Capo Crudo, a former regatta club in lower Valletta, which in 2017 was converted into an illegal ‘high-end’ restaurant by businessmen close to the Labour government, is allowed to continue operating despite its owners refusing to pay a €50,000 fine to the Planning Authority, accumulated over six years.
In 2017, owners Keith Seychell and Marvin Scicluna disregarded the law and converted the premises into a restaurant. The Planning Authority issued an enforcement notice, ordering the owners to dismantle their illegal development and pay a fine of €50 per day until they comply with the law.
Although the Authority has the right to take direct action and dismantle the illegalities, it preferred to give Seychell and his partner time to get their business in order.
Still, more than eight years later, and with thousands in turnover and profits, the restaurant continues to operate in an illegal building. At the same time, Seychell and Scicluna have never paid a cent of their €50-a-day fine.
In a judicial letter sent to the two businessmen, the Planning Authority requested that they pay a total of €50,000, which they owe for operating their illegal restaurant and failing to comply with the law between 2017 and 2023.
So far, the fine remains unpaid, and the restaurant continues to operate in full swing, charging patrons extravagant prices to enjoy the Marsamxett Harbour view from their unauthorised building.
To add insult to injury, the contraveners also include the Lands Authority, as the land occupied by Seychell’s illegal restaurant belongs to the public. It is unclear whether the Lands Authority has taken legal action to order Seychell out of its property.
Described as a colourful person, Seychell, a 45-year-old property developer from Marsaskala, regularly flaunts his wealth on social media.
Until a few years ago, he was a business partner of former Labour Minister Jose Herrera in property development, and Ministers regularly dined at his restaurant.
Seychell is also involved in other questionable deals, such as the so-called Metropolis Tower in Gżira, launched with great pomp by disgraced former prime minister Joseph Muscat in 2015, but remains an excavated hole to this day. At the time, Seychell was considered to be Libyan businessman Husni Bey’s representative on the stalled project.
Sign up to our newsletter Stay in the know
"*" indicates required fields
Delia reports threats and intimidation by ambassador nominee’s partner
‘Definitely much better if we had a clear yes or no’ – Chamber of Commerce on electoral uncertainty
Labour youths ignored as Abela ‘had a bad day’
Marmara’s direct orders surge ahead of expected elections
Tags
#Capo Crudo
#court
#Fines
#illegal
#Keith Seychell
#Marsamxett
#Marvin Schembri
#PA
#Valletta regatta club
Other News
Delia reports threats and intimidation by ambassador nominee’s partner
‘Definitely much better if we had a clear yes or no’ – Chamber of Commerce on electoral uncertainty
Labour youths ignored as Abela ‘had a bad day’
Marmara’s direct orders surge ahead of expected elections
Anger within Curia over costly conversion of ODZ farmhouse for Archbishop Scicluna
Gaffarena: the untold story
Prime Minister attempts to force disclosure of The Shift’s donors and contributors
Alleged money launderer, car thief claims to have been ‘good friend and business partner’ of deceased victim
TM launches massive internal promotions exercise as elections loom
Single bidder for Marsascala affordable housing tender as major developers snub scheme
Valletta residents welcome rare refusal of outdoor seating permit in capital city’s packed streets
And this is what is so TYPICALLY wrong on these Islands today, instead of taking action against these people and closing down or demolishing ilegal properties , the PA, just gives out fines, which are never paid and the present Government approves the sanctioning when applied for by the owner and STILL does not pay the fine.
It would be better if fines were at minimum 10 times higher, and if not paid within 3 months , offenders then taken to the courts at their own expence, if still refusing to pay after another 3 month period, and instant jail sentence and property confiscated
This is why the island needs bailiffs to enforce legal notices and collect the fines and court costs
“more than eight years later, and with thousands in turnover and profits”
Looking at their menu, the turnover over the past 8 years is likely to be in the region of around €1 million a year.
The government is a total joke 😃
And what is the opposition ? A zoo?
We have one, which also illegal!
For Malta it is an absolute tragedy.
Worse than that, it is an aider and abetter.
A mafia!!
How did you do the math? 365 days multiple by eight years multiple by €50 for each day is €146.000. Did they give him a discount too !?
The fine is capped at €50,000.
If it’s capped at 50K they will continue to procrastinate until the fine is enforced. If they pay it the €50 daily fine will start to aggregate again. So a no brainer.
“… as the land occupied by Seychell’s illegal restaurant belongs to the public”: nothing belongs to the public anymore; everything is owned by big deal business who lay down the rules and government looks on helpless and salivating awaiting their next financial contribution to the party’s next electoral campaign
Just freeze their assets take their money and throw them in jail. And demolish everything
However if you ain’t a government stuge and do something much smaller, the police will investigate and prosecute until you life is ruined.
Hire a bulldozer, a skip and let loose.
Metropolis project is not an empty hole to this day! It is as built till street level with a multi car park and waiting to conclude contracts to continue works on the towers.
Oh, wow! Are we supposed to be impressed? Take your time ta…