Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/652704
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 13 MARCH 2016 17 The ugly Zonqor Jordanian construction firm Sadeen was handpicked by the government for the construction of a private 'university' on ODZ land in Zonqor Point in Marsaskala. This drew the ire of the environmental lobby and civil society, culminating in a protest attended by thousands. MEPA The government's decision to separate MEPA's planning and environment protection functions and create two new separate and distinct authorities is seen by the green lobby and legal experts as a step backwards in terms of environmental protection and autonomy of the authorities. Australia Hall The former colonial building was granted to the Labour Party as compensation for the transfer of land the party owned on the site of the Malta Shipbuilding Corporation. In 2014, the property was sold to A.H. Developments Ltd. Labour declared the value of the property to be just €582,343, but an architect commissioned by the Commissioner of Inland Revenue had originally valued it at €5.5 million. Public transport The government once again missed the bus when the service did not improve and still is one of the people's major concerns after a Spanish company, Autobuses de Leon, took over the service. Privatisation of health Despite successfully reducing the number of different medicines which used to be out of stock and cutting the waiting lists in a number of services, the decision to partly privatise the Gozo hospital and St Luke's Hospital has raised fears that the State could abdicate its responsibilities in providing free healthcare. The deals are shrouded in secrecy as the contracts have not yet been published. Police force Already under the fourth Commissioner in three years, the force has seen its reputation tarnished, especially following the Paul Sheehan shooting and revelations of former Police Commissioner Ray Zammit's family business links with the Gaffarenas and his son's short-lived employment at Enemalta after being controversially boarded out from the force. Sai Mizzi Despite a barrage of criticism over nepotism, the government decided to engage energy and health minister Konrad Mizzi's wife's Sai as Malta Enterprise's envoy in China. Her contract, worth €13,000 a month, will not be renewed when it comes to an end in August this year. Judicial appointments The botched nomination of Ingrid Zammit Young as magistrate and the controversial decision to appoint Speaker of the House Anglu Farrugia's daughter Caroline Farrugia Frendo to the bench left the government with egg on its face. Visa racket The government made significant changes to the administrative organisation of Identity Malta but the agency was subject to a police investigation into allegations that thousands of visas and residence permits were issued fraudulently before and after the 2013 election. Maltese Citizenship Act The contentious scheme allows non-EU citizens to buy Maltese citizenship by paying €650,000 together with mandatory investment requirements of €350,000 in property and €150,000 in financial instruments. So far the programme has raked in some €120 million but has come under intense criticism for turning citizenship into a commodity, its secrecy and for creating a two-tier system in the naturalisation of foreigners. Marlene Farrugia Outspoken MP Marlene Farrugia resigned from the Labour Party in the wake of the Zonqor saga and the MEPA demerger. Despite staying on as an Independent MP, Farrugia lost any kind of influence she could have had on the government. News The bad Gaffarena Parliamentary secretary Michael Falzon resigned following a damning report by the Auditor General into the expropriation of property owned by Marco Gaffarena concluded that the deal was in clear breach of the fundamental principles of good governance, transparency and fairness. Café Premier bailout The Café Premier scandal saw the government pay Cities Entertainment €4.2 million to buy back a 65-year lease on the outlet in January 2014. The Auditor General found poor governance and lack of documentation to justify the Office of the Prime Minister's decision to buy back the lease. Sheehan shooting Muscat was left with no option but to sack one of his star candidates, Manuel Mallia as home affairs minister following the shooting incident involving the minister's driver Paul Sheehan. Cyrus Engerer The appointment of Cyrus Engerer as a special representative of the Maltese government to the European Union and his anointment as a "soldier of steel", despite his criminal conviction over revenge porn was another nail in the coffin of Labour's 'meritocracy' pledge. Panamagate The revelations that both the energy and health minister Konrad Mizzi and Muscat's chief of staff Keith Schembri have a company registered in a tax haven have opened Muscat's closest allies to suspicions of corruption but the Prime Minister has unfalteringly remained loyal to both.