Plans to expand the Siġgiewi civic centre were dealt a blow as an encroachment permit was “secretely” extended, allowing the Labour Party to keep using part of the property as a club.
Documents seen by the Times of Malta show that a €1,100 payment was made by the Siġġiewi Labour Party club as the encroachment permit was extended to August 18 next year. Siġġiewi mayor Karol Aquilina said the council was kept in the dark about this.
A spokesman for the Parliamentary Secretariat for Planning said the renewal was made under the same terms as per the agreement dated August 19, 2010. There was also an increase upwards to reflect the inflation rate, he added.
A Labour spokesman gave a similar reply when contacted: “The encroachment permit in question was made on identical terms as the one granted by the previous administration. The encroachment fee was renewed upwards to reflect inflation.” However, this latest move risks putting the council and the government on a collision course, possibly escalating into a legal battle.
Tomorrow, the council will be debating a motion moved by Dr Aquilina calling for “all necessary steps”, including “administrative, legal and judicial” measures, to take possession of this property within its premises. Dr Aquilina lashed out at the government accusing it of “secretly” granting itself public property which was already leased to the council.
“This is not only an illegal, abusive and corrupt action but also constitutes a new and gross injustice on the Siġġiewi community,” he said.
Dr Aquilina added that the PL was once again disregarding the needs of the community and acting in a selfish manner.
“I will do whatever it takes to reclaim what rightfully belongs to the whole of the Siġġiewi community,” he said.
Documents seen by this newspaper show that the encroachment permit expired on August 19. Since then, it appears there was no communication between the PL and the government with the council on the matter.
The council took over its current premises under a controversial 15-year lease agreement with the government in 2010.
Before then, the property in question, located in St Nicholas Square, was used from 1981 as a Labour Party club.
At the time, the PL accused the then Nationalist government that its decision to reclaim the property and hand it to the council had partisan motives.
Following lengthy negotiations, a compromise was reached in which the PL retained a small part of the building having a separate entrance for five years until it found an alternative location.
This arrangement included an encroachment permit that expired last August.
Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi, who was involved in the negotiations as the minister responsible for the Land Department, confirmed this.
Dr Aquilina pointed out that, over the last five years, the council had still paid the rent for that part of the property even though it was used by the PL.
The motion due to be discussed by the council tomorrow calls for the implementation of the second phase of the civic centre project, which includes a night centre for the elderly, a community resource centre and a public library.
In addition, the council will also be asking to extend the lease agreement of its current premises, which expires in 2025, by a further 15 years.
Timeline of events
December 11, 1981: on the eve of a general election, the government leases part of the property in 18, St Nicholas Square, Siġġiewi to the Labour Party.
1982-1983: various government entities are ordered to vacate parts of the property that were then leased to the Labour Party.
1987: a couple of weeks before the general election, the leases are consolidated into one agreement and renewed for 24 years until June 30, 2010.
1994: the adjacent property at No. 20 is leased to the newly-established Siġġiewi council.
2009: the council approves a motion asking the government to reclaim the property so it can be devolved in its favour for the opening of a civic centre. The request is upheld and the agreement is signed in June 2010.
August 2010: the Land Commissioner grants, on an encroachment basis, the property numbered 20 to the Labour Party for five years until it finds alternative premises.
August 2010-March 2012: extensive restoration and upgrading works are carried out at the property numbered 18 turning it into a modern and fully-accessible civic centre. In the meantime, the Labour Party uses the property numbered 20 as its political club. The total investment made by the Siġġiewi council amounts to circa €500,000.
March 2012: the Siġġiewi civic centre is officially inaugurated following an investment of €500,000.
August 2015: the encroachment concession granted to the PL expires but the party retains the property.
October 14, 2015: the council presents a motion authorising it to proceed with the development of the second phase of the civic centre and to take all necessary measures to regain possession of the property numbered 20.