Old Medical School to be transferred to St Augustine College
The site where St Augustine College had wanted to build the new primary school
The government has presented a motion in Parliament to transfer the building which used to house the Medical School in Guardamangia to St Augustine College, thus ending a long-running controversy over the expansion of the college.
The resolution was presented by Land Minister Jason Azzopardi.
The College had appealed a Mepa decision which stopped it from expending into a disused garden adjoining the college. The appeal is still pending.
The possible use of the old Medical School building had been suggested at a meeting between the school authorities and the prime minister.
The school needs to expand in order to accommodate 400 students in its new primary school. They are currently attending classes at the Archbishop's seminary in Rabat.
The government is proposing to tratransfer the property on a 99-year emphyteusis for an annual groundrent of €1,000. The property covers 2,177 square metres. The car park may also be used.
In a statement, Dr Azzopardi said this decision was in line with the government's belief that parents should have real choices in the education of their children.
The Augustinian community is committing itself to investing at least €1 million in the property.
As part of the deal, the Augustinian community will hand the government the disused garden where they had wanted to build the extension. The transfer will be made on a 99-year emphyteusis for €900 per year. The government would then sub-lease the property back to the Augustinians on condition that it would not be developed.
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39 Comments
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Victor Laiviera
Sep 7th 2012, 10:58
http://servizzitfal.org.mt/CFC/departments/251?locale=en
Victor Laiviera
Sep 7th 2012, 10:45
For the information of some commenting below, the Medical School is NOT vacant or derelict. It houses the CDAU (Child Development Assessment Unit). It is being put to very good use indeed.
One wonders where the CDAU will go now that the premises have been given to the Augustinians for a song.
Maybe the Gov will rent premises from private owners for thousand of ewros per year?
Jason Copperstone
Sep 8th 2012, 10:20
For your information Mr. Laivier CDAU is not housed in the medical school it is in a completely separate building next to the Medical school.
Mr R.E. Saliba
Sep 9th 2012, 13:14
@ Victor Laiviera
Medical school actually stands empty.
CDAU is next door in another building.
Aside from showing a lack of reliable sources, what is your point sir?
Victor Laiviera
Sep 7th 2012, 10:40
This business reminded me of something - this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzNfnOmo7bk&feature=related
C Muscat
Sep 7th 2012, 09:45
Prosit lil kulhadd. Nawgura lil skola Santu Wistin li tiddisinja tajjeb halli dan il-bini jinbidel f uzu tajjeb ghat-tfal taghna. kellu bzonn kull saram insibu tarfu hekk. Ghal min qal li ejna xi haga b'xejn nghidlu li kieku kien il-kaz ukoll kien ikun ghal ghan nobbli (edukazzjoni ta wliedna) pero f dan il-kaz filwaqt li l-edukazzjoni ser tibqa miexja; r-residenti ser jiehdu ftit nifs.
Ramon Casha
Sep 7th 2012, 06:51
Values before Votes!
or was it Value for Money?
Alfred Mifsud
Sep 6th 2012, 23:17
I still think it would have far more sensible for government to take over the whole Augustinian property and use it as an exteniosn foe SLH and then gradually redevelop SLH on its own site. It would have saved many millions from the investment made in Mater Dei and obtained much more mileage for our money.
In compensation a new scholld edifice would have been built for St. Augustine schoold somewhere more apprioriate for children to be educated away from the hustle and bustle of Guardmangia,
John Aquilina
Sep 6th 2012, 21:48
The government's decision to grant the medical school to the college is an acknowledgement that Malcolm Mifsud's initial suggestion made sense. When he put forward the idea he was criticized however the final decision is a win win situation through which education instiution's will grow without detriment to the neighborhood and the environment.
Christopher Zahra
Sep 6th 2012, 21:42
This is what I expect if I don't get a permit, the government will give me an alternative site.
Someone said one day that the Religious communities get everything what they want no matter what MEPA decides !!!
Victor Laiviera
Sep 7th 2012, 11:02
"This is what I expect if I don't get a permit, the government will give me an alternative site."
Brilliant logic! So all I have to do is apply to build a hotel where I know it will be refused and then wait for the Gov to give me an alternative site - for free!
Sheer genius.
Joseph E Briffa
Sep 6th 2012, 20:43
@ Joseph Aquilina... I suggest you wake up from your deep slumber. Nothing has been done over the past four years, indeed.
alfred seguna
Sep 6th 2012, 19:34
This is incredible.Giving away public building and land for a mere 1000 euros annually.Not even for a two car garage because you have to pay more.It is very irresponsible to give public building and land this way.Then the government hires buildings to use as offices from the private sector for hundred of thousands of euros yearly.What is important is that we pay taxes and the government just gives the money away without any scruples .
A. Axisa
Sep 7th 2012, 09:36
I guess it would have been better for the Augustinians to build their own property on their own land. Using the old Medical School surely involves plenty of money for restructuring and maintenance.
Victor Laiviera
Sep 6th 2012, 19:00
- The College gets the Medical School + parking lot for a derisory €1,000 a year (just over one month's old-age pension)
- The College gets €900 back by "leasing" the Garden to the Government .
- The Garden is subleased to the College for an unspecified amount (perhaps the €100 difference?)
