A man permitted to cultivate a field in Gudja was falsely declaring he was a full-time farmer, according to a counter-protest filed in court.
The counter protest was filed by the La Stella Philharmonic Society, Għaqda Mużikali Maria Assunta Gudja 1919, parish priest Fr Martin Cardona and lawyer and MP Jason Azzopardi.
Dennis Catania claimed in a judicial protest filed earlier this month that he was a full-time farmer who had been working the land in question for several years. Upon the landowner’s death, there had been illegal attempts to have the land transferred to the philharmonic society, he said. The field, he added, was inherited by the La Stella Philharmonic Society with particular assets being bequeathed to others, including his mother.
Illegal attempts to transfer land to philharmonic society
Mr Catania argued that the landowners were trying to stop him working the land in an attempt to take it away from him.
Following the landowner’s death, the Land Department had issued a call for tenders to work the field, which Mr Catania won. Mr Catania said he had still to seek the Ombudsman’s protection.
In his judicial protest, Mr Catania submitted that it was only after the Ombudsman has issued a warning to the philharmonic society and the others that the contract with the Land Department had been signed and it, thus, had to be respected.
For the first time, Mr Catania said he was bound to allow the field to be used to let off fireworks during the Gudja feast.
The counter protest accuses Mr Catania of trying to cast a bad light on the La Stella Philharmonic Society, the Għaqda Mużikali Maria Assunta Gudja 1919, the parish priest and Dr Azzopardi.
They said Mr Catania was not a full-time farmer as he was employed as an electrician at the Mediterranean Conference Centre on a full-time basis. Mr Catania no longer cultivated the field and, in fact, he had been abroad since January, the counter protest said.
It said fireworks were always let off from the field, as stipulated in the contract, without any problems whatsoever. The counter protest noted that the condition was already in place when the call for tenders had been issued.
The counter-protest was signed by lawyers Kris Busietta and Julian Farrugia.