Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1008890
NEWS 6 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 29 JULY 2018 MATTHEW AGIUS A.H. Development, the com- pany which purchased Aus- tralia Hall in a deal with La- bour, is fighting a demand by the taxman that it pay a €14,426 additional duty pen- alty, in a similar case to that filed by the Labour Party over the controversial sale. The company, which is owned by shareholders in the Fino group had already paid some €72,130 in duty over the acquisition of the six square kilometres of land which it purchased at a paltry €582,343 from the Labour Party in 2014. In separate proceedings the against the Commissioner for Tax, the Labour Party is con- testing an identical additional duty penalty. In July 2014, the party transferred the land – over 6,100sq.m of developable land in Pembroke – to A.H. Devel- opment for just €582,343, and in a statement said the final price took into consideration unspecified outstanding debts with the buyers. in December 2014, the Com- missioner for Tax instructed architect Hector Zammit to carry out a valuation of the property sold. Zammit tagged his valua- tion at €5.5 million, for which the Commissioner of Tax proceeded to issue a further charge of €49,176 to the La- bour Party. After both the Labour Party and A.H. Development object- ed to the valuation, a second architect was appointed by the court to value the property. This time, the value of the Both parties to cut-price Australia Hall deal, fighting tax claims JAMES DEBONO SPREADING untreated ma- nure – or slurry – on agricul- tural land is still a "common practice" in Gozo, according to the project development state- ment by a private firm that wants to develop a mega pro- cessing plant for slurry. Tenega Limited wants to be build the facility to process manure from Gozitan farms, in Xlendi. The company is insisting that the practice of spreading un- treated manure, which contains high levels of nitrates on fields, is endangering the water table. And another main concern is that farmers could be discharg- ing their farm waste into the sewage system, clogging sew- age treatment plants. The private project will con- vert the animal waste to "pack- aged pellets" or "irrigation water", which has also been en- dorsed by government. But the new facility, proposed in Triq Zghawri in Xlendi, has created quite an uproar in the locality, attracting nearly 400 objections. The project's proponents have been exempted from pre- paring an environment impact assessment, and their PDS is short on detail on the impact on the impact on the locality. One of the main concerns expressed by objectors is that truckloads of manure would be driven through the centre of the village of Munxar. Other objectors have objected due to the plant's proximity to a tour- istic area. But the PDS claims the tech- nology used will eliminate any odours. The agricultural slurry will be transported from farms to the separation site by means of a specifically designed bows- er which is vacuum-sealed to avoid leakages, and also equipped with emergency safe- ty valves. Upon arrival, the bowser will discharge the slurry into a fully-enclosed, 900 cubic metre underground reservoir, which process would eliminate all odours resulting from dis- charging slurry in open pits. The PDS stated that in 2016 the government had endorsed the proposal. "Following sev- eral meetings and discussions with the Ministry for Sustain- able Development, Environ- ment and Climate Change, the project was accepted favour- ably." The 4,800sq.m site in Munxar earmarked for the facility al- ready includes a bovine farm. It was already touted as the pre- ferred location for a separation and treatment centre, being in the vicinity of eight existing dairy farms altogether contrib- uting 45% of Gozitran dairy production, therefore reducing the need to transport the waste on Gozitan main roads. Two other sites were con- sidered but excluded: one in Ghajnsielem, adjacent to an existing operational concrete plant, and another near the sewage treatment plant at Ras il-Hobz. Development in these two areas was deemed to have a greater ecological impact. The proposed upgrade lies within the required 200m buffer zone from residential dwellings. Tenaga Limited is described as a newly formed organisa- tion, focusing mainly on ag- riculture waste management, among other related projects. The company is owned by Em- manuel Baldacchino. Spreading manure on Gozo fields still a 'common practice' The Ministry for Education and Employment invites applications for the position of Supply Teacher to serve in Malta and/or Gozo for a definite period on a temporary fulltime or part-time basis, as and when required. Applicants may wish to apply for Supply Teacher in one or more of the following: - English - Design & Technology - Physics Applications and details are available online on edurecruitment.gov.mt Should you require assistance with the application kindly get in-touch on 25982463 or 25982461. CALL FOR SUPPLY TEACHERS MINISTRY FOR EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT A rendition of the proposed slurry porcesing plant