Msida Creek project: Bonett claims PN knew about alternative design before anyone else

Mark Anthony Sammut noted that on Net TV’s Opinjoni, KTP President revealed that before the proposal was revealed, KTP had invited Chris Bonnet and Sammut to a meeting, but only the PN’s shadow minister had attended • Chris Bonnet questioned why the PN knew about the alternative design before anyone else

29 June 2024, 10:25am
by Matthew Farrugia

2 min read

Sammut noted that Bonnet had only met with the KTP this week, “after he saw the positive reactions on social media”

The PN’s shadow minister for infrastructure Mark Anthony Sammut has blasted infrastructure minister Chris Bonett for choosing to meet with the Kamra tal-Periti (KTP) over their Msida Creek project proposal only after the idea was popular on social media.

Sammut took to Facebook on Saturday as he recalled how Bonett had stated the PN’s approval of the proposal in question was rushed. Bonett had called out the “politics by Facebook strategy” employed by the PN, saying he was left baffled at how quickly MP Mark Anthony Sammut had come out saying he agreed with the projects, before analysing the technicalities it entails.

Sammut noted that on Net TV’s Opinjoni, KTP President revealed that before the proposal was revealed, KTP had invited Bonnet and Sammut to a meeting, but only the PN’s shadow minister had attended.

The PN MP said that he met with the chamber, as well as the Msida mayor, where they asked their questions, “and that’s why we had no problem supporting this when it was announced.”

Sammut noted that Bonnet had only met with the KTP this week, “after he saw the positive reactions on social media.”

He blasted the minister for projecting his “Facebook politics” onto the PN.

Chris Bonett questions "hidden agenda", asks whether PN knew of proposal before anyone else

In his own Facebook post, infrastructure minister Chris Bonett clarified the timeline of events from his own perspective.

Firstly, he said that he first met with the KTP last March, and when its President, Andre Pizzuto mentioned their alternative design for the Msida Creek Project, Bonett told him that the project's tendering process had already been closed.

Bonett then said that on 19 June, he received a message from Pizzuto, saying the design was almost ready. A few days later on 23 June, the design was pubilshed, as the minister stated that this was the first time he hads seen the design.

During the following days, Bonett met with Pizzuto and introduced the KTP to Infrastructure Malta's architects.

The minister claimed that this timeline of events contradict what Mark Anthony Sammut and Pizzuto have stated, as he asked whether Pizzuto had shown the design to the PN exclusively.

"If this was concluded weeks ago and the PN knew about it, why didn't the PN mention the alternative design that they're in favour of during the local council elections campaign? Is there an agenda that is slowly being revealed?"

Matthew Farrugia is a staff reporter at MaltaToday