It is a strange situation when what is arguably the country’s most picturesque swimming spot is occupied by sunbed and umbrella concessionaires, in the process depriving citizens of proper access, but the concessions themselves are so commercially sensitive that they cannot be made public.

But such is the ongoing situation at Comino’s Blue Lagoon, which has been swamped for years by the area’s concessionaires who have occupied practically the entire area.

Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo is still refusing to make any details about the concessions public – neither the names of the holders nor the rates payable nor any special terms and conditions that might be attached to the concessions, which would be in the public interest considering the island’s sensitivity, natural beauty and the recent eruption of public outcry and protests held over their continued occupation by the sunbed and umbrella concessionaires.

Bartolo was asked once again to table the three concessions – two at the Blue Lagoon and another at Santa Marija Bay – in Parliament by Opposition MP Rebekah Borg, shadow minister for lands, and her colleague MP Albert Buttigieg.

And once again Bartolo refused saying the documents requested were of a “commercially-sensitive nature” and, as such, could not be made public. He did, however, offer Borg the “opportunity to personally view the documents requested”.

The Shift has already revealed that the two Blue Lagoon concessions are held by Daniel Refalo – a developer and business partner of Gozitan construction magnate Joseph Portelli and Mark Cutajar. The latter is the brother of Labour MEP Josianne Cutajar and has been a canvasser for Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri. The other concession, at Santa Marija Bay, belongs to Sandro Ciliberti.

Shrouded in secrecy as they are, last December the government had conceded under pressure from Parliament that the concessions had been extended without a tender for at least two consecutive years. The extensions, highly questionable under normal public procurement rules, were given by the Malta Tourism Authority.

Borg and Buttigieg, through their PQs, have managed to establish that the Lands Authority has been ‘renting’ three of Comino’s prime areas to the MTA since 2018. The agreement, which is for 15 years, remains under wraps, with the tourism minister arguing it is “an internal document”.

Bartolo, whose family has a direct business interest in Comino, has also confirmed the MTA has given out the three concessions in Comino but will not explain under what terms or whether there had been a call for expressions of interest before the concessions were awarded.

He said at the time that “the agreements were extended until the end of 2022 due to the [Covid-19] pandemic” and that a new tender was to be issued at the beginning of 2023, which never materialised.