An internal Lands Authority audit uncovered years of inaction with regard to former Nationalist Party general secretary Paul Borg Olivier’s “illegal” occupation of a government property in Old Bakery Street, Valletta.

Borg Olivier and his wife went to live in the property after the relatives it was originally rented out to passed away. In 2010, he had notified the government property department, the Lands Authority’s predecessor, that he would be returning the keys to the property despite never being asked to do so.

Borg Olivier, however, failed to vacate the property, leading the department to formally demand he return the keys in December 2013.

A follow-up letter was sent in March 2014, demanding the payment of €1,000 in rent arrears and vacating the property.

The internal audit report states that Borg Olivier refused, claiming “informal discussions” were under way to resolve the matter.

The following October, Borg Olivier was warned he would be evicted if the keys to the property were not returned to the then government property department within seven days.

Borg Olivier sent another letter to the department in January 2015, again arguing that discussions to resolve the dispute were ongoing.

Inspection found damage, unauthorised works

The report says a complaint about Borg Olivier’s continued “illegal” occupation of the property was received by the Lands Authority in 2019. A subsequent inspection of the property found structural damage and unauthorised works had also taken place inside.

The Lands Authority’s internal audit directorate criticised the fact that a series of letters were never followed up by “concrete action” to reclaim the government property.

According to the report, Borg Olivier had occupied the property for years without any legal title to it.

This, the report continued, meant that the property has not been administered by the government in the best possible way.

The report recommended a revision of the penalties for those found to be illegally occupying government properties, including historical cases.

Borg Olivier open to amicable solution

Contacted by Times of Malta, Borg Olivier said the remaining pending issues with the Lands Authority are “purely legal in nature as evidenced by the various exchanges between the parties, including legal letters.

“Notwithstanding any political role I occupied more than eight years ago, I still retain the legitimate right, like every other citizen, to dispute and defend legal issues over my personal affairs and will always keep the door open to an amicable settlement of disputes with the authority,” the former PN official said.

Noting that the Lands Authority’s internal audit directorate was headed by former Labour Mqabba mayor and One reporter Charlene Muscat, Borg Olivier said he was never contacted by the chief audit officer to give his version of events.

Also, he had always cooperated with the authority concerned and had given its officials access to the property when a request was made.