White Rocks negotiations should be completed within weeks - PM
The negotiations with a British consortium on the development of the White Rocks Complex should be completed within a few weeks, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said this evening.
The Prime Minister, who was being asked questions about the budget on Radio RTK, said that this project had not been included with other infrastructural works in the budget because it was going to be self-financing.
Profits from the project would be invested in top-class sports facilities that would benefit athletes and encourage sports tourism.
The White Rocks Sports Village project also includes 300 apartments.
Dr Gonzi was also asked about Air Malta and he said that the restructuring process which had been going on for year now had to be accelerated.
The government was currently seeking the European Union’s approval to inject €100 million into Air Malta and the time had now come to start discussions with unions, workers and the opposition, on the decisions which had to be taken.
Commercial decisions, the Prime Minister said, had to be taken reasonably for the good of the company and the country.
Dr Gonzi said that ministers and parliamentary secretaries were to be instructed, during Monday's cabinet meeting, to increase efficiency and reduce expenses.
Describing the budget presented last Monday, Dr Gonzi said it was a strategic budget that was presented in the middle of a legislature and of an economic tempest.
It built on the good results achieved this year and addressed particular sectors of society, including pensioners, parents who sent their children to private school, those on the minimum wage and women who wanted to enter the employment world but were afraid they would lose benefits, for example.
Dr Gonzi said that his government would be implementing the electoral promise of a reduction in the income tax rate at the right moment.
“I have to be responsible and take the right decisions at the right time. Slowly, we will implement all our electoral promises,” he said.
The Prime Minister pointed out that the government had already started implementing this promise.
Women returning to work after having a baby did not pay income tax for the first year, for example.
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Kevin Formosa
Oct 28th 2010, 08:19
I bet 100 euros that this fantastic project wouldn't be ready within the time frame planned...What are the odds please, because that would be easy money!!!
kevin formosa
Oct 28th 2010, 08:07
Gonzi PN = Gonzi Pastazati Nazzjonali!!! Tixba tisma Cucati!!!
adrian nelson
Oct 27th 2010, 22:19
So near to the sea .... and indeed no space for shore sport angling.
That would have been good!
paul brincat
Oct 27th 2010, 21:21
PUBLIC LAND for 300 APARTMENTS just under madliena FOR FREE ! 300 apartments is almost as much as portomaso - where was the tender ? where was the public call for applications ? Disgusting.
ASpiteri
Oct 27th 2010, 21:14
The White Rocks Sports Village project also includes 300 apartments.
yet there's no sign of such monstrosity in the visual presented to the government!
C Cassar
Oct 27th 2010, 20:04
Fantastic news. A dilapidated dump of an area that will now be cleaned up and provide a facility to be enjoyed by everyone. Another project in the regeneration on Malta. The real issue here is why the local Maltese used the area to dump any kind of rubbish/junk? Those that are making excuses to complain about this new development on this blog should really ask that question. Why have these same people been so quiet on this issue? Maybe they were the ones using this area as their personal dump? Another nice aspect of the Maltese people.
marco meli
Oct 27th 2010, 21:21
Excuse me mr cassar but it was your goverment who decided to close the white rocks and make it "a dilapated dump of an area" . I see you are short of memory or took the advantage to boast of "another project in the regeneration of malta" as if the white rocks wasn't another project under the labour goverment! (as was the airport hotel in luqa, closed to make way for water services).
wally vella-zarb
Oct 27th 2010, 23:15
And what nationality are YOU to make such sweeping generalisations about the Maltese Nation?
kevin formosa
Oct 28th 2010, 08:10
Ohlom li kollox kif qed timmagina gej siehbi....Jaqaw wihed li tibla is-sunnara mill- ewwel int?
C. Muscat
Oct 28th 2010, 08:22
Mr. Cassar, if is it so good why this was not mentioned inthe budget speech? Kollox ghal ftit hbieb tal-hbieb; l-ewwel il-flus tal-kaxxa ta' Malta; wara id-deheb tal-familja bhal Mid Med u l-lotteriji u issa nibqghu ghaddejjin naghtu l-art lis-sinjuri.
M Filletti
Oct 28th 2010, 09:20
The only place that was a dump was the white rocks complex,
I am someone who has devoted my weekends and every other free time i have looking after and maintaining the bmx track and serounding areas, The white rocks comlex is only a small part of the area which is going to be knocked down for this project.
J. Formosa
Oct 27th 2010, 19:51
Austerity measures in Europe...investment and more jobs in Malta!!
Fred Beach
Oct 27th 2010, 21:23
Brussells is about to vote its self a 6% increase in its own budget, while its members tighten their belts. So much for the age of austerity.
S Camilleri
Oct 27th 2010, 19:49
Who wants to bet that the "right moment" to reduce Income Tax will be election year?
M Mealclaff
Oct 27th 2010, 19:23
OH NOW I SEE !
That's why they evicted the Caravans .. !!!
patrick zammit
Oct 27th 2010, 19:11
When was the tender issued?
Jesmond Micallef
Oct 27th 2010, 19:06
At first I was struck by seeing so much rugby put into this sports complex but then again football is so much popular on continental europe. Still though, I would have personally prefered football somehow. Once again may this sports complex reap benefits to the nation and may it also serve as a venue for future competitions. The Commonwealth Games come to mind here.
David Ganado
Oct 28th 2010, 09:26
When you consider the limited facilities available to the Rugby fraternity especially when compared to the facilities available for Football, I believe this is a great initiative.
When you then compare the great successes Maltese Rugby is having on the international scene especially when compared to the mediocre results Maltese Football achieves, then you realise that they are correct to be promoting Rugby in this complex.
D. Scerri
Oct 27th 2010, 18:29
We've been hearing about the White rocks complex project since the time of Minister Refalo. Hope something concrete comes out of this.
Edward Darmanin
Oct 27th 2010, 19:09
Hopefully not another CONCRETE jungle !!
Joe Mangion
Oct 27th 2010, 18:23
"Profits from the project would be invested in top-class sports facilities that would benefit athletes and encourage sports tourism". Nispera li mhux dan ried jghid il PM ghax allura l-ewwel se jkollna nibnu tlitt mitt appartament u nbieghuhom biex ikollna il facilitajiet sportivi. Mhux hekk sur Prim? Ghax allura minn fejn gejjin dawn il-profitti li qed issemmi? U le, ma naqbilx li jekk hemm flus li harighom il poplu malti ma jissemewx fil-Budget. It taxpayer malti ghandu kull dritt jistaqsi fejn sejrin flusu. Dan l-istess bhal progett ta Bieb il-Belt. Hadd ma jaf kemm qed nohorgu flus, fejn sejrin u min qed jonfoqhom. Fgieh it-trasparenza, il-kontabilita u good governance, il gvern fid dover li jaghti l-informazzjoni kollha lil-poplu.
Anhony Mizzi
Oct 27th 2010, 18:16
|Another Gonzi giveaway f Malta's last remaining assets - PUBLIC LAND!
Now we all know what Gonzipn means when it says it is giving back open spaces to the Public - large open spaces to "Chosen” members of the public, sustainers of Gonzipn!
kevin formosa
Oct 28th 2010, 08:13
Fih business man il-Gonz ehh??? Fejn jaqbillu mma!!!!!
james grech
Oct 27th 2010, 18:08
The PM's hypocrisy is unbelievable. He said that this project is going to be self-financed WHAT?!!!
When such a pristine piece of land is being given away for free for the building up of 300 apartments, how can he call this self-financed?