With reference to an article published in The Sunday Times of Malta on September 7 entitled ‘Labour Party coy over Australia Hall arrears’, the Labour Party has said it wishes to clarify that it regularly paid the Lands Department ground rent up to end of August and that it has still not received the invoice for the next 12 months.

It also said that it was not true – contrary to what was stated in the article – that a PL spokesman refused to reply when asked to declare what the Labour Party had to say about the issue.

The PL pointed out that in an e-mail sent to the communication executive by the Times of Malta journalist, dated September 1, no reference was made to ground rent payment. “Questions made in this mail related to the price of sale and if we think that this reflects today’s market value,” the party said.

The PL insisted that the Australia Hall issue “is an artificial one created by the PN”

It added that it had signed the preliminary agreement for the sale of Australia Hall 18 years ago at “the then current price”.

“The final deed could not be published before today because of various obstacles created by the PN. In spite of the time elapsed the PL had no right to revise the price unilaterally and was bound to respect the original price as agreed 18 years ago in the preliminary agreement.

“This preliminary agreement was duly registered with the Commissioner of Inland Revenue,” the party said, adding that this fact was easily verifiable.