So, as far as I can see, the bottom line is that the College gets the Medical School for free and keeps the garden in return for a promise not to develop it - yet.
J Martinelli
Sep 6th 2012, 22:27
Your solution?
Leave the old Medical School vacant for vandals to occupy and destroy? Like what happened to buildings formerly occupied by British forces? Like Pembroke, Tigne and other localities where anything which could be dislodged was stolen and if not, destroyed? Like the fate of Australia Hall?
Would your beloved Party have made some valuable use out of the old school? Would it invest one million euro plus ongoing maintenance so it would not fall into disrepair? Or would it use it then abandon it? (Macina) Does the LP really care about our children's education and well-being? What benefit was the taxpayer getting from the vacant school?
So easy to destroy, dismantle, so much harder to preserve and build! But then what does the LP know about the latter?
Denis Pace
Sep 7th 2012, 07:56
I believe it is a good compromise.
No more development and a disused building is put to good use.
ANTHONY PAVIA
Sep 7th 2012, 09:12
Exactly! Except the long suffering taxpayer foots the bill for Government's largesse. I suppose some powerful landowners live next to this garden.
Victor Laiviera
Sep 7th 2012, 10:42
@ J Martinelli:
The Medical School is NOT vacant. At present it houses the CDAU (Child Development Assessment Unit). It is being put to very good use indeed. One wonders where the CDAU will go now that the premises have been given to the Augustinians for a song.
Ramon Casha
Sep 6th 2012, 18:45
"The government is proposing to transfer the property on a 99-year emphyteusis for an annual groundrent of €1,000."
I've seen single-car garages that cost more. What is this, a free giveaway of public land?
Mr R.E. Saliba
Sep 9th 2012, 13:16
Call it an investment in education.
I fail to see anything wrong in it.
Nicholas Scerri
Sep 6th 2012, 18:43
Why not just swap then there no need for annual bureaucracy saving money for the tax payer twice. We then do not have to maintain the building just the garden that can double up as a park or better still a sports ground for the children during the day and others after school hours. Just a thought
Neil Galea
Sep 6th 2012, 18:36
tal misthija 99 sena u 1000 euro fis sena
Victor Laiviera
Sep 6th 2012, 18:22
The bottom line of all this juggling seems to be that the Maltese taxpayer gets screwed - as usual.
ANTHONY PAVIA
Sep 6th 2012, 18:43
Very well noted.
C. Sammut
Sep 6th 2012, 18:05
Sewwa ul-Gvern jikri l-privat ghall-ufficini tieghu!!!
M. Zammit
Sep 6th 2012, 17:15
It's nice to hear that a compromise has been reached so that the Augustinian Community can provide more space for it's students.
Empty buildings should be put to good use soonest for the common good. :)
Stephen Saliba
Sep 6th 2012, 17:07
Jason Azzopardi is proving one of the more effective ministers of this administartion. He takes a practical approach to all things, something that should be appreciated and should indeed be above politics. All Ministers should be ministers for all Maltese not just blue or red. Whether this arrangement has been reached in anticiaption of an election or not is a moot point at this stage.
Anthony Attard
Sep 6th 2012, 16:45
A practical solution to the beneift of all concerned especially students, their parents and residents close to St Augustine College!
ANTHONY PAVIA
Sep 6th 2012, 18:48
No! Just a solution to accommodate the nearby property owners, who would have lost their views if the school went ahead as planned (please refer to various TOM reports). The people's fixed assets and resources used wantonly to provide views to private property. National resources given away for petty cash.
K. Muscat
Sep 6th 2012, 19:11
Well said Anthony Pavia, they get new buildings and these kids have to make do with their unwanted sites! Rubbish as always!
Premises will never be as fit for the kids as any other primary school built for such purpose. This an outrage and a true injustice to these children and their families! For it to be so they should have given permission to have the site rebuilt from scratch at the minimum!
Joseph E Briffa
Sep 6th 2012, 16:27
Makes a lot of sense. Garden preserved, old medical school put to good use, St Augustine's can accommodate the extra 400 pupils in the adjoining area.
Joseph Camilleri
Sep 6th 2012, 16:23
This is the real government where dialogue is the key to all problems
how can we every forget the horrors we all went through through the " b xejn jew xejn " convention of the mintoffians and kmb. Never again !!!
John Zammit
Sep 6th 2012, 16:21
Why all this procrastination in giving an answer And is this because elections are near
Mr patrick mifsud
Sep 6th 2012, 16:38
have you ever heard about the words feasability studies and adaptability? the school had to do its own hw before accepting the offer. now they have decided and the agreement was reached.
joseph saliba
Sep 6th 2012, 16:47
Or maybe it is because we have a prudent administration deserving re-election.
Joseph Aquilina
Sep 6th 2012, 16:54
I believe it is now the time to amend our constitution. The government should stop functioning one year before an election. This is the only way how we the people can be sure that what the government is doing is not just because an election is coming!! I mean seriously; does any thing done by the government also need to have someone say that this was done because an election is coming!?
Stephen Spiteri
Sep 6th 2012, 16:08
Well done to a win win situation
O. Galea
Sep 6th 2012, 15:31
excellent idea.
Please choose the reason of your report below: