Here we go: the link between Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando Smith and his Labour friend Dominic Micallef

The Times, Tuesday, September 23, 2008
by Waylon Johnston

PULLICINO ORLANDO ‘OFFERED LAND FOR DISCO’

Dominic Micallef, the developer of the proposed Mistra disco, yesterday morning claimed in court that Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando had offered him two sites for a disco before coming up with land at Mistra.

Mr Micallef was testifying in the compilation of evidence in the case against Philip Azzopardi, 57, of Naxxar and Anthony Mifsud, 50, of Birżebbuġa, who it is being alleged had private interests in the adjudication process. They were respectively the chairman and member on the Mepa Development Control Commission which approved the project last November.

The two are charged with having a private interest in adjudication.

Mr Micallef said that in 2005 he had tried to open a project at Splash and Fun in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq but, for some reason or other, permission was not granted. His gut feeling was that competitors in the entertainment industry had tried to sabotage him.

He then looked around for a site to develop, preferably in the north of the island, since it was upmarket.

He met Dr Pullicino Orlando at a political activity and spoke to him about finding such a site and the MP told him he would help him to find a place.

At first he thought Dr Pullicino Orlando was bluffing because he had contacted various MPs on both sides of the House who used to promise him help but never did.

“However Dr Pullicino Orlando called me and offered two places, one at Rinella Movie Park and one at Ta’ Qali.”

Mr Micallef said he declined both because there was a club at Ta’ Qali already, and Rinella Movie Park was in the south and he wanted something upmarket in the north.

Dr Pullicino Orlando then told him about his own land in Mistra.

Mr Micallef said this site impressed him when he saw it, as it suited his ideas.

It was agreed that he would rent the property for 15 years at €34,950 a year, but he did not want to sign anything with Dr Pullicino Orlando until development permits were issued.

Mr Micallef said he then spoke to architect Paul Camilleri so that he could start the application process. The application was made in the name of his (Mr Micallef’s) cousin because he wanted to avoid the sabotage he suspected at Splash and Fun.

Mr Micallef said he had explained to Mr Camilleri that this would be an open area. Some 55 per cent would be a green area and the rest would include a platform of not more than 1.3m off the ground for 500 people.

He had told Dr Pullicino Orlando about his ideas and that it would be a VIP club in the north and Dr Pullicino Orlando signed the application for an outline permit as the owner of the land.

Once the application was submitted to Mepa he was asked for a compliance certificate from the Malta Tourism Authority.

The Mepa board met several times over a period of two years, repeatedly asking for more information on the project.

Mr Camilleri then recommended George Micallef as a consultant to draw up the report, which was duly submitted to Mepa and the MTA.

Mr Micallef said that over the two-year period he phoned Dr Pullicino Orlando several times asking him to check on the progress of the application.

Mr Micallef said he had not been pressing for a “yes” but for a “yes or no”. He just wanted an answer because time was money and he had other options in Malta and abroad.

In November 2007, Mr Camilleri informed him that the outline permit had been granted subject to a lot of conditions which involved a change of plans.

Mr Micallef said he then drew up a contract with Dr Pullicino Orlando.

Taking the witness stand, Silvio Farrugia, Assistant Director (Development Services) at Mepa said Dr Pullicino Orlando had attended meetings between liaison officers, which were normally attended by interested parties, notably when applications were turned down. At one of those meetings he had explained the conditions imposed with the outline permit, and Dr Pullicino Orlando looked visibly unhappy.

A problem they had discussed was parking because the parking area had to be informal so as to allow the natural flow of water through the valley. Mr Micallef said that when he had asked Dr Pullicino Orlando about this problem he said he would give him another piece of land for parking. He added that Dr Pullicino Orlando had bought this land while the development application was being processed.

Mr Micallef said that some two days later, the proposed development featured on a billboard and he had seen it while driving through Msida.

Dr Pullicino Orlando called him and asked him to withdraw the application and they agreed to stop the application one week before the election.

Asked why he had withdrawn the application when there was nothing wrong, Mr Micallef said he felt he should cooperate with Dr Pullicino Orlando, who was the owner of the land.

Daphne Carla Agius, a Mepa Planning Officer, said she had initially recommended the refusal of the development application as it was not seen as being sustainable. However, there were occasions when applications were refused by case officers but then approved by the board and vice versa.

The case continues.

Police Inspectors Ian Abdilla and Angelo Gafa’ prosecuted.

Lawyers Joseph Giglio, Stephen Tonna Lowell and Peter Fenech appeared for Mr Mifsud and Mr Azzopardi.