Ta' Qali animal hospital saga rambles on

The operator of Centru San Frangisk at Ta' Qali, Trevor Zammit was today served with a judicial protest by the government, after allegedly being in breach of his contract and memorandum of understanding.

Environment Minister Leo Brincat and Animal Rights Parliamentary Secretary Roderick Galdes filed a judicial protest in which they denied allegations levelled at them by Zammit.

In the protest they said that Zammit 's expectations are "unfounded and baseless".

On Tuesday, the vet filed an official letter holding Galdes responsible for any damages he may suffer as a result of the government's decision to hold a customer service review of the animal hospital Centru San Frangisk in Ta' Qali.

Zammit took over the animal centre on 28 September 2010. This was done through a management agreement and a memorandum of understanding with the then Ministry of Environment and Rural Affairs.

However, the government argued that Zammit started a commercial activity beyond the conditions of the contract.

The judicial protest explained that a shop was set up selling medicines, food and items related to animal husbandry, in breach of the ariginal agreement signed in 2010.

Centru San Frangisk now falls under the responsibility of the Ministry for Sustainable Development and Climate Change, together with the Parliamentary Secretariat for fisheries, farming and animal rights.

Lawyers Aron Mifsud Bonnici and Matthew J. Grech signed the judicial protest on behalf of the government.