After a much-hyped press conference announcing the replenishment and extension of the Ghadira Bay beach last year, The Shift can report that Transport Minister Aaron Farrugia has suddenly changed his mind and cancelled the whole project.

After spending tens of thousands of euros on studies, permit applications, architects, the launching of a public procurement process and adverts that were pasted across social media and billboards, Farrugia has now told Parliament the project that he and Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo had announced was no longer being considered as a priority.

The minister did not explain the sudden change of heart or what happened to the project between its announcement and cancellation.

Asked by Opposition MP Chris Said to inform the House about what happened to the project announced in 2022 and when works were to be completed, Farrugia gave a terse reply.

“Priorities have changed since then as the government is now focusing on other projects which are considered to be more essential and important in this particular moment,” Farrugia said.

The minister did not elaborate on which priorities he was speaking about or why the tens of thousands of euros spent preparing for the project had gone down the drain.

The Shift is informed the project was cancelled after several curious coincidences in the procurement process.

The Shift reported last year how the half-a-million-euro tender for the now-shelved project had been poorly managed by the government.

A tender was originally issued by the corruption-tainted Projects Malta, now Malta Strategic Partnerships Projects Ltd and was won by the Bonnici Brothers’ €500,000 bid, which wasn’t the lowest offer for the project.

Crying foul, Polidano Brothers objected and challenged the public tender’s award before the Public Contracts Review Board.

After an investigation, the board decided that Projects Malta was wrong to have awarded the contract to Bonnici Brothers and ordered the tender to be re-evaluated and for it to be awarded to the cheapest bidder.

But instead of doing that, it now results that Projects Malta, which falls under Prime Minister Robert Abela’s direct remit, suddenly decided the project was no longer a priority and cancelled it.

Bonnici Brothers is closely connected to Robert Abela, who was the company’s legal representative for many years while also serving as the Planning Authority’s legal consultant. He was also in business with Gilbert Bonnici, the Bonnici Group managing director, together with his wife Lydia.

The government has so far not indicated whether the Ghadira Bay project has been permanently shelved or merely postponed.