Finance minister denies 'favours' claim
Finance Minister Tonio Fenech this afternoon strongly denied claims made in the newspaper MaltaToday and repeated by Opposition leader Joseph Muscat regarding work done in his house by a private contractor.
Mr Fenech in a statement issued with his wife, said they had paid for the work carried out at their residence by a contractor after the work was certified by an architect. The payments were confirmed by a fiscal receipt. After the contractor cashed his cheque, he wrote through his legal adviser, Toni Abela, who is also the PL deputy leader, demanding more payment than certified by the architect.
Mr and Mrs Fenech said they had never ever linked work at their residence with any other matters, as had been claimed in the newspaper and repeated by Dr Muscat.
They reserved the right to take legal action.
Mr Fenech said that while Dr Muscat had said the media should not engage in character assassination, he was now involving himself in dirty commercial-political manoeuvres.
The newspaper said a contractor was claiming that he had been sub-contracted to work at the minister's house in return for his intervention to arrange for them to sell the former Jerma hotel. The sale did not take place, the main contractor ran into financial difficulties and the sub-contractor was now demanding payment directly from the minister.
The minister had told the newspaper that the allegations were 'a lie'.
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Bernard Mamo
Nov 10th 2009, 10:03
@Mary Ann Borg
lol so what you're saying is that if i take you to court, i'm automatically right? do you even have an idea on how the legal system works?
are these national politicians ALWAYS right?! Are they enlightened by the holy spirit in some way?!? Does he always have the prime minister's blessing? can it be that it is the prime minister that needs to resign and not tonio?
Joe E Galea
Nov 10th 2009, 09:50
@Mary Ann Borg: Since you seem to be lost in a bluie black world let me tell you something. The Zebbug mayor resigned so that he doesn't tarnish the party and as he wants to fight the allegations on a personal basis. That is what I call being politically correct, not like what your lovely Tonio did. Yes he took them to court so what? Can the Minister show us the fiscal receipt? Whay didn't he tackle the case on time..why now?....because it surfaced?
May I suggest you watch/listen to different channels other than NET or those pseudo NET.
A Vella
Nov 10th 2009, 08:49
@ Mary Ann Borg: So you favour the fact that Mr Fenech kills the voice of expression by taking them to court. Funnily enough, even when there was a breach in the code of etics by, surprise, surprise, the best finance minister we ever had, Mr Par Idejn Sodi did not do the same he did with Mr John Dalli, when he was forced to resign. Just ask Mr Dalli about it! But ms Borg is one of those people who is always right and does not live in a blue bubble, knowing nothing what is happening around her!
m. borg
Nov 10th 2009, 06:32
@Mary Ann Borg
You still did not answer my question, why did it take st.. Tonio 3 years to act against the gambling establismnet sprouting all over the country illegally.?
Mary Ann Borg
Nov 9th 2009, 23:29
@m.Borg: You seem to be late on learning the news. Tonio Fenech has taken MaltaToday to court this morning, together with Inhobbkom Joseph and his troupe.
You go on admiring the Zebbug Mayor while we wait for him to protest his innocence in court, if he ever decides to do so.
m. borg
Nov 9th 2009, 16:22
@Mary Ann Borg
Why did it take Tonio 3 whole years to finally take a stand against betting shops.?
Action was taken in this case because of the public outcry and the church's concern. As regards the Zebbug mayor he promised to take action against the allegations, so it is only fair to reserve your thoughts until after.
Tonio has also promised to take action on his latest debuckle but did not resign unlike John Dalli who was made to resign, how about Dr Gonzi using the same measure with all his colleagues.
charles zammit
Nov 9th 2009, 16:07
what news have you followed mr ivan camilleri? net or pseudo net.
David Mallia
Nov 9th 2009, 12:48
@E Vassallo - Unfortunately the fiscal receipt is not sufficient. All it shows that you paid for the 'declared' element not the 'free' part.
One must look at the value provided (works on site) and the actual receipt. If anyone wants to make an undeclared service he/she will not issue a fiscal receipt for such an undeclared service even if it is a 'gift'. As you need independent confirmation. It is rather difficult to negate these type of claims especially as some matters irrespective of the position you hold are really private matters and not public consumption.
Not picking a bone with Mr Vassallo just a discussion to demonstrate that the Media is always in the uppermost position. In the first place there should have been a burden of proof before throwing this in the papers. I'm not saying on a level of the law but at least a reasonable level where one must be able to demonstrate that the 'favour' did happen. Otherwise it is a continuation of a sick exercise of just simply throwing mud at a person. Then we get an aud nauseum repetition of who said what. Throw enough of it and it sticks.
john borg
Nov 9th 2009, 12:26
Ivan .. the question is who should I believe. This issue is either true of merits a case for libellous offenses. For example when Eddie Fenech Adami lied about Alfred Sant on the eve of the election, a court case was eventually instituted against him by Alfred Sant. And it was proved that no such a case ever existed! So Tonio Fenech should do the same.
Incidentally Ivan, the case was not initially brought up by JM or labout papers but by Malta Today!
Mary Ann Borg
Nov 9th 2009, 12:06
@leonardo vince: So you admire a mayor for having used publicly-paid employees to work at his house and you fail to admire a minister who is standing fast against the betting shops that sprouted all over the island? The more people like you and Tony Abela and Muscat continue on this trend the more I get convinced that it's going to be PN again who will win the next election once more.
m. borg
Nov 9th 2009, 11:48
Tonio Fenech should emmulate the Zebbug Mayor and resign then take action to clear his name.
That is what his colleague John Dalli did in the past, of course at the PM's request, but Tonio should not wait for the PM to take action.
Lets not forget that for Tonio this is the second incident in less than a month.
How many such situations of these kind Tonio needs to even consider resigning.
leonardo vince
Nov 9th 2009, 08:51
I would like to congratulate the Zebbug mayor for being man enough to resign following allegation of abuse of power. If only national politicians have such a degree of decency than we will all be better off.
ivan camilleri
Nov 8th 2009, 22:03
Are we in the midst of an electoral campaign or what? PL is acting like we're in the middle of it. Is Joseph Muscat planning to lead the party & the opposition with such tactics for another 3+ years till the election comes? Since when is JM heeding what papers other than IT-TORCA or L-ORIZZONT say, without confirming if they are true or not??
Apparently, from what i saw in the news, Tonio Fenech published all the correspondence & receipts, clearly showing there was nothin "SCANDALOUS or SECRET", as ONE news claimed ( typical ).
I wonder where the new style of progressive politics & ethical journalism have gone....
(I camilleri, sliema).
E. Vassallo
Nov 8th 2009, 18:59
If a fiscal receipt was issued, then his will be enough proof of what Minister Fenech is saying. Why has the case come out now and not a an earlier stage?