I refer to the letter by Lino Briguglio entitled ‘Sliema’s MPs and Townsquare’, (The Sunday Times of Malta, August 28).

The Nationalist Party’s position on Townsquare was made amply clear by party leader Simon Busuttil.

This project is excessive, the party spoke against it and also voted against it during the Planning Authority hearing through its representative Ryan Callus. The PN-led Sliema local council did likewise and will appeal the decision.

This is a project that reeked of pre-election deals. The change in government led to the change that some developers wanted, and not what switchers wanted. The Nationalist Party in Opposition stood tall and voted against. Voting for change has never been translated so harshly. My opinion is that this project is out of place, without a real and proper masterplan involving all entities.

The PA hearing scene could have come out straight from a film: nicely rehearsed, well executed, where the Environment Resources Authority chairman was absent and not replaced, and another individual not divulging an important memo that could have shifted the final vote.

This permit opens all the doors for others to apply, anywhere, for high-rise projects. With this vote any logic was thrown out of the window.