The Planning Authority’s controversial decision last week to approve the demolition of the only British barracks in Gozo is now making the rounds internationally, as the authoritative British newspaper The Times of London has picked up the story.
In an article titled ‘Uproar over plan to bulldoze British barracks in Malta’, the paper quoted Michael Caruana, the Gozitan businessman behind the deal, insisting that the barracks were insignificant in the fort’s historical context, contrary to the assessment of heritage experts.
Stating that the demolition of the barracks “makes a lot of sense for Malta and Gozo,” he told the London Times that Fort Chambray “is a landmark not because of the barracks but because of the Fort, and we are restoring all the fortifications.”
“It is important for Gozo to grow economically, and it needs high-end tourism,” Caruana stated.
The Times of London’s article about the Fort’s destruction
The Shift had revealed how the concession for the development of Fort Chambray was to change hands, opening the floodgates for more development, with Caruana telling this newsroom that making money from the concession “was his right”.
NGOs denounced this and further development in the area, chastizing the authorities for permitting the further destruction of Gozo’s historical heritage. Din l-Art Ħelwa, Wirt Għawdix, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, and many others resisted the permit and called on the government to withdraw it. But they were ignored.
The permit for the development was instead fast-tracked, with the Planning Authority permitting the demolition of the barracks and its arched two-storey exterior to be reassembled as the façade of a new five-star hotel further back from the cliff edge within the grounds of the Fort.
Most of the new development earmarked for the area by a group of developers, acquiring the Fort’s government concession from Caruana, consists of flats to be sold for residential use. They also plan to build a five-star hotel as part of the development.
The Times of London said the 1898 barracks at Fort Chambray hosted military officers and their families during the British colonial presence in Malta, which ended in 1964.
The government gave Caruana the concession to develop it into a mixed-tourism village. However, he abandoned the project for years and left the Fort to deteriorate without delivering on his concession obligations.
Instead of re-possessing the Fort, the government, with the consent of the PN opposition, approved a parliamentary resolution to transfer the concession to new developers. Gozo PN shadow Minister Alex Borg voted in favour.
The new ‘owners’ of the Fort Chambray concession are Francesco Grima, known as il-Gigu, Vince Borg, known as Ċensu n-Nizz, and the owner of the controversial Bitmac batching plant in San Ġwann, Ninu Fenech of Motors Inc, Oliver Brownrigg of BT Group and Mario Gauci of Burmarrad Commercials.
I have a God given right to make money, legitimately working my proverbial arse off, however I don’t get preferential government treatment OR lucrative concessions from the latter, coming to that Mr Caruana!
Why do we vote for these two main political parties?! Both are as crooked as a dog’s hind leg, yes maybe one political party is more crooked than the other. Yet however, at the end of the day THEY are BOTH Crooked!
I can imagine this place in Gozo to become another ‘modern style’ Tigne Point like in Sliema.
Everything on the islands of Malta has to be five star hotels with their numbers never to be enough. One wonders who’s going to book there anymore, given the increase of noisy (and thus rather sleepless) nights are not to end as long as the PL is in power.
If only the PL govt would be as equal eager in improving the housing situation for the Maltese, but their voters are always only then interesting to them once in five years, when the general election is due. Before and afterwards, they are probably considered to be just ‘some sort of a nuisance’. But the real ‘nuisance’ are those top-tier PLers who get lots of money for what they are doing or not doing at all. This article is just another proof for that like so many other articles have been before.
This has been an LP/PN conspiracy to cheat the public
X gharukaza! U kullhadd illupjat ma jaghmel xejn! Saru miljunarji min fuq artna! Mbad lanqas skola ma ghandna fejn nibnu w erbat ijiem ohra inkunu rridu sptar ikbar u mhux ser ikun hemm fejn jinbena! Kompli capcap ja gahan!
Talking of schools, last Sunday I was invited to watch a presentation at the ex Maria Regina Grammar school, in Blata l bajda, which school I m proud to have attended. I was shocked to see the disastrous state it is in. What a shame when all our precious tax money is being gobbled up by these pigs. Viva l lejber u l hnezrijiet kollha taghhom.
Then just try to avoid the tax since both parties are like this.
All these dodgy decisions taken by the PA, yet, the FIAU and the police, in so many years, do not look into the finances of the individuals sitting on the Board who are taking such descions, inclusive of decisions which go against court rulings? Suspect…
How can someone who loves his own country authorise such a thing? Why do all decisions come down to MAKING MONEY regardless of what will be lost to the present and future generations? Unbelievable!