The Tragedy of Fort Binġemma

Fort Binġemma is a British fortification completed in 1878, forming part of the Victoria Lines defence system stretching from Rabat to Pembroke. It is a national heritage - currently occupied by squatters.

The Fort Binġemma Complex - Image Composite from a video dated Jan 2021 by Joe Grange

In 1981 the fort was leased by the Dom Mintoff Labour Government of the time to Gaetano ‘Gejtu’ Buttigieg for use as a farm. The lease occurred shortly before the infamous 1981 general election.

Fort Binġemma was leased to Gaetano Buttigieg in 1981 – Image Source: Steve Buttigieg

Such land leases were not uncommon at the time, with various historical sites sold or leased off as farms for a pittance. Examples include Fort Leonardo and Fort Bengħajsa. If the latter fort’s lease is any indication, the cost was around €200 yearly. Adjusted for inflation this would be around €600/yr. I’d love to rent a whole fort for €600/yr, wouldn’t you?

Fort Binġemma covers an area of around 13,000 square metres (11.5 tumoli ~), excluding its moat. Buttigieg used the fort to raise livestock and as a private residence for his family. The lease officially lasted until 1997. Following that, as The Independent reports, the lease was renewed yearly initially by the Labour government of the time, then by the successive PN government.

Squatters Won’t Budge - No Room for Compromise

From 2002, requests were made by the Environment Ministry for the fort to be vacated. In 2005, Heritage Malta even announced that it would be taking over the fort and restoring it. The lease was nevertheless continually renewed, while the government tried to find a compromise with Buttigieg.

When no such compromise was found, the lease was officially terminated in May 2009. The Buttigieg family nonetheless occupies the fort to this day.

An entryway to Fort Binġemma barred shut - Source: article by The Malta Independent, 2015

Since 2009, several government officials have paid visits to the fort, including the Government Property Department, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and even Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi who, at the time, was the Parliamentary Secretary Responsible for Land.

According to The Independent, spokespersons for Azzopardi said in 2012, that the government’s legal grounds for an eviction were not being enforced out of compassion for the elderly and sickly Buttigieg. After an offer of a home in Rabat being deemed unsuitable as it did not cater for Buttigieg’s wheelchair use, the Housing Authority was unable to find an alternative compromise.

That is until Buttigieg agreed for the building he and his wife lived in within the fort to be sectioned off with a fence. The building is close to the former command post of the fort. It comprises of 3 large rooms, which may be subdivided on the inside, and covers an area of around 130 square metres. Membrane roofing (applied sometime between 2019 and 2021) and a water tank may be observed.

The Buttigieg's 'bungalow' at Fort Binġemma - Source: 2021 video by Joe Grange

The rest of the fort would have been open for restorations and the public. In 2011, the government even obtained a permit for this fence.

Following the agreement, Buttigieg nevertheless refused to cooperate, forbidding access to several government officials.

Gaetano Buttigieg has since died, but is survived by his wife Josephine and family, who still occupy the fort.

Walls inside walls – The Buttigieg family builds.

The Buttigieg family have even seen fit to build some walls and level a concrete yard at the property they illegally occupy. From analysis of satellite imagery, it seems that these were built as part of a combined parking lot and boat yard for several vehicles. This lot is located on the south-west side of the fort when seen from above and covers about 160 square metres of land.

Satellite Imagery showing a parking lot and swimming pool built over the years. Source: Google Earth

Aerial view of a walled-off concrete lot which did not exist pre-2013. Source - video dated Jan 2021 by Joe Grange

The illegal development was flagged in a 2013 MEPA Enforcement Notice.

Unfortunately, the Independent messed up in this area of the story, as they reported that Rabat ex-Labour MP Charles Buhagiar, of MED Design was the architect involved in this business. Mr Buhagiar was a member of the Environment and Development Planning Committee. He was contacted by Josephine Buttigieg, who asked about whether the illegal concrete lot could be sanctioned.

Mr. Buhagiar clarified in the Independent’s 2015 follow up article that he advised Mrs. Buttigieg that such illegalities cannot be sanctioned in a grade-listed building. Mr. Buhagiar also said that he was later told that the illegalities were removed.

Assuming that the concrete parking lot shown above is the same one flagged in the enforcement notice, its removal is a lie. It can be clearly seen in 2021 imagery of the fort.

Between 2017 and 2019, a water reservoir turned swimming pool was also created at the Northeast of the fort. The swimming pool covers an area of about 35 square metres, and has distinctive symmetrical stone steps leading to it from the north of the fort. This can also be observed in satellite and drone imagery and was extensively covered by a 2020 Times of Malta article.

The Lands Authority is also aware of this development, but has stated that nothing can be done about it as the original reservoir structure was built before 1967.

A water reservoir turned recreational swimming pool at Fort Binġemma - Source: video dated Jan 2021 by Joe Grange

A July 2019 social media picture showing the recreational swimming pool at Fort Binġemma - Source: Steve Buttigieg

An Illegal Restaurant

To top the whole saga off, the Buttigieg family have even furnished an ‘extensive Kitchen’ at the fort, and have supposedly made occasional use of it as a restaurant. Sources confirmed to the Independent that there were even staff parties organized against payment.

To avoid repeating what the Independent have already reported on, this would be illegal on a number of bases:

• The Buttigieg family are not the legal owners of the land

• Even if they were the legal owners, they do not have the necessary permits to operate a restaurant.

