No fall-out with minister, former chairmen insist

Andrew Agius Muscat and Fr Joe Borg yesterday insisted that, contrary to speculation, their resignation from top posts at Public Broadcasting Services had not been sparked off by of some fall-out with Investments Minister Austin Gatt.

Both Mr Agius Muscat, the former chairman, and Fr Borg, the former chairman of its editorial board, maintained that Dr Gatt had always respected the independence of their respective boards. They both cited "personal reasons" for their resignation.

The resignations were the culmination of a year of controversy sparked off when the government embarked on a restructuring process at PBS.

The main controversy revolves around the vacant post of news manager. After 18 months of job interviews and headhunting, The Times journalist Vanessa Macdonald was tipped for the job upon Dr Gatt's recommendation but the decision was overturned by the Office of the Prime Minister.

In a newspaper interview on Monday, Dr Gatt admitted he had ruled out Net TV and Super 1 journalists from the post of PBS news manager, a comment which to some reflected political interference. But both Mr Agius Muscat and Fr Borg insisted that the outspoken minister had only ever intervened in his capacity as shareholder.

A spokesman for the Investments Ministry insisted that the PBS board felt it was duty-bound to consult the shareholder about the post of head of news. Primarily, the spokesman added, PBS is the commercial flag-bearer and revenue earner of the company and as such the board considered the decision to be a crucial one strategically and commercially.

On a separate note, the spokesman said that in its efforts to introduce a previously absent governance model, the government had put much of the onus on the role of government chairmen and directors, which basically meant that a once perceived casual job now became a commercial role which invariably impinged on the personal business of the appointee.

Mr Agius Muscat, who held his post for just over a year, is the general manager of Chef Choice, a poultry processing firm.

When contacted, the 31-year-old said that contrary to claims, the PBS directors have always appreciated Dr Gatt's honest way of stating things without beating about the bush. The minister is representing the shareholder and therefore has a say in the station, he said.

Mr Agius Muscat said he believed his contribution had led to a turnaround at PBS but admitted he found it difficult to run his company and the national station at the same time while keeping the momentum.

"I believe in the short time I've spent there I've paved the way for further growth at PBS and I believe the ministry was happy with my contribution. I weighed my decision at length before deciding to resign," he said.

Fr Borg insisted that his resignation and Mr Agius Muscat's were purely coincidental.

Fr Borg informed the minister on August 30 about his wishes to leave the station and last month he had informed the members of the editorial board about his decision to step down.

The members of the editorial board were appointed in May 2004 with an open-ended term of office.

"It would be irresponsible to remain mum if it was some disagreement with a minister which had led to my resignation. I can assure you this is not the case," Fr Borg said.

Pointing out that he was leaving PBS serenely but sadly, Fr Borg said he was leaving for new pastures, though he would not give any indication of what lay ahead.

Asked about the successors of Mr Agius Muscat and Fr Borg, the spokesman said that the ministry was in the process of short-listing possible nominees which would, as per standard practice, be evaluated by the Cabinet, which is the final decision-making body in all such appointments.

"Irrespective of these departures, the company is very much on track and recovering from the previous sorry financial situation in a faster way than we - as shareholders' representatives - would have expected. The show will invariably go on."

The Labour Party thinks otherwise. Opposition leader Alfred Sant will be holding a news conference this morning to comment on the present situation at PBS.