Waylon Johnston
Pullicino Orlando 'offered land for disco'
Dominic Micallef, the developer of the proposed Mistra disco, yesterday morning claimed in court that Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando had offered him two sites for a disco before coming up with land at Mistra.
Mr Micallef was testifying in the compilation of evidence in the case against Philip Azzopardi, 57, of Naxxar and Anthony Mifsud, 50, of Birżebbuġa, who it is being alleged had private interests in the adjudication process. They were respectively the chairman and member on the Mepa Development Control Commission which approved the project last November.
The two are charged with having a private interest in adjudication.
Mr Micallef said that in 2005 he had tried to open a project at Splash and Fun in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq but, for some reason or other, permission was not granted. His gut feeling was that competitors in the entertainment industry had tried to sabotage him.
He then looked around for a site to develop, preferably in the north of the island, since it was upmarket.
He met Dr Pullicino Orlando at a political activity and spoke to him about finding such a site and the MP told him he would help him to find a place.
At first he thought Dr Pullicino Orlando was bluffing because he had contacted various MPs on both sides of the House who used to promise him help but never did.
"However Dr Pullicino Orlando called me and offered two places, one at Rinella Movie Park and one at Ta' Qali."
Mr Micallef said he declined both because there was a club at Ta' Qali already, and Rinella Movie Park was in the south and he wanted something upmarket in the north.
Dr Pullicino Orlando then told him about his own land in Mistra.
Mr Micallef said this site impressed him when he saw it, as it suited his ideas.
It was agreed that he would rent the property for 15 years at €34,950 a year, but he did not want to sign anything with Dr Pullicino Orlando until development permits were issued.
Mr Micallef said he then spoke to architect Paul Camilleri so that he could start the application process. The application was made in the name of his (Mr Micallef's) cousin because he wanted to avoid the sabotage he suspected at Splash and Fun.
Mr Micallef said he had explained to Mr Camilleri that this would be an open area. Some 55 per cent would be a green area and the rest would include a platform of not more than 1.3m off the ground for 500 people.
He had told Dr Pullicino Orlando about his ideas and that it would be a VIP club in the north and Dr Pullicino Orlando signed the application for an outline permit as the owner of the land.
Once the application was submitted to Mepa he was asked for a compliance certificate from the Malta Tourism Authority.
The Mepa board met several times over a period of two years, repeatedly asking for more information on the project.
Mr Camilleri then recommended George Micallef as a consultant to draw up the report, which was duly submitted to Mepa and the MTA.
Mr Micallef said that over the two-year period he phoned Dr Pullicino Orlando several times asking him to check on the progress of the application.
Mr Micallef said he had not been pressing for a "yes" but for a "yes or no". He just wanted an answer because time was money and he had other options in Malta and abroad.
In November 2007, Mr Camilleri informed him that the outline permit had been granted subject to a lot of conditions which involved a change of plans.
Mr Micallef said he then drew up a contract with Dr Pullicino Orlando.
Taking the witness stand, Silvio Farrugia, Assistant Director (Development Services) at Mepa said Dr Pullicino Orlando had attended meetings between liaison officers, which were normally attended by interested parties, notably when applications were turned down. At one of those meetings he had explained the conditions imposed with the outline permit, and Dr Pullicino Orlando looked visibly unhappy.
A problem they had discussed was parking because the parking area had to be informal so as to allow the natural flow of water through the valley. Mr Micallef said that when he had asked Dr Pullicino Orlando about this problem he said he would give him another piece of land for parking. He added that Dr Pullicino Orlando had bought this land while the development application was being processed.
Mr Micallef said that some two days later, the proposed development featured on a billboard and he had seen it while driving through Msida.
Dr Pullicino Orlando called him and asked him to withdraw the application and they agreed to stop the application one week before the election.
Asked why he had withdrawn the application when there was nothing wrong, Mr Micallef said he felt he should cooperate with Dr Pullicino Orlando, who was the owner of the land.
Daphne Carla Agius, a Mepa Planning Officer, said she had initially recommended the refusal of the development application as it was not seen as being sustainable. However, there were occasions when applications were refused by case officers but then approved by the board and vice versa.
The case continues.
Police Inspectors Ian Abdilla and Angelo Gafa' prosecuted.
Lawyers Joseph Giglio, Stephen Tonna Lowell and Peter Fenech appeared for Mr Mifsud and Mr Azzopardi.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Petrol price up 6c
'No need for early election if PM's...
In Discussion
22 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
philip pace
Sep 24th 2008, 08:59
This has been going round for many years as if one has to listen to what people think and say (not an amatuerish vox pop), people do not feel that the law of the land is satisfying due to the type of sentences handed on different crimes committed.
I predict that JPO would come out clean from this sleazy and sordid affair yet clever way on it's modus operandi as to how it started.