• They are not licensed by the Malta Tourism Authority, meaning health and safety standards cannot be enforced.

• Tax evasion concerns naturally surface.

The Buttigieg family would later deny use of the fort as a restaurant.

A Case 13 Years Under Investigation

It was reported in a follow up article by the Independent as recent as April 2021, that ‘the case in question is currently being investigated by the Internal Audit and Investigations Directorate within the Lands Authority’.

Frankly, I’m expecting to be impressed by the amount and quality of work done by this directorate considering the case has been open since 2009, 13 years ago. A funny feeling tells me no one will be too happy with the outcome, if there will be any.

The Buttigieg Family Responds

Gaetano Buttigieg’s two sons, Joseph, and Steve, have taken on more than their father’s ‘Il-Landa’ nickname. The Landa boys have sought to right the supposed wrongs that the media has done them, by offering their version of events in news portals’ comments sections.

Joseph Buttigieg, Gaetano’s son comments on article covering the illegalities - Source: article by the Independent, 2015

Joseph is the most articulate online, claiming that articles covering the illegalities are plots to disrepute the family and sell off the fort to other private hands. Interestingly he even seems to agree with the ideal that all forts should be government-owned and maintained. All forts except the one his family occupies, of course.

Joseph claims there is collusion between the government and private speculators - Source: article by the Independent, 2015

The PN government’s offer of alternative housing is described as ‘2 old rooms’ by Joseph, which naturally can’t compare to the ‘bungalow and a pool’ that his mum currently enjoys. He also claims that ‘someone’, has offered the family payment for the property, a property they do not own.

In what, surely Joseph believes is a final muting blow to the article, he even claims that the author of the original Independent article, John Cordina, illegally stole files from MEPA or the Lands Department.

Joseph also disputes several other claims the article made.

• He claims that the restaurant activities mentioned were nothing more than a family Sunday lunch where everyone paid his share.

• He claims that the original lease was signed in exchange for a home the Buttigieg family had in Rabat, and that this means they own the home inside the fort.

• He claims that an illegally caged robin originally mentioned by the article actually flew into the cage by itself.

• He claims that his family still pays rent on the now defunct lease, which according to him, excludes them from being called squatters.

Comments covering various topics by Joseph Buttigieg - Source: article by the Independent, 2015

He even writes an open letter to the author of the article, detailing several supposed facts. I will reproduce the letter below in English.

"An open letter to Mr. John Cordina, the idiot who wrote on the Malta Independent. What right did you have to steal our files from MEPA or the Lands Department and publish them to the rest of the world? What does the Perit Buhagiar have to do with the fort? As if there are squatters who pay rent and utilities, you idiot. Next time, write in Maltese, because we’re Maltese, idiot, try as I try. I read all the same things you wrote on the MEPA files. If someone knows this idiot, tell him, please.

Regarding the robin, even we do not know what happened exactly. That robin entered the cage on its own – a villa rather than a cage. We used to close it at night but the rest of the time he would not leave.

Regarding the restaurant and meals – which only exist in your head, and you made up, idiot – in the kitchen there are 2 household fridges, normal sized, and two normal household cookers, have you never seen a restaurant? What right do you have to tell me that I cannot have a meal with my family and friends where everyone pays their share?

I hope you weren’t involved in the eviction letter sent to my dad [Gaetano] 3 years ago [2012] on Christmas eve. From there on out, my dad’s health deteriorated.

The other things you mentioned were all always there but have deteriorated over time. Don’t show me pictures from 15 years ago, show me pictures from 80 years ago. Go to the archives in Rabat, as I did.

Now you know everything, okay man? Now the problem’s gotten bigger because there used to be my mum and my dad, and someone killed him. Now there are the 4 of us, myself, my brother, my sister, and my mother, the will beneficiaries.

Before Gejtu il-Landa died, do you know what he said? ‘Don’t give in to them’, and that’s what we’ll do, idiot. Now if you’ve got the courage, answer me, idiot."

Steve ‘Il-Landa’ Buttigieg – The King of Bingemma

While Joseph Buttigieg may be the most verbose of the brothers online, Steve Buttigieg certainly takes the crown when it comes to who’s actually occupying the fort – and he fancies it a real crown too.

The self-proclaimed ‘King of Bingemma’ has taken over his father’s legacy as the main occupant of the fort, alongside his aforementioned mother, Josephine ‘Jessie’ Buttigieg.

Steve doesn’t shy away from this fact either, sharing several photos of himself at the fort with family and friends, while they have poolside barbecues, and fix up cars – all on publicly owned, squatted on property.

It’s worth noting that many of Steve’s pictures showing a garage are taken at his place of work, but a significant number are from within the Fort itself.

Steve Buttigieg with his son at Fort Bingemma - Source: Steve Buttigieg

The 'King ta' Bingemma': Steve Il-Landa Buttigieg - Source: Steve Buttigieg

The commentor in the above image must’ve taken inspiration from Steve’s earlier self-crowning as ‘King of Bingemma’.

'The King of Binġemma' - Source: Steve Buttigieg

I’m sure King Steve can scrounge together the €600 or so each year to ‘pay’ the lease on a contract which has been null for 13 years. How else would he delude himself and his family into thinking he ought to be lounging at a 19th century military fort?

My appeal to any competent authority is this: take back what’s rightfully ours. While the Buttigieg family are certainly not the largest problems our country is facing, they are the perfect microcosmic symptom of the gigantic mess we’re all in – and it should anger us all.