Herman Grech
JPO regrets 'assisting' over-inflation of Mistra case
Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando speaks out on Mistra, party
Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando says he regrets the way he acted at the height of the Mistra controversy last year, but insists he only behaved in that manner because he was following orders from his party.
Dr Pullicino told The Sunday Times: "I blindly followed orders. There isn't a single word I said before or after the election that I regret. I was careful in every statement I made. I do regret that I assisted in over-inflating a non-issue, which caused a lot of hurt."
In his first interview since the court cleared two former Development Control Commission officials of exercising private interest in the adjudication of an outline permit for a development in Mistra, Dr Pullicino Orlando says he is pleased with the verdict but adds that the Planning Authority auditor should hang his head in shame.
"He has contributed to his two colleagues' distress in the past year-and-a-half."
Dr Pullicino also says there was a movement from within his party to hound him out by turning public opinion against him after the 2008 election, and he singles out former PN general secretary Joe Saliba for criticism.
However, when asked if today he considered himself to be a disgruntled MP, he says: "Definitely not.
I can't understand why anyone would consider me to be disgruntled."
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Andrea Mifsud
Nov 1st 2009, 10:50
In my opinion JPO did NOTHING wrong! It was not him that had made the application... It was not even the person renting the property from him, but the sub-letter! And anyway, I really think that the multiple restaurants popping up all over Mistra are causing more disruption to the Bay than a wooden stage and a stone path would ever have done! This whole situation has been blown out of proportion because it was in the best interest of BOTH parties to victimise and hound JPO, who had not part in the decision AT ALL! Do you really think that either party really cares whether someone builds a power plant on this land? NOT IN THE SLIGHTEST! This is all because Labour thought that they could plant personal attacks to try and win votes, and the PN wanted to sell out their majority seat holder, possibly as a deal to protect someone else in the party from investigation! I have no doubt that this is NOT the end of this story... I just hope that our political system is not dragged into disrupute because of it! Only in Malta...
Robert Zammit
Nov 1st 2009, 10:49
Some comments here amaze me !! Let's start first by saying that the pizzeria opened in mistra this summer was opened on an already existing area that was being used as an area for wedding receptions so there was no rape of anything that already existed, it was just a change of use. Secondly there is a report by the MEPA auditor that already states that is was disgusting and against all MEPA rules that the JPO land was given the permits so somewhere some one was wrong, for whatever reason, and no court judgement can change that. Maybe the wrong people were charged, maybe the case was brought before the courts in a way that it would be lost, I don't know. What i am sure of is that it was wrong to give the permits.
Franco Farrugia
Nov 1st 2009, 10:22
Huh! So, if the Party tells you to go swimming naked in the middle of winter, you go! This is not the JPO that comes out from the media and from other reports!
Ron Saliba
Nov 1st 2009, 10:14
@Anthony Mizzi
Don't inflate the story mate. Whilst i cannot stand JPO trying to play the innocent victim card, you are mistaken for trying to misguide the public about what was at stake.
Mistra bay was still going to be enjoyed by the public, as the permits were for a private field in the area. In my opinion,trying to credit Dr. Alfred Sant for saving Mistra bay is too much.
If you remember correctly, Dr. Sant gathered the media at mistra. At this press conference, Dr. Sant presented a book ' L iskandu tal Mistra' or whatever it was called.
Dr. Sant knew about the case much more before he broke the news. (there was time to publish a book about it!) But he waited till the eve of an election. In my opinion he used the mistra case as a political football and not as an interest for what was actual at stake.
Michael Seychell
Nov 1st 2009, 10:05
I was surprised how a champion for the environment, as JPO was considered, could want to 'destroy' Mistra. Having thought this when the story broke up before the election, I admit the last time I visited Mistra was for a dinner ages ago at the restaurant that was there, not far from JPO's land. This year around May I went to Mistra for capers picking, and was astonished to find another restaurant/pizzeria, next door to JPO's land .
I am definitly not an authority on environment, but it was surprising to me how a pizzeria was granted permission to operate, whilst a project proposed by a person who bought/rented JPO's land - had applied for an open air Disco with minor structures, and this was condemned by one and all, and ended in a huge political issue.
I hope NGO's explain why there were no objections to an additional restaurant/pizzeria, and why this was not considered as a rape of Mistra as well.
I close this comment by stating that I have no intention to harm in any way the Pizzeria owner, in fact I confirm that this is well renowned both for its product and service.
Michael Seychell
Tal-Pieta
James A. Tyrrell
Nov 1st 2009, 09:46
The opinion overseas is that any decision can be bought in Malta for the right price, and is it any wonder?
Kevin Zammit
Nov 1st 2009, 08:28
Polititians in Malta have no shame. A polititians supposedly depend on public opinion, not the law courts opinion. We all knew that technically nobody is guilty ... as alwasys :(
Anthony Mizzi
Nov 1st 2009, 08:01
Why has JPO refrained from mentioning Mistra Bay because that is what caused all this hullabaloo.
Mistra Bay will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come and this is all thanks to DR. Alfred Sant .
MISTRA BAY was the issue and winning at all costs the general elections by GONZPN.
At least we have what's left of Mistra Bay.....
Tony Bonello
Nov 1st 2009, 07:22
I am shocked with the out come of the court, I lost all my trust in this country. Than who issued the permits, was it God that issued them?????