Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/721047
5 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 31 AUGUST 2016 News MIDI: '100% committed to Manoel Island regeneration' CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 "The foreshore belongs to the public, but the rest is private property. If people damage it while walking through, then we'll ultimately be held responsible for it." He said that the council 's judi- cial protest came out of the blue, and that the issue could have easily been resolved through a cordial meeting. Yet, Borg Manche retorted that MIDI recently rejected a request by the Gzira council to hold an event at Manoel Island, on the grounds that "they had spoken to third parties and decided not to give permits to outsiders". Luke Coppini pledged that MIDI remains fully committed to regenerating the former mili- tary base at Manoel Island, as it had agreed to do 16 years ago. He said that there is a "very high " level of interest from po- tential investors in the Manoel Island project, but that MIDI has informally suspended its search for a strategic partner, pending the development of a master plan for Manoel Island. That is currently being drafted with the help of major British architect firm Foster and Part- ners. "We remain 100% committed to regenerating Manoel Island, so as to restore value and pride in it," Coppini said. Back in 2000, Midi was grant- ed both Tigne Point and Manoel Island on a 99-year-empytheusis on condition that they regener- ate the two former military bases. However, while a yacht marina was developed and Fort Manoel restored, Midi focused most of its energy into develop- ing Tigne into a high-end resi- dential and commercial centre. Their original plans for Manoel Island were to develop it into a marina village, complete with low-rise homes, gardens, a yacht marina, shoreline walkways, a boutique hotel, a waterfront promenade, and cultural, leisure and sports facilities. The project would also involve the restora- tion of Fort Manoel and the old Lazzaretto hospital, and devel- opment was to be limited to 30% of the island, towards its south- west coast. Coppini said last year that the regeneration pro- ject could cost up to €500 mil- lion, which could force MIDI to rope in a majority shareholder. "We remain 100% committed to regenerating Manoel Island, so as to restore value and pride in it," Coppini said. 'Fort Manoel must be returned to the public' Gzira's local council has also been critical of the fact that Fort Manoel has effectively remained in MIDI's hands, even in the years after its restoration. "It's the most beautiful fort in Malta, with a square larger than St George's Square in Valletta, and the concession granted to MIDI in 2000 specifically stat- ed that it had to be returned to the public once the project was complete," Borg Manche said. "Although it has now been re- stored, it remains inaccessible to the public, used only as a film set and a location for private parties," the Labour mayor said. "Coppini was really nice when I first spoke to him about it, but when it came to the si o no, he acted differently. I don't know whether he thinks we are naïve or stupid, but the people are an- gry now and expect the council to take action." The mayor also cast doubt on whether MIDI will be able to finish the Manoel Island project by 2023, the deadline stipulated in the 2000 concession. "If they don't complete it by 2023, then the government will be obliged to seize both Manoel Island and Tigne from them," he said. "They haven't started the project in 16 years, so I'm not sure how much they'll be able to do in six. What is sure is that I'll resist any attempt to extend the deadline; 23 years is more than enough time and we're fed up of the consortium now." tdiacono@mediatoday.com.mt 'Leadership contenders biding their time' CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 A third MP, from a northern district, corroborated reports of com- plaints from grassroots activ- ists, and spoke at length of hushed-down leadership ambi- tions from MPs like Chris Said and Claudio Grech, and also MEP Roberta Metsola. "There's been some care- less talk during some sectional committee meetings that at- tracted attention because of some badmouthing. It's no se- cret that Chris Said and Clau- dio Grech are biding their time for a future leadership bid. Rob- erta Metsola too is said to be convinced she could be in with a chance." Simon Busuttil yesterday con- vened a parliamentary group meeting to discuss bribery al- legations by a Libyan national made against a health ministry official responsible for medical visas, on which police investi- gations so far have proved fruit- less. "Busuttil knows he is up against a very able communica- tor," the southern MP said with reference to Joseph Muscat. "So he will have to get back to ba- sics and show his grassroots he is one of them." One of Busuttil's apparent mishaps recently has been the belated action taken on Sliema's Townsquare, where residents from the Tigné area seemed to be alone in protest- ing the 38-storey tower. They were backed by Sliema's PN- dominated council, as well as Green Party councillor Michael Briguglio and the independent MP Marlene Farrugia. Although he later complained on PN radio station 101 that the PN "does not agree that Malta should become like another Dubai, with everything built up and profit the only god", critics say his protest came late in the day. "It was a golden opportunity for Busuttil to be seen near people who are committed PN voters, but instead he was talk- ing about the expansion of the Malta Freeport that week," one of the MPs said. On the other hand, a Labour insider inside the Office of the Prime Minister, tried to bolster the impression that Busuttil's leadership is facing mutiny. "Our recent polling is show- ing us we would be returned to government with a sizeable majority if elections were held tomorrow – pretty much any- thing upward of 25,000 votes. Busuttil is rightfully concerned about his future." Beyond the speculation, there is clear agreement that the PN leader will have to invest in a revamped and perhaps radical message to capture his support- ers' imagination and appeal to the aspirations of f loating vot- ers within the next 12 months. PN MPs reiterate support for Busuttil, discuss medical visas PAUL COCKS THE parliamentary group of the Nationalist Party met yesterday afternoon, ostensibly to discuss the alleged scandal surrounding the issuance of medical visas to Libyan nationals, but against the background of reports spread by the Labour media that the group would be discussing the "embat- tled " leadership. On Sunday, PN leader Simon Busuttil claimed that the leaked messages revealed links be- tween criminality and Castille, and that the Prime Minister had been aware of the scandal for over a year because he had f lagged the issue at a meeting of the Security Committee. Muscat vehemently denied having knowledge of the medi- cal visa racket before it was re- ported to the police. To counter the claims, the Of- fice of the Prime Minister said in a statement that the PN were meeting in light of Busuttil 's "increasingly precarious" posi- tion as leader of the Nationalist Party. With the Labour Party's me- dia upping the ante, insisting that Busuttil was facing internal pressure, many opposition MPs arriving for the meeting refused to comment when asked by Mal- taToday whether they believed the leader enjoyed the support of all – including that of the grass- roots. The few who did speak to the press were however extremely vocal in their belief that Busut- til retained the support of the parliamentary group and party supporters. PN deputy leader Mario de Marco reiterated that the group would be discussing the visas scandal while Frederick Azzo- pardi said he fully supported Busuttil and was sure that the party supporters did too. Jason Azzopardi, shadow home affairs spokesman, insisted that he still backed Busuttil com- pletely. "And of course he's got the sup- port of the party," he said. "Isn't that obvious?" MP Paula Mifsud Bonnici too expressed her complete support for Busuttil. "I can only speak for myself, but I am sure the party feels the same way." Meanwhile, Charlo Bonnici would not answer questions, he only said he had "no time for fairytales". At the end of the parliamen- tary group's meeting, which lasted for more than two hours, Francis Zammit Dimech said the group discussed the medi- cal visas scandal but would not say whether the group discussed other issues. MP Charlo Bonnici had no time for fairytales