General Workers’ Union secretary general Tony Zarb yesterday shunned questions on whether the lease of part of the union’s Valletta premises to two commercial entities breached a government contract.

The case involves the lease agreements with 5D Ltd.

The company produces audiovisual shows on Malta’s history in a theatre in Old Bakery Street, and Sciacca Grill Limited, which runs a steak house in another part of the building in South Street.

Addressing a news conference outside the union headquarters in Valletta last week, justice shadow minister Jason Azzopardi said the lease of part of the building, on the side of Old Bakery Street, to government company ARMS Limited violated the conditions of a 1997 contract approved by Parliament.

The deed, seen by this newspaper, amended the long lease agreement signed with the government in the 1950s, in order that the union could make commercial use of the property. However, the option could only be exercised as long as the union had a majority shareholding in the companies involved.

Since the GWU was not a shareholder in ARMS Ltd this condition had been breached, Dr Azzopardi argued.

He wondered what action had been taken by the Land Department, which fell under the Prime Minister’s portfolio. Contacted yesterday by Times of Malta to clarify the union’s position on the two leases, Mr Zarb said the issues were of a commercial nature and he had no comments to make.

“Why don’t you ask Jason Azzopardi who made fun of himself when he came in front of the union headquarters [to address the press conference],” he added.

The GWU premises were inaugurated in the early 1960s on the site previously occupied by the Auberge de France, which had been razed to the ground during World War II. In 1957, the Labour government had leased the site to the union on a long-term basis to use it as a headquarters.