Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/260953
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 16 FEBRUARY 2014 2014 8 DANIEL MIZZI HOTELIER George Micallef, who in 2008 was accused of making a false declaration to MEPA to facilitate the development of a disco on the Mis- tra land owned by former MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, was this Friday acquitted of all charges. In 2006, Micallef was working as a private tourism consultant for the Malta Tourism Authority when he was approached to compile report on the development of Mistra Bay's tourist regeneration. The area fell within a Natura 2000 area of spe- cial conservation. Two years later, during the 2008 elections, Labour leader Alfred Sant claimed that Pullicino Or- lando had used his influence on Micallef, to include the develop- ment of an open-air disco as an acceptable form of development in Mistra Bay. Sant alleged corruption, after Pullicino Orlando denied any knowledge that a third party had applied for a MEPA permit to build an open-air disco on the MP's land in Mistra, on behalf of Dominic Mi- callef, the owner of Tattinger's Disco in Rabat. But Sant later revealed a rental con- tract between the MP and Micallef, confirming that Pullicino Orlando was about to rent his land for the sit- ing of a disco for 15 years. The application for the disco was submitted to MEPA back in 2005 by Ian Sultana, the cousin of Dominic Micallef. But in September 2005, despite a refusal from the planning directorate because the development would be located within a Natura 2000 site, MEPA's Development Control Commission (DCC) ap- proved the application. In April 2006, the DCC requested more detailed drawings and in re- sponse they received a report from private consultant George Micallef, who favourably recommended the development and said that the de- velopment was in conformity with current tourism policies. In 2007, he was later appointed as an MTA consultant. In August 2006, the MEPA execu- tive committee directed the DCC to consider that the project could not be justified, since the area in ques- tion was outside development zones (ODZ). The DCC had ignored the recommendations by the planning directorate and the disco was ap- proved without being subjected to an environmental impact assessment. George Micallef claimed that throughout 2007, he was constantly "harried" by Pullicino Orlando in repeated communications, and then when an environment ministry of- ficial asked him to have MTA write a detailed report to substantiate its support to the disco application. He attended a meeting with Pulli- cino Orlando, Lawrence Vassallo – the development services liaison of- fice within MEPA – and the MEPA chairman and a member of the DCC, which had later issued the ODZ per- mit. He also asked Mario Attard, the chairman of MTA's Product Devel- opment Directorate, to approve the development. Signed by Attard's secretary on his behalf, the report explicitly stated that "MTA's sup- porting this project because it is in line with the objective of the tourism policies… and I am also forwarding you extracts from an internal report of the Directorate on the project, with the relevant points that particu- larly support this project." According to Mario Attard's testi- mony, the internal report was how- ever "inexistent". On his part, George Micallef told the court he was under the impres- sion that his 2006 report was at the MTA, and he consequently referred to it as a directorate's report. "Micallef assumed that since the existent tourism policies did not change between May 2006 and Oc- tober 2007, he could refer to his first report as a directorate's report," Magistrate Marseann Farrugia said. In her decree, the magistrate said it was not enough for the prosecution to base its arguments on the fact that the report was inexistent. "In order to find Micallef guilty of mak- ing a false declaration in the report, the court must prove that he knew he was aware of this. Even though everything indicated to a false decla- ration, the prosecution did not in- dicate where the accused made this declaration." Magistrate Farrugia said Micallef had been under the impression that his report was in the files of the MTA, consequently referring to it as a directorate's report. Micallef was subsequently found not guilty and acquitted of making false declarations or information to a public authority for the advantage of a third party and of relapsing. News Mistragate consultant acquitted Secure Investment Secure Investment Issue of Issue of €100,000,000 100,000,000 in Fixed Rate Malta Government Stocks in Fixed Rate Malta Government Stocks (subject to the over (subject to the over-allotment option of allotment option of an additional sum of an additional sum of €60,000,000) 60,000,000) MALTA GOVERNMENT MALTA GOVERNMENT STOCKS STOCKS _______ _______ (i) 3.2% MGS (Fifth Issue) ) 3.2% MGS (Fifth Issue) – Fungibility Fungibility Issue Issue Maturing in 2019, Maturing in 2019, and and (iii) 4.45% MGS (Second Issue) (iii) 4.45% MGS (Second Issue) Maturing in 2032, Maturing in 2032, or or _______ (ii) 3.3% MGS (First Issue) (ii) 3.3% MGS (First Issue) Maturing in 2024, Maturing in 2024, and and (iv) Any combination of the above three Stocks which in (iv) Any combination of the above three Stocks which in the aggregate shall be the aggregate shall be €100,000,000 100,000,000 Fixed Rate Malta Government Stocks Applications Applications open open on on Monday Monday 24 24 th th February, February, 2014 2014 at at 8.30 30 a.m. and and close close on on the the time time and and dates dates MALTA GOVERNMENT STOCK FOR SAFE INVESTMENT AND LIQUIDITY WITH INTEREST PAID UP MALTA GOVERNMENT STOCK FOR SAFE INVESTMENT AND LIQUIDITY WITH INTEREST PAID UP TO THE DAY OF RE TO THE DAY OF RE-SALE OF STOCK. SALE OF STOCK. SECURITY SECURITY CONTINUOUS LIQUIDITY CONTINUOUS LIQUIDITY INTEREST EVERY SIX MONTHS INTEREST EVERY SIX MONTHS (The value of the investment may go up or down during the tenor of the Stock.) Treasury Department, The Mall Building, The Mall Treasury Department, The Mall Building, The Mall - Floriana, Malta. Floriana, Malta. The The Price Price for for each each Stock Stock at at (i), ), (ii) (ii) and and (iii) (iii) above above offered offered for for subscription subscription by by members members of of the the public public shall shall be be established established on on Thursday Thursday 20 20 th th February February 2014 2014, based based indicatively indicatively on on the the prevailing prevailing secondary secondary market market prices, prices, and and shall shall be be announced announced through through a Press Press Release Release issued issued by by the the Department Department of of Information Information (DOI) (DOI). Applications Applications open open on on Monday Monday 24 24 th th February, February, 2014 2014 at at 8.30 30 a.m. and and close close on on the the time time and and dates dates as as hereunder, hereunder, or or earlier earlier at at the the discretion discretion of of the the Accountant Accountant General General: •at at 5.00 00 p.m. on on Wednesday Wednesday 26 26 th th February, February, 2014 2014 for for applications applications by by any any single single and/or and/or joint joint applicants applicants which which in in the the aggregate aggregate do do not not exceed exceed €100 100,000 000 per per person, person, and and •at at 12 12.00 00 (noon) (noon) on on Monday Monday 3 rd rd March, March, 2014 2014 for for applications applications in in the the form form of of sealed sealed bids bids (auction) (auction). Application Application forms forms may may be be obtained obtained from, from, and and lodged lodged at, at, all all Members Members of of the the Malta Malta Stock Stock Exchange Exchange and and other other authorized authorized Investment Investment Service Service Providers Providers on on the the indicated indicated dates dates. Application Application forms forms may may also also be be downloaded downloaded from from the the Treasury's Treasury's website website at at www www.treasury treasury.gov gov.mt mt with with effect effect from from Friday Friday 21 21 st st February, February, 2014 2014. Bids Bids on on the the prescribed prescribed forms forms are are to to be be deposited deposited in in the the Treasury Treasury Tender Tender Box Box or or transmitted transmitted by by fax fax on on 2596 2596 7210 7210 or or by by e-mail mail at at the the e-mail mail addresses addresses indicated indicated on on the the application application forms forms. Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando around the time the Mistra scandal had erupted