Malta Developers Association president Sandro Chetcuti.

The president of the Malta Developers Association yesterday made it clear his organisation had no intention of defending Minister Helena Dalli or her husband, Patrick, over the illegal development taking place in one of their properties in Żejtun.

Sandro Chetcuti wanted to set the record straight following an MDA statement that it was “normal practice that works are carried out under a promise of sale”.

The intention of that statement, he said, was to react to a problem created by the report about the development in Times of Malta.

“Following the story we were inundated with calls asking whether works can be carried out during the period of a promise of sale agreement. We wanted to make sure that the story did not create a problem to the construction sector.”

Mr Chetcuti explained that in many cases, particularly where apartments are involved, finishing works are carried out during the promise-of-sale period.

Following the story we were inundated with calls

“We just wanted to clarify this issue and not justify what the Dallis or anyone else did,” he said.

Asked to comment on the illegalities taking place at the Żejtun farmhouse, Mr Chetcuti said that although the minister’s husband was one of the founding members of the MDA, he didn’t want to enter into the merits of the case.

“We speak about principles and not individual cases,” he said, admitting that the MDA’s statement had unfortunately been interpreted as defending the Dallis.

He clarified that despite the fact it was “normal” for works to be carried out during the promise-of-sale period, the properties involved still belonged to their owners until a contract is signed.

Times of Malta last week revealed that despite an enforcement notice having been issued by the planning authority over a number of illegalities at the property, which belongs to a company co-owned by the Equal Opportunities Minister and her husband, works carried on.

The site is located outside the development zone in an area known as Ħal-Tmiem, on the outskirts of Żejtun.

The infringements include the construction of a swimming pool larger than permitted and excavations in the garden’s paved area and under the living room to create a basement garage.

When contacted, Patrick Dalli said he was not aware of the works – even though the farmhouse is located a few metres away from their residence and vehicles used for the works belong to Pada Builders Ltd, a company owned by the Dalli couple.

This newspaper also revealed that Ms Dalli failed to list the property in her annual declaration of assets.

She has not so far faced the media about the story.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has defended her, repeating the argument that the property in question is on a promise of sale agreement and she did not know about the works going on.