Labour claims Mepa used parking funds to buy Hexagon House

The Labour party has accused the planning authority of breaching regulations by illegitimately using a public fund to buy Hexagon House in Marsa.

Labour spokesman for planning Roderick Galdes said more than €3 million from the Commuted Parking Payment Scheme had been "borrowed" by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority to buy the building, which sold for more than €4,258,000.

However, this scheme was specifically intended for road works and the construction of parking spaces around Malta and Gozo, and should never have been used for something so unrelated, he said.

"This borrowing does not reflect the transparency with which public funds should be managed."

Mr Galdes added that when the Ħamrun council asked for money to build more parking spaces in the square from this fund, the original allocation promised by Mepa was eventually reduced.

"This confirms that Mepa never took the national problem of parking seriously, so much so that projects meant to be done were never implemented," he argued.

Mr Galdes added it was still not known how much of the fund had been paid back by Mepa so far.

He claimed that before the general election there had already been an attempt to use some of this scheme's funds for purposes not allowed in the regulations, but he did not elaborate.

Mr Galdes called for a thorough investigation into the repeated complaints by the Marsa mayor about the malodorous gases emerging from the building which could be causing health problems to residents and Mepa employees.

Two weeks ago, the building had to be evacuated after a stench caused by toxic hydrogen sulphide gas enveloped the place.