Future of the Royal Malta Yacht Club (2)

The editorial Yachts, Land And Promises (May 4) is a perfect illustration of all that is rotten in Maltese politics. The government handed over the location that the RMYC had occupied since 1970, to MIDI, a private concern, and essentially kicked out the club. This was a totally unnecessary and short sighted action. Fort Manoel was a fitting location for a club, run by volunteers, that has a long and distinguished history and that has succeeded in bringing international prestige to the Middle Sea Race. Rather than formalise the club's presence in Fort Manoel by drawing up a lease with the club, the government chose to give in to MIDI and donated the site to them.

That action was short sighted enough in itself, but the government now has MIDI dictating the terms of the alternative site offered to RMYC. MIDI and its chairman have no title to the alternative site and one must question why Urban Development Minister Jesmond Mugliett is apparently incapable or unwilling to draft a contract with the RMYC without the interference of a private investor! MIDI's intentions are perfectly clear. It wants to dictate all that happens on Manoel Island irrespective of whether it owns the land or not.

The last time I checked, neither MIDI nor its CEO had been elected at the last general election and therefore do not have any right to act as the representative of the government for the negotiation of a lease of public land with a third party. The editorial states: "Nobody can fault an entrepreneur for getting the best out of a deal". There is however a difference between negotiating favourable terms and downright greed for control and real estate. There is nothing honorable about MIDI's intentions or the way the minister is handling this shameful situation.

The editorial also states that the government has the right to consult anyone in the process. It certainly does, as long as it does so with the intention of protecting the taxpayer's interest rather than those of a private investor. The facts of this case indicate that the taxpayer is the last thing on the minister's mind.

The Prime Minister himself is on record as having said that the situation will be resolved. One hopes that he has enough foresight to intervene and rectify the situation. As a minimum, he has a responsibility to ensure that the Ministry of Urban Development is not being hijacked by private concerns.