Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1525812
10 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 25 AUGUST 2024 NEWS JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The Labour Party is currently ac- cepting nominations to fill some of the party's top posts ahead of its annual general conference in Sep- tember. Some of the vacant roles include deputy leader for party affairs, dep- uty leader parliamentary affairs, president, vice-president, as well as international and organisational secretaries. Insiders who spoke to this news- paper explained how senior figures within the PL and government are hesitant in voicing their concerns and in proposing progressive poli- cies out of fear they would be cast out by Prime Minister Robert Ab- ela. They also spoke about the uncer- tainty with which Abela operates, explaining how promises and deals over several issues are easily bro- ken by the Labour leader, leaving many doubting his leadership cre- dentials. They mentioned the PM's de- cision to accept the compromise candidature of MEP Alex Agius Saliba for Deputy Leader for Party Affairs, after a tiring negotiation with former PL Secretary General Jason Micallef. "The Prime Minister had already indicated his preference for a num- ber of candidates which included Josianne Cutajar, Clifton Grima and others," a source close to the Labour administration said. Another insider voiced his con- cern over the surprise decision to appoint former JobsPlus CEO Leonid McKay as party CEO, ex- plaining how he was a compromise appointment in a bid to have Jason Micallef withdraw his bid for dep- uty leader. In the process, Labour stalwart Nigel Vella, who had been prom- ised the CEO role by Abela, was left out in the cold without even being informed. Shortly after the PL announced McKay's appointment, Vella took to Facebook with a cryptic post that he removed shortly after- wards. In his post, Vella wrote: "A phone call that changes everything. Not even face to face because that is too hard. A punch, two punches, this time around nothing will go unchallenged." McKay is report- edly Insiders spoke about how Abela seems to be blaming "everyone but himself" for Labour's poor showing in this year's European Parliament election. "If the party administration was to blame, the prime minister should also shoulder some respon- sibility for being absent from the Party structures," they insisted. Castille's attempt at protecting Joseph Muscat The insiders, who include sen- ior cabinet ministers, said that the gravest mistake of all was the de- cision to derail an investigation by the police into those individuals mentioned in the conclusions of the hospital's inquiry. They explained how he had di- rected senior police figures to not interrogate individuals mentioned in the inquiry, and instead have them all be charged in court, to en- sure former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat is not seen as the sole fig- ure behind the fraudulent deal. "This was an attempt to cush- ion the impact of the conclusions on Joseph Muscat himself, and it is clear the Attorney General was encouraged not to proceed with a police investigation. This was a big and serious mistake. Many good people have been thrown under the bus and they include for- mer deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne and top civil servant Alfred Camilleri," insiders said. This move seems to have back- fired badly, and soon after the MEP election result, Robert Abela real- ised that his rapprochement with Joseph Muscat had not paid off, and he has once again distanced himself from the former Prime Minister. The insiders said this was an at- tempt at appeasing the Labour grassroots but has pushed away middle of the road voters which have been crucial in giving the par- ty its historical election results over the past decade. Sources also said that the "lame excuse" brought forward by Cas- tille for the police to not investigate was that an investigation would have led to the accused's' arraign- ment under arrest. A battle for Labour's soul Now that Abela has opened the door for Muscat, many inside La- bour feel that the former leader is attempting to control the executive "by proxy". The individuals include Jason Micallef and Alex Agius Saliba, who are both big admirers of the disgraced former leader. Both Mi- callef and Agius Saliba have spo- ken publicly against the inquiry, labelling it an attempt at "political vendetta". Having gained a reputation for proposing progressive policies such as divorce, civil union and cannabis regularisation, insiders feel Labour's new crop of execu- tives will not be taking any risks, as the party continues to haemor- rhage voters. "There is no doubt that with Ian Borg and Alex Agius Saliba, the party will be temporarily invigor- ated, but one should not accept any big shake ups in the system, or any brave new policy ideas," they said. Insiders also fear government has gained a reputation for not being able to address the most pressing concerns on the country's agenda. "Nothing can change the per- ception that government cannot address the traffic problem, pop- ulation woes and has allowed the construction industry to take over," an insider said. "Government must also deal with what is becoming an annual problem of electricity dis- tribution and the image of a cor- rupt administration." They feel that with this style of leadership, the PL and government face a troubling future, with many fearing defeat in the coming gener- al election despite the Nationalist party's uninspiring leadership. THE government plans to rede- velop the Beltissebħ are in Floria- na into a modern office complex that will house the integrated of- fices for Malta's taxation and cus- toms departments. The project will replace existing structures with a new two-storey building, three basement levels for parking, and a pedestrian-friend- ly environment, while preserving key historical elements. The Ministry for Public Works and Planning and the finance ministry presented plans to re- develop a 4,650 sq.m area in Bel- tissebħ into a consolidated office block that will house the Tax and Customs Departments and its 600 employees. The site earmarked for the new block includes six one-storey blocks, one of which is currently used as a storage shed and another is partly used as a canteen. The buildings, which originally had a military use, date back to the early 20th century but were repurposed into government offices, storage sheds, and a staff canteen following Mal- ta's independence and the subse- quent departure of British troops. Presently, the site includes sev- eral office blocks, surface parking lots, minimal landscaping, and facilities under the Public Works Department's responsibility. The buildings provide a net of- fice floor-space of approximately 1,885 sq.m and used by different entities, including the Chief Infor- mation Officer, the Real Estate Di- rectorate, the Libya Office and the Continental Shelf Department. The proposed redevelopment involves demolishing the existing structures and constructing a new two-storey building. The development will replace most of the current surface parking spaces with a pedestri- an-friendly environment. Ad- ditionally, parking spaces from it-Trunċiera Ta' Tramuntana will be removed, and the area will be landscaped in line with existing guidelines, enhancing the site's overall aesthetic and functionality. The new car park will include 300 spaces, representing an increase of 132 spaces compared to the current provision. Demolition and excavation will result in approximately 54,000 cubic metres of waste and inert material, according to a project statement from ADI Consultants. The Superintendence of Cul- tural Heritage (SCH) raised no objections to demolishing certain structures, such as Block E, cur- rently housing the Continental Shelf Department. However, the SCH expressed concerns about the demolition of Blocks H, I, and J and recom- mended their preservation, or at least the documentation and re- use of their architectural elements in other developments. A separate Cultural Heritage Study is being conducted to assess the site's historical significance and guide the redevelopment process. A Transport Impact As- sessment (TIA) will be conducted to evaluate the project's impact on local transportation and infra- structure. Additionally, there are concerns about the potential impact of ex- cavation on the nearby Grade 1-listed battery It-Trunċiera Ta' Tramuntana, a historical fortifica- tion that borders the site. Before proceeding with excavation, a de- tailed archaeological survey is be- ing recommended to ensure that any buried features related to the fortifications are identified and preserved. Senior PL figures hesitant 'to voice concerns' Tax and customs complex planned for Beltissebh