Minister mum on chairman's denial

The denial by the chairman of the Malta Transport Authority, that neither he nor his board had anything to do with the decision to put the brakes on the sacking of two officials convicted of bribery was met with a wall of silence by the government yesterday.

Joe Gerada's comment, made in a letter published in The Times on Friday, contradicts a statement by Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett in Parliament on Tuesday that the decision had been taken after a collective discussion involving the chairman.

When contacted yesterday, the minister declined to comment, saying he would be issuing a statement in due course.

The chairman is the second high level official within the ADT to put the minister on the spot.

Two weeks ago, outgoing CEO Gianfranco Selvaggi revealed he had been "told" by the ministry to reverse a decision he had taken to sack the two officials convicted of bribery - Jason Buttigieg and Roderick Galea, a former canvasser of the minister - pending a request for a presidential pardon.

They were conditionally discharged for three years and banned for life from holding public office. However, just weeks after being sacked, the decision was reversed and they were suspended on half pay, pending the outcome of their request for a presidential pardon.

The matter then emerged in the press and the officers were eventually sacked.

The minister defended his involvement in the matter, saying the decision had followed "collective discussions".

In his letter to The Times, the chairman said that "at no point was the board or chairman of the opinion that these people should be retained in ADT's employment following the judgment by the court that found them guilty. Nor did they ever, even temporarily, reverse this decision".

When contacted, the minister declined to react to the chairman's statement, saying simply: "Just as you and others have the right to follow a story the way you want to, I think I have the right to issue a statement when I want to and how I want to."

Sources told The Times, the statement Mr Mugliett referred to is likely to be issued on Monday, after the matter is discussed with the Office of the Prime Minister.

The OPM also failed to respond to questions yesterday.

The OPM has been coy in its replies to questions in connection with the case, side-stepping a direct question on whether the Prime Minister will demand Mr Mugliett's resignation.

When asked whether he agreed with the way the matter was handled, the Prime Minister preferred to comment on the eventual sacking of the officials rather than the reversal of the original decision by the CEO back in February.