Iċ-Chairperson tal-ADPD-The Green Party Sandra Gauci sejħet għal investigazzjoni dwar il-Malita plc u in partikolari biex ikun stabbilit kif u għaliex kumpanija li fiha l-Gvern għandu ftit iktar minn 80% tal-ishma f’temp ta’ ftit xhur minn qagħda tajba qalbet ghall-agħar, b’diffikultajiet kbar biex jitħallsu l-kredituri.

Xi ħadd għandu jerfa’ r-responsabbiltà u jispjega x’inhu jiġri mingħajr wisq iktar telf ta’ żmien.

Wara r-riżenja iktar kmieni din il-ġimgħa taċ-Chairman Eżekuttiv tal-Malita plc, Johann Farrugia, jinħass aktar minn qatt qabel il-bżonn li ssir investigazzjoni serja dwar kif tmexxiet il-kumpanija Malita plc f’dawn l-aħħar xhur. Il-kredibilità tal-Ministru Roderick Galdes intilfet kompletament u hemm bżonn li jirriżenja minn postu biex ma tibqax issir ħsara iktar milli diġà saret. Dak li qalet Marlene Mizzi dwaru, hu kredibbli ferm iktar milli qatt jistgħu jkunu ċ-ċaħdiet li saru. Għad hemm dubbji serji dwar dak li ntqal, in partikolari dwar indħil fit-tmexxija tal-kumpanija kif ukoll dwar jekk kienx hemm xi irregolaritajiet oħra.

Infakkru li Marlene Mizzi stqarret li tneħħiet minn Chairperson tal-kumpanija għax ġibdet l-attenzjoni tal-Ministru Galdes li ma kellux jibqa’ jindaħal fejn ma jesgħux. Emfasizzat ukoll li l-familjarità żejda tal-Ministru mal-kuntratturi li kienu qed jagħtu servizz lill-kumpanija ma kienet qed tagħmel ġid lil ħadd. Din hi l-gravità ta’ dak li qalet Marlene Mizzi.

Erġajna għandna każ fejn il-kontabilità ta’ li jsir mhu lest jerfagħha ħadd. L-akkużi huma iebsin.

Dan it-taħwid f’qasam assoċjat mal-akkomodazzjoni soċjali ma jgħin xejn lil dawk li qegħdin jiffaċċjaw diffikultà li jkollhom saqaf fuq rashom.

Id-Deputat Chairperson ta’ ADPD-The Green Party Carmel Cacopardo qal:”Kif anke rriżulta mill-konferenza tal-KPMG dwar il-propjetà iktar kmieni din il-ġimgħa, il-prezzijiet tal-propjetà residenzjali qegħdin jogħlew konsiderevolment. Iż-żieda hi b’rata ferm ikbar minn kemm qed jiżdiedu l-pagi.”

Il-mudell ekonomiku li fuqu miexi l-Gvern jiddependi minn influss kbir ta’ ħaddiema barranin li qegħdin joħolqu domanda konsiderevoli għall-propjetà residenzjali. Din wasslet biex kibret id-domanda għall-kiri u din serviet biex għolliet il-prezz għal kulħadd. Meta tqis ukoll li parti mill-iżvilupp ġdid qed imur lejn short-lets il-problema kibret ferm iktar.

Jekk ikun regolat sew is-suq tax-short lets kif qed jinsistu ġustament diversi kunsilli lokali, is-suq jista’ jingħata ftit nifs u tonqos il-pressjoni fuq il-lokalitajiet residenzjali tagħna bħas-Swieqi u San Pawl il-Baħar li gradwalment qed jiġu trasformati f’villaġġi turistiċi. Din it-trasformazzjoni tal-lokalitajiet tagħna hi żvilupp negattiv u qed tagħmel ħsara konsiderevoli kemm lill-infrastruttura tal-lokalitajiet kif ukoll lill-effiċjenza tas-servizzi li l-Kunsilli Lokali jagħmlu ħilithom biex jagħtu bl-aħjar dedikazzjoni.

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ADPD-The Green Party calls for an investigation into the management of Malita plc

ADPD-The Green Party Chairperson Sandra Gauci called for an investigation into the current operations of Malita plc, as to how the  company 80% owned by government-owned, has over the space of a few months gone downhill seriously risking leaving creditors in the lurch.  Somebody must bear responsibility for this, and an explanation must be provided soon.

After the resignation of the Executive Chairman of Malita plc, Johann Farrugia, earlier this week, the need to investigate these serious allegations regarding the management of Malita plc is pressing more than ever.  The credibility of Minister Roderick Galdes has been completely lost and there is the need for him to resign to minimise the damage that has been incurred.  What Marlene Mizzi has stated is definitely more credible than any denial made to the contrary.   There are very serious doubts about this, in particular allegations of interference regarding the management of the company as well as other irregularities. 

We should remember that Marlene Mizzi stated that she had been dismissed as Chairperson of Malita plc after pointing out that Minister Galdes should not interfere in the running of the company.  She has also emphasised that the Minister was overly friendly with the contractors providing goods and services, and such excessive familiarity was not healthy. 

So once again we have a situation in which nobody is ready to be accountable. The messy situation  in an area linked to social accommodation is of benefit to no one, especially for those who find it difficult to have a roof over their heads.

ADPD-The Green Party Deputy Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo added that:”It is important to keep in mind the recent KPMG conference on the property market, in which it was confirmed that property prices have increased significantly over the years.  The rate of increase in the price of property  is much higher than that of wages and salaries.” 

The economic model that this government has adopted depends on a large influx of foreign workers, which in turn is creating a high demand for residential property.   This has led to the increase in demand for rental property, which in turn has increased prices across the board.  When short-lets are taken into consideration, the problem is even more acute.   

If the short-let sector is regulated, as many local councils are insisting, the market may change somewhat to lessen the pressure on residential areas such as Swieqi and St Paul’s Bay.  These towns are quickly becoming tourist towns.  The transformation of our localities is a negative step and is causing many problems for both the infrastructure of the localities concerned as well as for the efficiency of the services provided by the local councillors, who do their best with the greatest dedication.