Brincat accused of ignoring House committee's deliberations

The Foreign Ministry said yesterday that Leo Brincat, Labour spokesman on foreign affairs, conveniently ignored the outcome of the House Public Accounts Committee's deliberations on the Auditor General's report on the Voice of the Mediterranean.

The ministry was reacting to Mr Brincat's criticism of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for renewing till next July Richard Muscat's post as ambassador for Ireland.

Mr Brincat ignored the fact that, by admission of its own chair, who is the Labour Party deputy leader, the committee's deliberations were inconclusive and it needed more time to consider matters, the ministry said.

Mr Brincat had stated that the lame excuse by Foreign Minister Michael Frendo to justify the renewal of the appointment would not make the findings of the Auditor General go away.

Mr Brincat said that the Auditor General had, in his report, identified various irregularities and omissions of good governance during the time Mr Muscat was responsible for the Voice of the Mediterranean radio station.

In its statement, the ministry said it would have been inappropriate for Dr Frendo to substitute his own judgment for that of the committee.

In extending Mr Muscat's term of service, and also of Ambassador Naudi who was not mentioned by Mr Brincat, the Foreign Minister sent both ambassadors a letter in which he referred to the inconclusive deliberations of the Public Accounts Committee and said that, in view of this, he was keeping the matter under review, pending developments.