had been informed that this encroachment from the unauthorized space needed to be cleared,” the authority added.

“Officials from the Authority inspected the site, and it was found that the club's boats were stored in a small 200-square-meter storehouse that will continue to be rented to them,” said the authority.

However, in reaction to the government’s response, the Regatta Club’s President Ian Farrugia reiterated that the regatta club is “not against any investment but, rather, the manner in which the government is proceeding with this case.”

“Why does the government not want a normal discussion to inform us on what will happen?” Farrugia asked.

“We want a democratic discussion owing to the fact that the present investment will impact our activities; the slipway from where we launch our boats may be obstructed and, if this were to be the case, from where will we launch them?”

“If the boats cannot fit in the 200 square meters that we have available [in warehouse 36] where will we place them? If we leave the boats outside, will they be taken by the Lands Authority,” he questioned.

With regards to the Land Authority saying that the club was making use of warehouse 37 illegally, Farrugia questioned: “If warehouse 37 wasn’t passed to us by the Lands Authority, then how come we have the official keys?” 

“If this is an illegal encroachment as the government claims, then why have no official papers been served?” asked Farrugia.

Farrugia further said that “the government cleaned and undertook some restoration works (by changing doors and windows) for both warehouses simultaneously.”

“On top of that, there has always been one electricity meter for both warehouses, which is how we’ve always found it.”

“In light of all this, there is clear proof that the warehouses have always been conjoined,” Farrugia said.

An email with questions on Farrugia’s rebuttal was twice sent to the Lands Authority, but no response was received at the time of going to print.