The police officers who reported Nationalist MP David Agius for preventing them taking action against a parker near the Ta’ Qali basketball pavilion refused to verify their facts, the Malta Basketball Association claimed yesterday.
On April 7, two traffic policemen arrived on site to investigate following a report that the parker was illegally asking for money. MBA officials, together with Mr Agius, tried to tell them the land belonged to the association and everything was being done according to the law.
But the officers refused to view the contract confirming the site had been transferred to the association, even when they were told to have a look at it at its offices nearby, the association said.
The MBA has shown The Times a copy of the contract through which the area around the pavilion was transferred by the Malta Sports Council on September 26, 2011.
The land was acquired for 49 years and, according to the contract, the MBA has “the right” to collect reasonable fees for the temporary use of these facilities.
This, the association argues, gives them the right to use the land for commercial purposes, including as a parking area with a licensed parker.
Mr Agius has adamantly denied he was obstructing the police in the course of their duties, as the police report claims.
MBA general secretary Joseph Muscat said he asked Mr Agius to intervene when the police officers arrived to take the parker’s details because as an MP he was aware that the area belonged to the MBA.
Questions sent yesterday to the police about the matter remained unanswered.
Meanwhile, an MBA spokesman said the site had been transferred to the association so that a pavilion could be built containing basketball courts to be used by nurseries at subsidised rates.
The government has already promised €200,000 towards construction but the MBA is looking for sponsors to make up the rest of the cost.
The parking area is being used to help the association improve its financial situation since it is still suffering from the €200,000 debt left behind by previous administrations, the MBA said.