The law would find JPO not guilty but the street law would tarnish JPO for ever. He would not be that much credible anymore. He would lose friends and associates. In other words though he would free his reputation would be muddled for ever. He would end up alone and later he would resign.
The problem would lie on the Prime Minister as with his inabilty to act on this case from the onset, with self doubts constantly on his mind, he would not be in a position to govern effectively as one of his members has been discredited by the law of the street.
He has a very dangerous time bomb ticking in his party, a time bomb that can explode any moment.
Banana bomb
philip pace
Sep 24th 2008, 08:43
Welcome to the circus,
In a supposedly democratic country, there are two forms of 'law'.
One is the bending of the law where a seasoned and very much experienced lawyer would bend the law according to the client's needs. Legal loopholes are there to be lawfully used, manipulated and decided on. If that can be done, there is nothing that one can do about it, if you finish off as a victim and have to pay the price and feel shortchanged by the whole 'legal' process.
This has been used countless of times here in Malta where certain clever and smart lawyers use it, unless someone decides to come clean about it and would ruin their 'legal' work. An amendment of the bended law would follow, to close up the loophole, if it would be possible to do so as this would depend on who and the type of the victim.
The other 'law' (which is unwritten) is the street one where opinions, perceptions have been already formedby the public, no matter what on how the verdict would turn out.. This might be due to a lot of reasons but it is a customary thing. (continued)
roger camilleri
Sep 23rd 2008, 20:20
Joanne Micallef
RESIGN? that word is out the maltese vocabulary if you know what i mean.
Jeffrey Mallia
Sep 23rd 2008, 20:11
I can't understand how on earth there are people still trying to defend JPO regarding this issue. It really makes me feel ashamed that I form part of this nation. It seems that people never learn............I'm not proud to be maltese no..."shame on you, shame on you." These words keeps ringing in my ears !!
God have mercy on these people.
Jeremy J Camilleri
Sep 23rd 2008, 20:05
JPO: Lanqas naf xejn fuq dan il-progett.....
'A problem they had discussed was parking because the parking area had to be informal so as to allow the natural flow of water through the valley. Mr Micallef said that when he had asked Dr Pullicino Orlando about this problem he said he would give him another piece of land for parking. He added that Dr Pullicino Orlando had bought this land while the development application was being processed.'
So he even thought about the parking issues....He was confident regarding the disco permit wasn't he?
If I had voted for him I would be really well..you know what I mean...
Iain Sims
Sep 23rd 2008, 15:09
Just so we're all clear on the meaning of corruption:
"Corruption is essentially termed as an impairment of integrity, virtue or moral principle; depravity, decay, and/or an inducement to wrong by improper or unlawful means, a departure from the original or from what is pure or correct, and/or an agency or influence that corrupts."
P.Schembri
Sep 23rd 2008, 13:44
OK, corruption is not the case then. How come JPO offered two alternative places, both of them public land before offering the developer the Mistra land? These two pieces of land one of them Rinella, is not his property. Or he has become a sensar now? He will soon be called jack of all trades. Dentist, politician, parliamentarian, part-time journalist and now a sensar. What next may I ask?
J. Baldacchino
Sep 23rd 2008, 13:34
@Joseph Schembri
Without any form of political bias whatsoever, I am simply being objective towards the issues raised in this article. The issues with regards to which the Mistra case is in court about is not whether the words 'scandal' or 'lies' apply or not, and I do not think that the argument lies in whether the language used was correct or not. Please do not try and argument about non-issues and focus on objectivity towards this case in question. It seems to constantly be emerging that there was a gross misappropriation somewhere in the system, and it lies to the courts to determine exactly where. I am simply appealing for non-partisan objectivity over such a sensitive case.
Manuel Micallef
Sep 23rd 2008, 13:23
DECENCY
I think the Maltese people deserve much better from their government.
This issue was important for many reasons:-
1. It was a key issue during the election campaign;
2. JPO was portraying himself (and his party) as a green guy;
3. JPO lied to the mation on several times on public media. In a decent country he would be impeached only for this fact.
4. We are not Zimbabwe - we desrve better then this.
I hope the electorate will not forget these acts -
whilst Sant had his defects - he did not lie and was right - at least on this issue.
Manuel Micallef
Sep 23rd 2008, 13:23
DECENCY
I think the Maltese people deserve much better from their government.
This issue was important for many reasons:-
1. It was a key issue during the election campaign;
2. JPO was portraying himself (and his party) as a green guy;
3. JPO misled the nation several times on public media. In a decent country he would be impeached only for this fact.
4. We are not Zimbabwe - we desrve better then this.
I hope the electorate will not forget these acts -
whilst Sant had his defects - he did not lie and was right - at least on this issue.
