Taxpayers are forking out more than half a million euros to extensively re-build parts of a private property Gozo Channel leased three years ago but has never used.
Pictures of ongoing work at the former Ta’ Miema supermarket in Mgarr, which was leased by Gozo Channel in 2019, show the building was in such a poor structural state that parts of it had to be completely demolished and re-built and that even the roofs had to be replaced.
The Shift is also informed that since Gozo Channel had taken out a lease on an unsound building, the company’s chairman Joe Cordina was forced to obtain a special Planning Authority permit, known as a Dangerous Structure permit, that allowed the company to carry out emergency works to stabilise the building.
Through the emergency intervention, piles had to be fitted to prevent the building from collapsing.
Landlords are Gozo Channel chairman’s accounting clients
Investigations into this latest Gozo Channel debacle, yet another in a long line, show that it is actually a scandal.
They show that while the property is still owned by A&J Hili Ta’ Miema Ltd – the private company that used to run Ta’ Miema Supermarket – all the structural work is being paid for by Gozo Channel with public funds.
The Shift is also informed that the owners of the private company are clients of chairman Joe Cordina’s private auditing firm.
Questions sent to Cordina asking him to state what type of checks Gozo Channel had carried out on the building before leasing it and why it had not cancelled the lease once it discovered it was a dangerous structure were not answered
Cordina was also asked to explain why public funds are being used to fix private property and to state how much the ongoing works will cost. Again, he refused to provide any details.
Gozo Channel sources described the case as “one of Gozo Channel’s biggest scandals in recent years” and said that, so far, it is expected that some half a million euros will be spent to fix up the private property.
Earlier this year, Cordina’s Gozo Channel issued a direct order in favour of contractors Road Construction Ltd to perform “emergency works” on the building.
The Shift is informed that through the lease agreement, the clients of the Gozo Channel chairman are being paid €100,000 a year for the lease.
While already making some €300,000 from the lease, the landlords are also having their property done up at taxpayers’ expense.
Gozo Channel and the Gozo Ministry have both refused to publish the lease contract.
In the meantime, Gozo Channel has been registering massive losses in the past years and is being kept afloat through millions of euros in subsidies being injected into the company by the finance ministry.
OHSA has no idea of how many tower cranes are operating in Malta
‘Tal-Bamboċċu’ demands payment from developers over Jerma Palace deal
Prime minister cites new excuse to keep asset declarations secret
Opinion: Debt rising, truth falling – Caruana’s misleading claims
Sign up to our newsletter Stay in the know
"*" indicates required fields
Tags
#Gozo
#Gozo Channel
#Joe Cordina
#Mgarr
#supermarket
Related News
OHSA has no idea of how many tower cranes are operating in Malta
‘Tal-Bamboċċu’ demands payment from developers over Jerma Palace deal
Prime minister cites new excuse to keep asset declarations secret
Opinion: Debt rising, truth falling – Caruana’s misleading claims
Embarrassment as Malta fails to reach European higher-education standards
Health minister’s former trainee sits on FMS board that employs him
Authorities consider changes to planning rules to override court decision on Ta’ Xbiex restaurant
Payments to failed €55 million project contractor kept under wraps
Opinion: Byron Camilleri’s mess
Tax chief fails to fill €29,000 legal role, hands €78,000 contract to former minister
Bunkering association calls for observation of rules among Maltese players
With each passing day we get a better map of the greedy MAFIA in Malta.
Naqra naqra pajjizna qed jispicca fallut u Clyde Caruana qatt ma jista jsib tarf ta dawn il-hallelin li hu mdawwar bihom ghax ma jikkalkolawhx. Il-flus minghand in-nies u l-businesses irid igibhom dan l-gharef, halli shabu jkomplu jitpaxxew. Dawn nies ta arroganza u njoranza grassa, u mohhom mistrieh li l-maggoranza tal-poplu Malti Gahan. Sfortunatament il-lejber mimli b?nies li ma jhobbux il pajjiz taghhom izda l-but biss.
While Minister Clyde Caruana has given up getting ?200 million to pay the interest on the National Debt from budget cuts , so he has issued ?200 million in Government Bonds apparently. The government pyramid scheme. Selling “I owe you’s” to pay his debt? The same happened last year , September. That was under CoVid reasons , this time it us under what reasons? or Malta will Default? Is this the real reason?
Ministru Caruana PRIM MINISTRU ABELA dawn il hnizrijiet allura ma tiehdux .AZZJONI? Dawn flus il poplu tafux. Mela se nibqaw sejrin jekk? LAW OF THE JUNGLE. META SE TIBDEW ITTAJRU L L IRJUS. HA TAGHTU EZEMPJU?
M’ghandux zejt f’wiccu dan. X’qed jistenna biex jaghti r-rizenj?
The police must investigate this alleged fraud of public funds immediately and take the culprits to Court, including Government officials and Parliamentarians that are found to be involved.
It is your responsibility Mr. Angelo Gafa’ to see to it without delay, according to your oath of office.
For the umpteenth – and even further time – HALLAS GAHAN.
To-day’s papers carry the news that Finance has injected a 12 Million Euro aid to the fast-ferries companies – competing both between themselves and, obviously, with Gozo channel – to save their skin.
How’s that for irony – or, rather, how’s that for very costly irony at the expense of the local taxpayer, when we are being repeatedly assured that public spending will be excised by no less than 200 Million Euro this year?
For the umpteenth – and even further – time: HALLAS GAHAN!
To-day’s papers carried the news that Government will be forking out 12 Million Euros in aid to the two operators of the fast-ferries – who are competing for business both between themselves and the Gozo Channel Company.
How’s that for irony – or, rather, how’s that for very costly irony at the expense of the local taxpayer?
We must remember that we have been repeatedly assured that Public Expenditure will be excised by no less than 200 Million Euros during this year!
Should one think that the target aimed at has been lowered because of ‘unforeseen’ or other – perhaps mysterious – ‘circumstances’?
And what follows this expose’ of criminality and corruption? Complete silence from government. Its the new normality. People have become insensitive to the pain of political sodomy.
With each passing day this island leaves an even worse taste in my mouth. Anyone who is complacent is as guilty as these Crooked vultures we have in power. Stand up and be counted. Especially Maltese men! Over shadowed a 1000 to 1 in terms of courage by all those amazing Women in Iran ????. Pathetic!
Tafx ma xiex jaqbad Clyde Caruana ma 4 haddiema li minhabba stupidagni tal GWU icahhadhom milli jiehdu l COLA.
Where the f#ck is the opposition??
Golden vote holders only club.
kullhadd jisraq kemm jiflaah lill- haddiem onest. Mafiagozomalta – hilarious.
hllas it-taxxi biex igawdu l-ftit tal-qalba u l-korrotti.
haven’t you heard that gafa is deaf and dumb?
another day, another scandal, another dagger in the honest workers’ back. hnezrijiet bla tmiem.
X’inhu numru ta’ dan l-iskandlu? l-elf jew elfejn wiehed f’ghaxar snin?
POPLU GIFA U JIEHU GOST B’MIN QIEGHED JISIRQU.
Se jaghlaq 10 snin chairman. Ghamlu ta Burmarrad ghax kiel il kirxa mieghu u baqa hemm. Cens perpetwu. Ghandi dubju hemmx iehor li ilu 10 sniin chairman fl istess kumpanija. F dan il perjodu dahhal iktar flus minn kull Ministru ghal Ghawdex. Ma jafux jisthu.