Concerns flagged by NAO on former ITS site remain unaddressed, Chamber of Commerce warns

Concerns flagged by the National Audit Office on government’s disposal of the ITS site in St George’s Bay remain unaddressed one year on, the Chamber of Commerce said.

Insisting that public land should be for the benefit of the common good, the Chamber’s reaction comes on the eve of a planning meeting that will decide on a project proposed by the DB Group for the site.

The DB Group had been the only company to submit a proposal when government disposed of the ITS site with an audit of the tendering process carried out by the NAO finding several shortcomings.

The Chamber recalled that last year when the NAO report was published, it felt the need to call for transparent, honest, detailed, and comprehensive explanations on the doubts raised by the NAO.

“Just over a year later, these doubts and questions have remained unaddressed,” it said, insisting on full transparency, observing good governance principles and an equal playing field for all at all times.

READ ALSO: Auditor General questions regularity of ITS land transfer to DB group

The Chamber said that it has since published a series of 35 recommendations applicable to procurement to ensure that the public interest is upheld in a transparent fashion. 

“Public land should be for the benefit of the common good.  Furthermore, The Malta Chamber reiterates its call that any such projects must take Malta in a much-needed direction, towards increased value, respectful of the island’s carrying capacity, and such projects should not be built in a piecemeal fashion based on outdated local plans,” the statement said.

It added that the continued doubts related to the project must be addressed in a fair and credible manner.

The DB Group is proposing the construction of two residential towers, a Hard Rock Café hotel and commercial facilities on the site of the former tourism school.

The planning application will be determined in a meeting of the Planning Authority board tomorrow. The case officer’s report is recommending approval.