House puts off freeport debate

A debate due to have been held this evening on a motion to enlarge the Freeport and to extend its lease to CMA CGM by a further 35 years has been put off. Competitiveness Minister Censu Galea told the House that both sides had agreed to put off the...

A debate due to have been held this evening on a motion to enlarge the Freeport and to extend its lease to CMA CGM by a further 35 years has been put off. Competitiveness Minister Censu Galea told the House that both sides had agreed to put off the debate, but did not elaborate.

Last week Industry and Investments Minister Austin Gatt said that CMA CGM will be investing €130 million (Lm55.77 million) in the freeport and creating 500 new jobs over the next five years.

The French company was given a 30-year lease of the Freeport in 2004 and it will now be given the option to extend that by a further 35 years. The freeport area will be extended, mostly by land reclamation as shown in red in the picture.

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