Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/939870
PAUL COCKS OPPOSITION leader Adrian Delia met repre- sentatives from both the White Rocks consortium as well as Joe Portelli, of JP Projects – the proponent of the Mercury House high- rise tower in St Julian's. Nationalist Party repre- sentatives who balked at the prospect of a drastic shift in PN policy said they feared Delia had expressed support for the projects and guaranteed approval through the party's repre- sentation on the Planning Authority board. When questioned Delia did not deny having met Portelli and accepting fi- nancial support for the party from JP Projects and its subsidiaries. "Dr Delia meets business persons as he meets social partners and people from all walks of life, including environmental lobbies, on a regular basis. He intends to carry on doing so for the rest of his tenure. "These meetings are the basis for genuine dialogue, discussion and under- standing," a spokesperson told MaltaToday when asked about his meetings with White Rocks repre- sentatives and Joe Portelli, who is also involved in the White Rocks business group. PHOTO JAMES BIANCHI SHIPWRECK ON ST PAUL'S A bunkering tanker runs aground at Qawra point, as a storm wreaks havoc across the Maltese islands PAGE 2 Newspaper post 14 15 maltatoday today today SUNDAY • 11 FEBRUARY 2018 • ISSUE 953 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY 7 Why I am against Vote 16 PG 19 YOUR FIRST READ AND CLICK OF THE DAY WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT Can Delia hunt with the hounds and run with the hares? MATTHEW VELLA THE White Rocks consortium selected as the preferred bidder to develop a luxury villa complex over 450 tumuli of land, has been told their €25 million offer is far below government expectations. A senior government representative con- tradicted reports that a deal had been con- cluded, and that negotiations were being held up over disagreements on the offer being presented by the business group that wants the land. "Newspaper reports that a deal has been sealed are well off the mark. This is Malta's prime site with unadulterated sea views and vast open spaces. There is no way the pro- ject and land is worth just €25 million," the source told MaltaToday. Presentations seen by MaltaToday show that in their bid to realise a sustainable and profitable project, the consortium is expect- ing a return of €400 million on the project. The proposed plan includes 66 terrace vil- las priced at an average of €2.25 million – the total revenue here would be around €149 mil- lion; 90 foreshore leisure coastal apartments selling for an average price of €717,000 and bringing in revenue of €65 million, 18 'citadel villas' fetching a price of €4.8 million each with a total revenue of €86 million and 225 'citadel apartments' with an average cost of €450,000 with revenue of €101 million. The consortium was plan- ning to rake in a minimum €220 million in profits. NORMA SALIBA Dissecting the PN leader's voter targets JAMES DEBONO'S ANALYSIS The consortium was plan- PAGE 7 PHOTO Delia courts high-rise developers €1.95 6 The acting head of Malta's press club talks shop White Rocks €25mn offer 'too low' Why I am against Can Delia hunt with the hounds and Dissecting the PN leader's voter targets JAMES DEBONO'S ANALYSIS SAVIOUR BALZAN