harryregent

DR. HARRY VASSALLO WRITES TO REGENT HOTELS ABOUT THE PROPOSOED VERDALA GOLF COURSE

Dr. Harry Vassallo, Chairperson of Alternattiva Demokratika - The Green
Party, wrote to Mr. Tom Huffsmith, Chief Executive of Regent Hotels
International and to Mr. Michael Batt, President and Chief Executive of the
Carslon Leisure Group regarding the proposed development of a Golf Course
at Tal-Virtu'. The Golf Course forms part of the proposed project by AX
Holdings and Regent Hotels. In turn, Regent Hotels forms part of the
Carslon group.

In his correspondence, Dr. Vassallo said,

"While our party welcomes your interest in the development of Malta's
tourism product we are concerned that your commitment to the ex-Verdala
Hotel aligns your interest with the development of an 18-hole golf course
which we consider to be an inappropriate and unsustainable development.

The fact that the developer advertises his residential and hotel
development as neighbouring a non-existent golf course long before any
permit for this development is issued is deliberate misrepresentation on an
international level. The crucial facts that the land in question has not
yet been acquired by the developer and is held by government subject to the
special conditions of a treaty with The Holy See and subject to the rights
of a considerable number of tenant farmers is not mentioned in the relative
advertising. No mention is made in such advertising that the golf course
development is directly in violation of a number of provisions of the
Structure Plan for the Maltese Islands in terms of which any relative
permit must be issued.

The context in which this development is proposed is that of a country
subject to permanent drought conditions allayed only by the expenditure of
11% of all energy produced in the country on reverse osmosis plants to
produce 50% of the country's drinking water supply. A lawn is an
anti-social extravagance in such conditions. A golf course beggars
description.

Since its first construction the Verdala Hotel has been dogged by recurrent
failure. The fact that the present development received a recommendation
for refusal by the Planning Authority's technical Directorate. A failure
following the proposed development will leave considerably more
environmental fall-out than has occurred in previous attempt to operate a
hotel at this site.

A failed golf course of 65 hectares in a country having a mere 12,000
hectares of arable land is a risk the country cannot afford to take, a risk
which alone justifies the constantly mounting popular opposition to
project.

Regardless of impartial technical advice, the developer has persisted
obtaining permits outside development zone and further by committing
infringements to the permits granted destroying a natural ridge at the
Duplex Suites extension and proceeding with laying of concrete foundations
at the Verdala Mansions extension regardless of the stop notice in force in
recent days.

Your association with a developer committed to such business practices is
your concern. You are directly responsible for your company's actions in
marketing a hotel "surrounded by an 18 hole golf course" which does not
exist, for which permits have not been issued and which may never
materialise without gross misinterpretation of existing laws. "

AD - The Green Party is committed to defend the agricultural land at
Tal-Virtu', together with the farming community, environmental and social
movements, and the people of Rabat. For this purpose, AD - The Green Party
has written to all the green parties in Europe as well as to the U.S. Green
Party about the unsustainable golf course project.

Michael Briguglio
Public Relations Officer