I. M. Dingli
Sep 23rd 2008, 13:19
@ Mr. Joseph Schembri
The scandal is in the fact that the area in question is a green area but still, certain MEPA officials went ahead with the approval of the project. Corruption was a ‘big’ word used by Dr. Sant to emphasis the whole matter which in my opinion was an overstatement.
Regards your allegations of JPO not knowing the details of the project, well, what can I say, had he known the details he would have raised the rent I suppose!! 15k of old Maltese Liri a year are quite justified for using the land for farming purposes, isn’t that so?
Also, the clause within the contract signed by JPO (who knew nothing about the development), stating that JPO will be owner of all the structures built on the property after the expiry of the same lease, was not self-explanatory enough in your opinion. These facts were raised by Mr. Bondi in Bondiplus and not in a program by Charlon Gouder on One TV.
Michael Gatt
Sep 23rd 2008, 13:17
So after all Dr. Sant was not throwing mud to anyone as the now Prime Minister tried to defend JP before the elections
Joanne Micallef
Sep 23rd 2008, 13:16
JPO might not be guilty of corruption but he surely is guilty of deceit. The only honourable thing left for him to do is to RESIGN.
Joseph Schembri
Sep 23rd 2008, 12:09
@J.Baldacchino
There are two issues in the JPO case:
1. Sant described it as a "scandal" and as evidence of "corruption in high places". This has not been proven. All that JPO did was exert pressure like all MPs do.
2. It is claimed that "JPO" lied about his knowledge and involvement in the project.
JPO always said that the land was his, that he was aware of the project but did not know the details or the applicant. All of this has been proven to be correct.
So where are the "lies" and where is the "scandal". If JPO had anything to hide why was he so prepared to confront Sant?
GS Darmanin
Sep 23rd 2008, 11:26
The mud was not about honesty or being politically ethical but about corruption. So yes Sant threw mud. Most people did not believe Sant...because they remembered what he did to Michael Frendo years before.
So far no corruption appears...
C Cassar
Sep 23rd 2008, 11:24
Well said J. Baldacchino. Who can forget JPO's vehement assertions that he knew nothing about the proposed project ... other than those who are trying hard to do so?
J. Baldacchino
Sep 23rd 2008, 11:10
@ Joseph Sciberras
Please re-read the article objectively. Let me tackle what you said yourself, however, for the sake of the argument.
"He said that he did not know the applicant - this was confirmed in this testimony as the application was made in the cousin's name." Are you seriously going to accept that as a valid excuse? That's a simple lawyer's way of wriggling out of a tight corner - he DID know the developer, he told him about the land himself, as testified in court!
"He said that he did not know the details of the project - again confirmed in this testimony." Again, please re-read the testimony. He might not have known the precise planning, but a disco is a disco - SOME construction of some sort must take place! You're trying too hard to swallow all they throw at you, Mr. Sciberras.
"He said he was not the developer - again confirmed in this testimony." Did anyone ever accuse JPO of being the developer himself? I don't seem to recall this.
Is being objective THAT difficult?
I. M. Dingli
Sep 23rd 2008, 10:33
@ Joseph Sciberras
I suggest you read the article again.
Carmelo Borg Pisani
Sep 23rd 2008, 10:19
din tinten wisq JPO.
Sant was right.
Eagerly awaiting your resignation. Do not make Malta look like Zimbabwe.
Joseph Sciberras
Sep 23rd 2008, 09:59
Can I suggest that before people post on this article they look up what JPO actually said before the election? If they can't be bothered let me summarise for you. He said that he did not know the applicant - this was confirmed in this testimony as the application was made in the cousin's name. He said that he did not know the details of the project - again confirmed in this testimony. He said he was not the developer - again confirmed in this testimony. Where are the "lies"? Can someone please QUOTE VERBATIM what JPO said that has now been shown to be untrue?
It is evident that those attacking JPO have an ulterior motive - that of attacking PM Gonzi and the PN Government.
Muscat Peter
Sep 23rd 2008, 09:44
D. Micallef under oath testified that J.P.O. knew from day one about the ‘Mistra development’. So this was never a case of ‘electoral mud slinging’.
The hundred million Euro question is: Did he lie to the Prime Minister too?
Whatever! The ball is now at GonziPN’s parlour! What is the Prime Minister to do?
Is Dr Gonzi to ask for JPO’s resignation? Or is Dr Gonzi to play 'deaf and dumb'?
The ‘diminishing credibility’ of GonziPN is now on the rocks. I wonder what is next.
Mario Mifsud
Sep 23rd 2008, 09:18
sob sob
I do not know anything... sob sob nothing about this disco ...sniff sniff
Dr Alfred Sant is setting all this up ... sob sob
He is trying to throw mud at me (hanky blow)
Why ? sob WHY? (more sobbing, tear shedding etc)
JPO
What a terrific telenovela ...