Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1133773
MATTHEW VELLA LAND worth millions of euro in Gozo real estate, and a quarry earmarked for a cruise liner project, have been released from the 'clutches' of an old Church trust dating from the 1600s, for just €200,000 – a deal that has Curia insiders seething over the implica- tions. The saga had been ongoing for two decades, when the Maltese Church challenged in court a controversial 1992 decision by then magistrate Carol Peralta that benefited then magistrate Denis Mon- tebello: the shareholder in a company that was promised the Qala lands for a paltry an- nual lease of Lm500 (€1,250). When the Church won the right to stop that deal in 2013, four years later it relented – relinquishing its hold on the land the size of some 40 football grounds, for just €200,000. But what is the controver- sy that has Church insiders stamping their feet? The money was paid not just by the heirs of the leg- endary Rabat noblewoman Cosmana Navarra who placed the Gozo land in the trust; but also by the same Dennis Montebello and his business partner. Playing a crucial role in the deal is the lawyer Pat- rick Valentino, appointed by the Church as the 'rector' for the trust; Valentino is also reportedly the partner of Montebello's daughter, sit- ting magistrate Rachel Mon- tebello. On the horizon is probably the ultimate goal: securing control of the land for a pro- ject that has yet to material- ise – a cruise liner terminal inside the quarry operated by Gatt Development, right on the contested lands, where Valentino is now pursuing court action to regain con- trol of the quarry. KURT SANSONE CANCER drugs currently funded by the Community Chest Fund will gradually be absorbed into the government medicines for- mulary as the President's charity embarks on a rationalisation exercise. Government sources have told MaltaToday that the Community Chest Fund was over- stretched and had to refocus its mission by rationalising its expenditure. The range of oncology drugs currently funded by the Community Chest Fund will gradually be introduced onto the medicines formulary "as long as they are clinically test- ed", the sources said. The President's charity is currently spend- ing €1.2 million per month on cancer drugs alone, President George Vella said on TVM's Xtra last week. Vella said that he had convinced the gov- ernment to take on a substantial part of the cancer drugs expense by introducing the medicines on the formulary. "Government can probably buy them cheaper and this will remove a substantial burden from the Community Chest Fund," Vella said. These drugs are very often new on the mar- ket and with an expense running into thou- sands of euros, making them prohibitive for patients to afford. The first such drug to be introduced on the formulary was a type of PD-1 inhibitor that started being offered last month. Health Minister Chris Fearne had said the medicine would cost €100,000 per patient with an an- nual tab of €3 million. The first 50 patients have already started receiving the new medication. YOUR FIRST READ AND CLICK OF THE DAY WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT maltatoday €1.95 2 today today today SUNDAY • 23 JUNE 2019 • ISSUE 1025 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY He called the rebels' bluff trol of the PAGES 2-3 INSIDE MT2 Festivals.mt/MIAF kultura.mt #MIAF19 28 June - 14 July MALTA INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL MINISTRY FOR JUSTICE, CULTURE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT FREE maltatoday This Week Renowned Chinese percussionist Beibei Q and A Rachel Lowell Film The Traitor 2 The all new pull-out section INSIDE • LISTINGS • TV • LAW • CLASSIFIEDS the rebels' malta SUNDAY • He called the rebels' bluff JAMES DEBONO and KURT SANSONE on Adrian Delia's game of survival PAGES 14-15 ANDRE CALLUS Nothing will change unless people truly seize the opportunity INTERVIEW 16-17 State will fund cancer drugs paid by MCCF Church 'released' land tipped for cruise port for just €200,000