|
James Debono
Gozitans who purchased cheap land from the Gozo Curia despite knowing the plots were outside development schemes drafted by ex-minister Lorry Sant, are believed to have benefited from government’s “rationalisation” exercise to increase the development boundaries.
Citing “incomplete records”, a government spokesperson could not confirm whether all Gozitan multi-ownership plots included in the new development scheme were part of a previous scheme.
According to former Gozitan bishop Mgr Nikol Cauchi, these lands had been bought at a pittance and couples buying land outside development schemes had paid an extra sum.
Speaking to MaltaToday in May, the Bishop Emeritus declared that when plots were sold by the Curia, the Church had informed buyers that they could not develop them until permits were issued.
“These were sold at a pittance. A few of them were sold on a condition that if a permit is granted the buyer would pay an extra sum. Whoever bought plots outside development zones was told that he was buying land in a green area. In such cases the price was cheaper.”
Twenty years later these lucky, now middle-aged couples can retire gracefully knowing that they have finally struck gold.
Yet the revelation that some lands could have ended in the new schemes despite being excluded from previous ones, contradicts the government contention that new lands were included to address past injustices.
The government has repeatedly justified its rationalisation plans by referring to the “injustices” suffered by young couples who had bought plots under previous development schemes but whose newly acquired properties were subsequently excluded from the 1988 temporary provision schemes.
Yet many couples who had bought their plots under previous schemes, still had their plots excluded in the latest revision of building schemes due to ecological considerations.
But the same government does not exclude that couples whose plots were never included in any scheme could have benefited from the new scheme while others who bought properties within previous schemes were left out.
According to a spokesperson for the Ministry for the Environment and Rural Affairs, it is very difficult to establish whether the government had proposed lands which were never included in any previous scheme.
He claims that during the period between 1983 and 1988 there were no building schemes and permits were granted according to the Building Development Act.
“Some of sites qualified through the provisions in that Act,” the spokesperson said.
He also claims that prior to 1983 building schemes were not static and amendments were continuously undertaken but “the records for Gozo may be incomplete.”
But despite admitting that it is difficult to prove whether these couples had bought their land within approved schemes, the government’s spokesperson still insists that these plots were included on social grounds because the land in question was plotted and sold to various owners, mostly young couples, a fact acknowledged by Bishop Nikol Cauchi and which can be verified by the fact that the sites in question had multiple requests made on them.
But despite the inclusion of these plots, the Gozitan Curia was not satisfied, demanding that more land should be included in the new schemes.
The government claims that there other lands plotted and sold off by the Church and which were not included within the adjusted boundaries, either for environmental reasons or to avoid urban sprawl.
“In fact the Curia in Gozo submitted a request on behalf of plot owners for further sites to be considered for inclusion in Gozo for social considerations,” the ministry spokesperson said.
jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt |
