€240,000 from Housing Development Fund diverted to minister’s districts

Nearly a quarter of a million euro from state funds managed by the Housing Authority’s ‘Housing Development Fund’ (HDF) has been redirected to football and band clubs in the districts of Housing Minister Roderick Galdes.

According to information obtained by The Shift through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, a substantial portion of the HDF funds has ended up in Minister Galdes’s constituencies, with minimal or no connection to social housing and accommodation, raising concerns about the management of funds designated for social accommodation.

Minister Galdes has declined to provide details on how he is funding giveaways to NGOs and organisations in his electoral districts, amid suspicion that the funds are being used to improve his electoral prospects rather than being allocated to those in need of social housing.

A case in point is the diversion of approximately €154,000 from this fund to the Fgura Football Club – an important locality in the fourth district, which Galdes will be contesting.

According to the FOI information provided by the Housing Authority, the funds, approved in 2023, are being used to improve accessibility and safety at the club’s football ground.

“These upgrades will create a stable and secure environment, enabling young students to safely utilise the premises for both training sessions and social activities, thereby supporting their physical development and community engagement,” the Authority said.

Another €30,000 was allocated to the Qormi Football Club – the Housing Minister’s hometown and primary constituency.

Once again, these funds have no connection to housing. But according to the Authority, the money is being used for the refurbishment of the dormitory at the football ground to create a versatile space for activities that support the development and wellbeing of young players.

No other football clubs have been allocated funds from the same scheme, except for Marsa FC, a locality abutting Qormi where many constituents from Galdes’s hometown send their children for training.

While during the summer, Galdes makes it a point to post videos on social media showing him distributing donations to almost all the band clubs in his districts – from Paola to Luqa and Qormi – he also donated another €30,000 to the San George Band Club in Qormi to install a lift.

The minister, considered as one of the most parochial in Robert Abela’s Cabinet, made sure he was present at a ceremony during the locality’s feast to inaugurate the new lift.

The Shift has already reported how Labour candidates, including Rosianne Cutajar, contesting the same district, have complained to the Prime Minister about the “abuse” of public funds by their rival.

According to the information obtained by The Shift, some of the €2 million funds distributed through the HDF were used for beneficial social projects, including a residential programme for prisoners by NGO Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl and a mental health programme by the Richmond Foundation.

Still, there is no transparency in how the fund is being administered.