MEPA, Polidano settle differences

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority is expected to unfreeze Polidano Brothers' bank assets after group owner Charles Polidano yesterday agreed to pay a Lm50,000 instalment to an environment fund.

MEPA had ordered Mr Polidano to pay Lm200,000 as a contribution to the environment fund in connection with works carried out at the Riviera Resort Hotel, in Marfa. The contribution was to be paid in four instalments.

When Mr Polidano refused to pay the second instalment, MEPA called on the court to freeze his company's bank assets.

In a move which potentially threatened to partially paralyse the construction industry, Mr Polidano said he was being forced to lay off more than 1,200 employees in 32 of his companies last Friday.

The issue was resolved at a meeting at MEPA's offices in Floriana yesterday attended by Mr Polidano, authority chairman Andrew Calleja and planning director Godwin Cassar.

Joseph Theuma, Mr Polidano's consultant, described the meeting as very positive, during which both sides voiced their concerns.

Mr Theuma said the two sides agreed that the process to issue a compliance certificate for the hotel should be speeded up.

The wages of the group's 1,200 or so employees were also paid yesterday, he said.

Polidano employees are not members of a trade union, but the General Workers' Union yesterday convened a meeting for several workers of the group at its headquarters in Valletta.

GWU general secretary Tony Zarb urged the workers to organise themselves to avoid facing similar circumstances in future.

Another issue raised by workers present for the meeting was that pressure should be brought on the government to pay its dues to contractors on time, the union said.