Transport Minister buying time on questions regarding marina restaurant

Transport Minister Chris Bonett has avoided replying to several parliamentary questions regarding an ongoing development in Ta’ Xbiex, where Transport Malta is building a restaurant to be delivered to two close friends of Prime Minister Robert Abela.

Following revelations by The Shift and stonewalling by the CEO of Transport Malta, Kurt Farrugia, to explain why the government entity is fronting the development of a Capitanerie for a private company (Gardens Marina Ltd), PN MP Albert Buttigieg took this issue to parliament.

The Shift revealed that Transport Malta started building a Capitanerie in Ta’ Xbiex a few weeks ago. It will be turned into a restaurant and handed over to the marina operators, where the prime minister keeps his yacht.

Through four different parliamentary questions, Buttigieg asked Transport Minister Chris Bonett to explain the role of Transport Malta in building the restaurant, who is paying for the work, at what cost and who chose the architect and the contractors involved.

Buttigieg also pressed the minister to explain why, if the development formed part of a privately managed marina in Ta’ Xbiex, the marina operators were not carrying it out.

He also asked why Transport Malta consented to start the development when the permit issued by the Planning Authority was still under appeal.

Instead of answering the questions, the Transport Minister said: “Replies will be given in another parliamentary session,” in an often-used tactic to buy time.

Bonett is the third government official, along with Prime Minister Robert Abela and Transport Malta CEO Kurt Farrugia, to avoid giving information on the controversial project.

The works started despite the prime minister’s promise that no permits still under appeal would be executed.

The Capitanerie, which will mainly be a luxury restaurant with a large outside terrace for the marina’s private operators, is being built through a permit issued to Transport Malta.

CEO Kurt Farrugia is listed as the developer on official documents issued by the Building and Construction Agency.

While Transport Malta has failed to explain its involvement, including the process of acquiring the permit, the restaurant will be handed to Paul and Mark Gauci, two B’kara businessmen known as Tal-Gedida.

The brothers, who won a 25-year concession of the Transport Malta marina, frequently accompany the prime minister and his wife on their luxury yachts during their summer holidays.

The Shift has also reported that recently, the prime minister moved his Azimut yacht to the same marina, using a new berth provided by the Tal-Gedida brothers.

The prime minister did not answer questions about whether he was paying for the use of his yacht’s berth at the marina, which is estimated to cost some €15,000 a year.

The Tal-Gedida brothers also own the Sky Spirit Fitness Lounge (gym) at the airport, which the prime minister and his wife use regularly. The other shareholder in the gym business is Josie Licari, another developer and brother of Edwina Licari of Las Vegas fame.