The Labour Party could be set to take in a fortune from the lease of the former Raffles Discotheque, a property in a prime site in St Andrew’s, which it had acquired through a controversial expropriation deal 40 years ago.
In a request for expression of interest published on Sunday, the PL said it was receiving proposals for the lease or emphyteusis and commercialisation of this site.
However, the terms of reference are only available on request from the party headquarters in Ħamrun, and the closing date for submissions is March 29.
The building, dating back to colonial times, was part of a deal through which the PL was given properties in St Andrew’s, a factory in Marsa currently used as the party’s television and radio station,  the historic Maċina building in Senglea which served as Labour’s headquarters until 1994, and €40,500 in cash.
All this was given in exchange for Freedom Press in Marsa, which was taken over by Malta Shipbuilding.
The properties had been transferred through a parliamentary resolution on August 7, 1979, which had been rushed through on the very last day before the House had risen for the summer recess.
In the case of St Andrew’s, the properties which…