The government and its privatisation unit, currently conducting negotiations on the private takeover of the Marsa horse racing track, are refusing to give details on who they are dealing with.

Although negotiations have been going on for nearly a year with the Marsa Race Track Consortium – the only bidder submitting a proposal following a public call – there seems to be no definite agreement yet, while the companies and individuals behind the consortium have not yet been announced.

Confirming that a draft memorandum of understanding has already been drawn up between the government and the consortium, a spokeswoman for the Education Ministry refused to name the consortium’s shareholders.

“Currently there is no final agreement and negotiations are still ongoing,” she said.

Pressed by The Sunday Times of Malta to name the members of the consortium, the ministry refused.

“This information cannot be currently provided since the process is still at the negotiation stage,” the spokeswoman insisted.

The same line was adopted by the government-appointed chairman of the Malta Racing Club, Edwin Borg.

While confirming that he had met the members of the consortium and discussed with them the way forward, he said that he couldn’t name them.

We won’t accept anything done behind our backs- stables owner

“Yes, I have met them but I don’t know them as most are foreigners,” Mr Borg said while complaining about being asked questions by journalists.

“Why are you asking me? This is supposed to be a public process and the privatisation unit can give you all the information,” he protested.

Pointing out that his club was the most important user of the facilities, Mr Borg said it was the government who was leading the process.

On the other hand, a spokesman for the Malta Polo Club confirmed that they had only met government representatives on the proposal but no conclusions had yet been reached.

“So far, we have always met the government as we only deal with the authorities,” the spokesman said.

Asked whether he knew who would be taking over the race track, the spokesman said: “We have no idea”.

Horse racing enthusiasts, owners and other stakeholders have complained to The Sunday Times of Malta that they are being kept “in complete darkness” over their sport’s future.

“We hope that we won’t be faced with a fait accompli,” one of the horse owners said.

“We need to know beforehand what this new setup involves and how it will affect our hobby. The racing club is supposed to be negotiating on our behalf but every time we ask them they say that they don’t know anything,” another owner said.

“We won’t accept anything done behind our backs,” one owner with stables in Marsa warned.

In June 2015, through the privatisation unit, the government issued a request for proposals for the granting of a concession to design, develop, construct and operate the horse racing track in Marsa.

Despite initial interest from several companies, including foreign ones, only one proposal was eventually submitted as many complained that the proposal as drafted did not make any commercial sense.

Still, the government decided to go ahead with the sole application received.

After a year of discussions, no agreement has yet been announced.

Asked to give a timeframe for the conclusion of negotiations, the government’s spokesman said there was no timeframe.

ivan.camilleri@timesofmalta.com