'Taking Manoel Island back would cost hundreds of millions’: PM

Taking Manoel Island back from a consortium of developers would cost the country “hundreds of millions”, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Sunday.

Speaking during a Labour discussion programme with a panel of youths, Abela said that going down this route would not be the best use of taxpayer money.

Over 10,000 people have signed a parliamentary petition demanding that the government turns Manoel Island into a public park.

The petition calls for plans by the MIDI consortium to develop the island into a luxury residential and commercial zone to be scrapped.

Abela said the concession for MIDI to develop both Manoel Island and the nearby Tigne Point was granted decades ago by a PN government.

The prime minister acknowledged that Tigne Point has been “totally ruined”.

Abela, however, cautioned that terminating a concession approved by parliament would come at a hefty price.

The prime minister said there are other sites that can be more viably turned into open green areas without having to compensate developers.

“The moment the state expropriates, you need to offer compensation,” Abela said.

Abela said there are other sites that have been removed from development zoning to create open spaces. He pointed to greening projects already delivered by the government, like the Ta’Qali National Park.

Euthanasia ‘not a partisan issue’

During the programme, Abela urged for a mature discussion on euthanasia without turning it into a partisan issue.

The government this week unveiled plans to allow terminally ill patients with less than six months to live the ability to voluntarily end their lives.

Abela said this could only be done following an assessment by three medical professionals.

He said the ultimate decision can only be made by patients, and not their family members.

Abela said the proposed legislation includes numerous safeguards and will not apply to people with disabilities.

The patient must be aged over 18, suffering from an incurable, terminal illness that is predicted to result in death within six months, and they must have exhausted all available treatments and therapeutic services.

This proposed legislation will be subject to a two-month public consultation period, during which Abela said the government will be open to refining the proposals.

But the Medical Association of Malta said on Saturday that legalising euthanasia in Malta at this stage is premature, as end-of-life care here is not good enough.

In its position paper on the issue, MAM said predicting when a patient will die is unreliable and should be abandoned as a criterion.

‘Strange’ decision on passports scheme

The prime minister also touched upon a European Court decision last month, ruling that Malta’s golden passports scheme violates EU law.

Abela said it was “strange” how the Court of Justice of the European Union’s judges went against the advocate general’s written opinion on the scheme.

While the Advocate General said the European Commission had failed to prove Malta’s scheme violated EU law, the European Court nonetheless ruled against Malta.

Abela downplayed the impact the decision would have on Malta’s economy.

He said a team of experts are already working on reforming the scheme to bring it in line with the court’s decision.

The prime minister said Portugal already runs a “similar” scheme to Malta.

Abela criticised Opposition members who had “celebrated” the court’s decision against Malta.

He specifically named ex-Opposition leader Simon Busuttil, MEP David Casa and European Parliament president Robert Metsola as being among those who “celebrated” a court decision against their own country.

On the local court scene, Abela acknowledged how court delays continue to be an issue.

He said a small number of magistrates and judges continue to believe they can get away with not doing any work.

These, he emphasised, are in the minority, as the vast majority of magistrates and judges work night and day to deliver what is expected of them.

This is why the government has improved their financial package time and time again.

The prime minister, himself a lawyer, said members of the legal profession also play a part in causing court delays.