Sant attacks 'clique' behind Brussels purchase

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi had confirmed that "His Excellency" Richard Cachia Caruana was directly responsible for the controversial purchase of Dar Malta in Brussels, Labour leader Alfred Sant said yesterday.

Dr Sant was reacting to an interview with Dr Gonzi published in The Times yesterday.

The Labour leader said that Dr Gonzi had come up with a series of contradictions in the interview, which confirmed that Mr Cachia Caruana had not consulted any competent authority, but had instead ventured ahead through his "clique of friends".

The Labour leader noted that Dr Gonzi had said the government was preparing to buy Malta's embassy in Brussels after the 2003 general election, but nowhere in the 2004 budget did it result that the government was planning to buy such a property. So much so, that the government was forced to take the Lm9 million to buy the building from supplementary estimates.

Now the Prime Minister said he would exceed his deficit targets by the Lm9 million the government was forking out for the building, Dr Sant said.

"This clearly shows that the purchase was carried out without a serious plan and with no co-ordination with the rest of the government."

Dr Sant said the truth was that the government authorities, including the Cabinet, were expected to accept the purchase at all costs.

He claimed that Mr Cachia Caruana's friends had been used to seal the purchase, including an architect who works with his own company.

"These things don't do justice to the leadership of this country, especially to Dr Gonzi who is appearing as a front for a clique of people who are trying to keep their grip on power."

At another event, Dr Sant said millions of liri were being spent on the building so that Mr Cachia Caruana would not have to take a taxi to the European Commission.