The foundation stone of the new Police Academy at Ta’ Kandia was laid when the development still did not have all the Mepa permits, Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia said in parliament this evening.

Replying to a series of question by Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi, he said works were taken in hand in September 2012 but when he took office in March 2013 he found the project to be in its very early stages and the area was in a state of abandon, also featuring abandoned cars, tyres and a dump.

Since then the project was speeded up, to the extend that a recent group of recruits were able to follow its basic course there.

Work on the second block, including the dormitories is in an advanced stage.

Dr Azzopardi asked the minister whether he was sure about his information that not all necessary permits had been issued.

Dr Mallia said that was the information he had been given was never challenged.