The Nationalist Party this morning urged the prime minister to guarantee that Zonqor Point would not be touched by development, and it would not be handed over to Jordanian ‘speculators’.

The call was made by environment shadow minister Marthese Portelli with reference to the site earmarked for the building of a university by a Jordanian company.

Dr Portelli said this was virgin land in an outside development zone, and it should be respected as such.

The government, she said, should heed the people’s outcry against development there.

She noted that those who had publicly come out against the government’s decision included the deputy mayor of Marsacala the environment NGOs, the Archbishop, students, the Church’s environment commission, the Chamber of Commerce, the Emploers’ Association,  lecturers, farmers and Labour MP Marlene Farrugia.

Education Minister Evarist Bartolo had also said on TimesTalk that the government should seek an alternative site.

Nationalist MP Ryan Callus underscored the PN proposal for the new university to be located in the former March 31 fuel station in Birzebbuga. He said this would mean that the university would not be built on virgin land, and the fuel station site would be decontaminated.