Polidano ordered to repair bypass

The government is threatening building contractors Polidano Brothers with legal action over the unfinished section of the St Paul's Bay bypass, months after it claimed that the developers had agreed to do the repair work "unconditionally".

The developers have now been given till Friday to accept to repair the section of road, which collapsed in 2000 as a result of illegal excavations in nearby land belonging to Polidano.

If they do not accede to the government's demand, the work will be carried out by the authorities and Polidano will be taken to court over the expenses.

Following a complete reconstruction, the bypass was reopened last June minus the unrepaired 300-metre long section at the Xemxija end.

When opening the road, Transport Minister Jesmond Mugliett had announced that the developers had accepted to repair the road at their own expense "unconditionally" and that repair works would be completed by September.

However, when contacted, government sources said the company had an informal agreement on the matter which attached significant conditions to the deal.

Polidano Brothers' general manager Jesmond Manicaro confirmed the deal, adding that he was not aware the government had changed its mind.

Besides the reconstruction of the collapsed section, the informal agreement entailed the expropriation of Polidano's land in Xemxija, which is outside development zone. As compensation, the company would be given an equivalent piece of property (which had not been identified) within the development zone.

The developers had demanded all along that there be some sort of return for them in exchange for the repair work, arguing that the stability of the area had been compromised by the previous owners of the land, from whom they had acquired it in 1997, and not through their own excavations.

After a high-profile inquiry last year into the illegal excavations, the Malta Environment and Planning Authority refused to issue any permit, which made the property useless to Polidano.

According to government sources, however, the informal deal was overruled by the Office of the Prime Minister, which insists that the developer should simply carry out the repairs. This is why work on the site has not yet started, a month or so after it was supposed to have been completed.

The Transport Ministry dodged questions in connection with the case, saying only that "a final agreement has not been reached" and that it would "have a position by mid-October".