Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/514194
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 20 MAY 2015 7 News Residential units, hotel and yacht marina eyed at former Jerma site MIRIAM DALLI TWO of the three Montebello brothers plan on redeveloping the former Jerma Pakace Hotel site through the development of residential units, a five-star hotel and a yacht marina, MaltaToday has learnt. Although the plans are still at their preliminary stages, Mal- taToday is informed that broth- ers Jeffrey and Peter Montebello, are looking at developing the site with contractor Charles Camill- eri, (known as il-Franciz) fronting the company despite not being the owner. Repeated attempts to contact Camilleri proved futile. What MaltaToday could estab- lish so far is that the residential aspect of the project would see the development of between 300 and 500 units, will include a hotel and it proposes land reclamation for a yacht marina. The proposed development of the American University of Malta at Zonqor Point has refuelled de- velopers' interests in the area. But the redevelopment of the derelict and abandoned Jerma Palace Ho- tel is hampered by third-party claims as the Montebello broth- ers still have to settle outstanding claims from an accountant who demanded €3.5 million for his services to the Montebellos. The accountant was granted a precau- tionary warrant in court to stop the sale of the Jerma Palace Hotel and the surrounding land. The land on which the Jerma Palace Hotel was built originally belonged to the Franciscan Con- ventuals and Ivan Burridge, and was sold to San Tumas Holdings, which in turn sold it to the Libyan Lafico in 1976. Corinthia used to manage the hotel through a man- agement agreement. The hotel was never developed since closing down in the 2000s and then sold to JPM Brothers. At some point in 2009, the Tumas and Gasan groups were seeking advice on transforming the Jerma Palace Hotel into a potential 'Por- tomaso of the south', when JPM Brothers were hoping for an ur- gent sale of the property to settle outstanding loans with banks and creditors. The application was passed to a case officer to assess the devel- opment proposal in terms of the Structure Plan and other estab- lished policies. Financial trouble forced the Montebellos to search for buyers for the site, namely the late mag- nate George Fenech and Joe Gas- an. The plan never materialised: a MEPA policy undertaken by former chairman Austin Walker was that hotel development should not be turned into residential de- velopment, but kept as tourist ac- commodation and hotels. The proposed design for a new five-star hotel and residential units presented by the Montebello Brothers in 2009 Beleaguered Montebello brothers with plans to develop Jerma with Charles Camilleri fronting the company despite not being the owner No decision on Scerri Herrera after 7 years JAMES DEBONO MAGISTRATE Consuelo Scerri Herrera was not considered for appointment as judge because proceedings against her before the Commission for the Admin- istration of Justice have not yet been concluded. This was revealed by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat on Mon- day during the TV programme Reporter. The case dates back to August 2008 when MaltaToday reported claims by former Lija mayor Ian Castaldi Paris that Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera had stormed into the Lija council of- fice to insist that the council au- thorises a truck to remove rub- ble from the site of a demolished villa next to the Belvedere. At that time the Lija council was trying to stop the develop- ment of a three-storey block of apartments next to the Belve- dere tower instead of the villa. The council's persistent cam- paign eventually led the Gonzi administration to issue an emer- gency conservation order to limit the height of the proposed building to two f loors. The case saw the former PN mayor of Lija openly clashing with project architect, Robert Musumeci who insisted that the building height of the new block conformed to the approved local plans. Musumeci was at the time the PN mayor of Siggiewi. Seven years later both former mayors have switched sides, pledging their allegiance to Joseph Muscat. Musumeci also become the magistrate's part- ner. Things took an unusual twist in August 2008 when Magistrate Scerri Herrera entered the coun- cil offices to ask for the neces- sary permits required to author- ise a truck to remove the rubble. When contacted in August 2008 Lija mayor Ian Castaldi Paris confirmed that the magis- trate had been refusing to leave the council's office until a per- mit authorising the works was issued. But Castaldi Paris did not com- ply with the magistrate's de- mand, insisting that he would only issue the permit with the council's conditions to develop- er Dr Carmelo Galea. What happened next was that a fax from Galea came into the council authorising the magis- trate to act on his behalf, which read: "I am authorising magis- trate Dr Consuelo Scerri Herrera to apply in my name for any per- mit, licence or authorisation to enable me to start and continue the demolition and excavation of the building." He also authorised the mag- istrate "to accept any condition even if absurd and unreasonable which the local council imposes on me, if Magistrate Scerri Her- rera thinks this is opportune." Asked by MaltaToday why he had authorised Scerri Herrera to speak on his behalf, Carmelo Galea simply replied that he gave her a procurement to act on his behalf because "she is a friend and I know her personally." When asked whether the mag- istrate had any personal interest in the development, Galea con- firmed that Scerri Herrera's hus- band – Lawrence Scerri – owns a f lat in the apartment block. Consuelo Scerri Herrera claimed that she was contacted by Dr Charles Galea, a law yer who practises in Gozo, and who together with her husband was the developer of the property. "He informed me that some rubble that was left after the demolition of the villa con- cerned was resting against the wall of a neighbouring property and was potentially dangerous. He told me that he had made arrangements for its removal and asked whether my husband could file the requisite forms. I informed him that my husband was abroad and offered to take the forms myself in view of the urgency and the danger and al- so in the light of the fact that I bought an apartment of the said block on plan". Back in 2008 a spokesperson for the justice ministry said the minister had taken note of the situation, "however such a case would fall under the direct com- pliance of the Commission for the Administration of Justice, which is free to act on its own initiative." The commission – the judici- ary's watchdog – is presided by the President of the Republic, and includes the Chief Justice. Magistrates have to adhere to the Code of Ethics of the judici- ary. The Code states "a breach of ethics" occurs when a member of the bench conducts themselves "abusively or negligently or in a manner repugnant to the deco- rum, dignity or honour" of the profession, or in such manner "which could seriously affect the trust conferred" on them. Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera – not considered for judge