Ħal Għargħur mayor slams 'opportunism' after PN councillor defects

Ħal Għargħur Mayor Helen Gauci has issued a strong defence of a lease agreement involving Fort Anċieretka, while slamming what she described as “political opportunism.”

Last week, Francesca Attard, who was elected to the local council on the PN ticket, announced that she will serve as an independent councillor, stating that she wants, “to work free from political pressure, with the sole aim of putting the interests of the residents I represent first.”

The controversy centers on a 2023 agreement in which the government leased Fort Anċieretka to the Ħal Għargħur Local Council, which was then subleased to the Don Bosco Foundation.

Gauci emphasised that this deal had been approved during her Nationalist-led administration and had, at the time, the support of Labour Party councillors. She said it is now “difficult to understand” why some current councillors appear to be obstructing the agreement’s implementation.

The mayor dismissed any suggestion of personal or political motives behind the sublease, noting that the Lands Authority not only approved the contract but also set the rent at €750 per year. “The contract signed with the NGO confirms that everything was done according to law,” she stated. “There was no personal or political interest involved.”

She accused unnamed councillors of using the issue to push private political agendas rather than bringing forward constructive proposals. 

Addressing public concerns over access to the site, Gauci denied that the agreement would limit residents’ use of the fort. She said the contract explicitly states that the premises are to be used for community benefit and that the Don Bosco Foundation is not allowed to charge for public access.

“No attack on local democracy nor any attempt to destabilise the council will deter us from continuing our work,” she said.