Dr Sant hits out at government

Former Labour leader Alfred Sant yesterday accused the government of using police investigations into alleged hacking at Mitts as a screen not to give an account of what had really happened.

Speaking in Parliament during the adjournment, Dr Sant said tyhe government had said the allegations were a pack of lies. But to date, the government had refused to give information under the pretext that Police investigations were still underway and following advice by the Commissioner of Police. Dr Sant said that the Commissioner's statement was a parody of democracy and the government was hiding behind this advice to evade accountability on the matter.

Dr Sant said that he expected Mitts authorities to contact him and give him exact information on whether his electronic post (e-mails) were hacked during the last two years when he also carried the Constitutional responsibility as Leader of the Opposition.

He said that at one point in time in September he could not access his e-mails. He informed the Clerk of the House of his problem and was advised by Mitts to change his password and his email account without Mitts offering any explanation. Mitts, he said, was under the obligation to inform him on what exactly happened and to inform him on how his rights were affected because it affected his integrity as a member of parliament. He said that the interests and rights of those who contacted him when his e-mails were hacked were also affected. Mitts ignored all this while the government is speaking of lies.

Dr Sant tabled a letter he sent to Mitts chairman earlier yesterday, adding that he will take all possible measures to safeguard his rights. The government was evading its European obligations, eroding values on which good governance is based. He also accused the government of manipulating information.