Minister accused of not telling the whole truth

A man yesterday held the Minister for Competitiveness and Communications personally liable in damages after he alleged that the minister had not declared the whole truth in an official statement he issued.

Angelo Debono said that on Wednesday, Minister Censu Galea issued a press release saying Mr Debono had been found guilty of charges by the transport authority's disciplinary board.

Mr Debono said the minister failed to add that an appeal had been lodged from the board's decision and that the decision had been annulled by the board in April 2005.

Nor had Mr Galea said that, after the decision, Mr Debono had filed a court case in the First Hall of the Civil Court requesting a remedy on the basis that the transport authority had not observed the principles of natural justice in his regard. This case was still pending before the courts.

He accused the minister of not giving a faithful version of the facts and of failing to tell the whole story. The minister's actions, Mr Debono said, could affect his right to a fair hearing and he held Mr Galea personally responsible for any damages he could sustain.

Lawyer Anglu Farrugia signed the protest.