Revealed: Housing minister appoints close associate to assess controversial ‘Affordable Housing’ projects

Housing Minister Roderick Galdes is persisting in efforts to push through a series of controversial, multi-million-euro developments under the government’s so-called Affordable Housing scheme, appointing a close collaborator and long-time associate as chairman of the committee evaluating bids for the projects.

After repeatedly refusing to disclose the identity of the members of the evaluation committee, officially appointed by the Foundation for Affordable Housing, The Shift News can reveal that architect Alistair Avallone was appointed chairman at the direct suggestion of Minister Galdes.

The evaluation committee, which has yet to conclude its work, also includes two other architects nominated by the government: Matthew Briffa and Carmen Bigeni. Both are known to have close ties to the minister.

At the same time, the Archbishop’s Curia, which is participating in the scheme by contributing land formerly owned by the Church, has nominated three architects to act as evaluators on its behalf: Daniel Darmanin, Ray Demicoli and Andrew Ellul. The latter is a sitting member of the Planning Authority’s board, has worked on several projects linked to rogue Gozo developer Joseph Portelli, and is married to Elizabeth Ellul, the chair of the Planning Commission, whose tenure has drawn criticism for the high number of development permits issued outside development zones (ODZ).

Sources close to the Housing Ministry told The Shift News that Avallone’s role as chairman makes him the most influential member of the evaluation committee, with the ability to steer discussions and shape outcomes.

Avallone is widely regarded as being close to Minister Galdes.

Over recent years, he has benefited from several direct orders issued by Galdes’s ministry. He is also a senior figure within the Tarxien Band Club, one of the most influential organisations in Galdes’s electoral district. His proximity to the Labour administration was further underlined in 2023, when he was appointed chairman of Residency Malta, the government agency responsible for selling residency permits to wealthy third-country nationals, mostly Chinese and from the Middle East.

Despite repeated parliamentary questions, particularly from PN MP Albert Buttigieg and freedom of information requests, Minister Galdes has consistently refused to name the members of the evaluation committee, arguing that disclosure would not be in the interests of the scheme.

The Affordable Housing initiative itself has been the subject of widespread criticism from developers and the construction industry at large.

Under the scheme, the government is placing large plots of land in Fgura, St Julian’s, Marsascala and Kirkop – formerly owned by the Church – up for grabs.

Rather than the Housing Authority developing the sites directly and selling units through a subsidised and transparent process to those in need, the government is transferring the land to private developers at a heavily discounted price. In return, developers are required to sell completed units at approximately 30 per cent below market value.

Critics argue that because land is typically the most expensive component of any construction project, developers awarded these plots stand to make substantially higher profits than they would if they had acquired land on the open market.

Among the bidders reported to have submitted offers are Anton Camilleri, known as “Tal-Franċiż”, and Bonnici Brothers, a major construction firm closely connected to Prime Minister Robert Abela.

Concerns surrounding the scheme are compounded by Minister Galdes’s own property dealings.

The Shift News has previously reported that Galdes has built a sizeable personal real-estate portfolio since joining the Labour government. He was also exposed for engaging in private property transactions with contractors who have received multi-million-euro public contracts during his tenure, including Joseph Portelli and Mark Agius, known as “Ta’ Dirjanu”.

Despite mounting allegations of conflicts of interest and calls for his resignation, Prime Minister Abela has continued to defend Galdes and has refused to remove him from his post.