Government persists in secrecy over ‘affordable housing’ scheme

The Government, through the so-called Foundation for Affordable Housing and Minister Roderick Galdes, continued to hide important details about a dubious building scheme aimed at providing ‘affordable housing’ to those who cannot access the current property market, presenting a golden opportunity for developers to make a quick buck.

Galdes, who has put his canvasser, Jake Azzopardi, in charge of the initiative, is refusing to state who will be evaluating the seven bids received and which construction magnates are seeking to turn public land into tens of flats at a significant profit.

So far, both Galdes and the Foundation, which are facing scrutiny over the workings of the controversial scheme, are refusing to give details on the bidders for each plot made available. Instead, through a terse press release, they stated that seven bids were received, without providing any details or specifications.

This contradicts the administration of everyday public Expressions of Interest (EOIs), issued under public procurement rules. Strangely, this process is not being managed through the Department of Contracts, as is usually the case.

Pressed in Parliament to provide a detailed list of the submitted bids by PN MP Albert Buttigieg, Minister Galdes refused. Instead, he referred the MP to a press release issued last month, which gives general details of the seven bidders.

Massive plots in Fgura, St Julian’s, Marsacala, and Kirkop are up for grabs to transform them into some 260 flats. Construction magnates not generally associated with social housing, such as Anton Camilleri ‘Tal-Franciz’ and Bonnici Brothers, closely connected to the Prime Minister, are among those vying for this golden opportunity.

According to the scheme, the winning bidders will be given public land at a heavily discounted price to build flats and sell them at a 30 per cent discount. However, they will be able to make higher profits since the land component is the most expensive part of the project.

Asked why the Government does not build the plots and could offer a bigger discount than proposed, Galdes and the Foundation did not explain.

The housing minister is also refusing to disclose the names of the members of the ‘independent’ evaluation board, tasked with selecting the winning bidders.

The Foundation is a government-church initiative, and the public plots to be used in the initiative once formed part of church property.

The Foundation has a six-member board, three representing the Government and three appointed by Archbishop Charles Scicluna.

Robert Buontempo – a Curia representative- is currently chairing the Foundation.