The government is planning a public-private partnership for the extension of the Addolorata cemetery, meaning the government would not need to make any capital outlay for the project.
Parliamentary Secretary Chris Fearne stated this in reply to questions by Nationalist MP Claudette Buttigieg, who asked what funding had been allocated for an extension of the cemetery and for its maintenance.
The call for expressions of interests will be issued once Mepa issues the necessary permits, since a permit issued under the former government has since expired.
Dr Fearne said the former government had abandoned the cemetery, voting €1.5 million in 2008 to extend it – but never going through with its plans.
He said that before the election the former government concluded several promise of sale agreements with people interested in acquiring graves, but these were never dug and the agreements were not registered.
The parliamentary secretary said that the promise of sale agreements would be renewed until the extension was completed.
The promise of sale agreement would be renewed until the extension was completed
In another Parliamentary Question, this time posed by Kristy Debono (PN) Transport Minister Joe Mizzi promised that the agreement between government and Autobuses de León would be published in the ‘coming weeks’.
Asked whether the subsidy paid to the public transport operator covered or was equivalent to both the company’s wage bill and fuel cost, the minister replied that the subsidy was that “agreed upon with the operator” following the 2014 call for expressions of interest.
On December 20, 2014, Transport Malta announced that the government had awarded the contract to operate Malta and Gozo’s scheduled bus services to Autobuses de León. Initially the minister promised to table the contract in Parliament but later said it would not be published before an “information campaign” to explain it.
In another PQ, a Labour MP asked the Home Affairs Minister whether an agreement exists between Malta and European countries to ensure Malta’s security and stability in view of immigration. The Parliamentary Question was put to Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela by Anthony Agius Decelis (PL).
Minister Abela did not answer the PQ but requested that Mr Agius Decelis clarify his question.
Last September Minister Abela said there was “an informal agreement” between Malta and Italy which meant the latter would take migrants rescued in the Mediterranean.
But a few hours after his original declaration, Mr Abela clarified his statement, emphasising that there was no informal agreement but only “close collaboration”, also forcing the Prime Minister to deny that there was any agreement.