Sliema mayor questioned by internal audit dept.
Sliema mayor Nikki Dimech today faces further questions by the Internal Audit and Investigations Department following a 90-minute grilling session yesterday.
Sources said that during yesterday’s meeting, the IAID asked Mr Dimech about various payments the council had issued between February and April, as well as about contracts and tenders issued earlier this year.
One particular project being investigated is the extension of a tender to install fairy lights on every tree along the Sliema promenade, an idea spawned by Mr Dimech.
Sources said the young mayor was not the only personto appear before the investigators.
The department, which falls under the Prime Minister’s Office, has for several months been conducting an inquiry into the alleged lack of observance of financial regulations.
Mr Dimech is currently the talk of Sliema, a Nationalist Party stronghold. He is hanging on to his post of mayor despite being dismissed from the party he represented at the last local council election and during the previous three years as a councillor.
He was given the boot after refusing to resign follow-ing his admission to the police that he solicited a bribe during a tender process – an admission he has since withdrawn.
Mr Dimech insists he is being framed and wants to be given a “fair trial” by the party.
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David Vella
Aug 26th 2010, 12:34
I think that all those who, in a way or another, get illegal money from a local council should be named and shamed. This must be done irrespective of what colour does the person represent. Apart from the already-mentioned abuses, the authorities should investigate how and why the Mgarr (malta) local council has huge financial problems. What happens to the allocated funds, year after year ? How come a project that could have been done in a year, is taking more than 10 years to come at its end ?. These questions and more should be asked to the mayor and an adequate realistic answer must be given.
aborg
Aug 24th 2010, 23:56
Everybody seems to point his finger at athe mayor and wht about the grievous thing PBO did to the poor lady is that already forgotten or bec PBO can do what he likes. Are any steps going to be taken .............of course not .............I ask you what if this poor lady happend to be your mother or any other relative of yours?
a.borg
Aug 24th 2010, 23:32
I wonder why evrybody is pointing his finger at mayor and what about PBO nobody seems to care about his abuse on the poor lady. was it not a grievious thing to do from such a person in his position. Nobody says anything .............................. jew ghx PBO jista jghamel li jrid u hadd ma jista ghailih................one thing I ask you what if she happened to be either your mother or any other relative .................. of yours?
C.camilleri
Aug 24th 2010, 22:36
St.Venera Major Resigns. Gharb Deputy Major investigated. Sliema Major admits to the police of
accepting a commission. Sliema Major kicked out from the PN. Sliema Major claims that he was framed. Sliema councillor Ms.Camilleri forced to sign a dismissal letter against the Sliema Major by PBO and then threatens to quit the PN. And the saga goes on.
Insomma Babilonja shiha, u dan fuq livell lokali, inhallikhom tahsbu x'inhu ghaddej aktar il fuq. Povra Malta. Povri ahna.
C.Cassar
Aug 24th 2010, 22:25
Now you'll see what happens when Mr Dimech opens Pandora's Box. Just wait and see, all ye know-it-alls. You'll witness the putrid record that the PN has on the Sliema watch. It promises to be nothing less than the beginning of Armageddon for GonziPN. You can bet on it.
robert ellul
Aug 24th 2010, 16:42
you know what they say .......... il qazba ma caqcaqx ta xejn !!! u liema persuna daqsekk patriotta se tmur tithabat ghal pajjiza jew il belt/rahal taha ghall mizerja ta paga !!! taf x naf li dal pajjiz kullhad ghadu jilghaba tal miskien u qaddis , u nidubita kemm hemm qaddisin fis sema ahseb w ara god dinja , halluna nighxu tridu !!!
Joseph Cauchi
Aug 24th 2010, 16:29
All the MLP commenters whose heart is bleeding in “compassion” to Nikki Dimech are nothing more than hypocrites as they do not give a hoot to Nikki Dimech as long as they use him to hit back at the Nationalist Party and the Prime Minister!
The enemy (Nikki Dimech) of my enemy (Prime Minister and PN) is MY friend (Nikki Dimech)!
And this is what motivates these MLP commenters to “support” Nikki Dimech (the enemy)!
Nikki Dimech should open his eyes and not let these “hypocrites” and “opportunists” to use him for their agenda!
What bleeding hearts, my goodness!
JC.
Andrew Cumbo
Aug 24th 2010, 16:49
And what you call all the PN bloggers that few weeks were supporting Fgura mayor, when PL asked for his resignation?
Joanne Micallef
Aug 24th 2010, 15:42
And the witch hunt continues.......
Joseph Cauchi
Aug 24th 2010, 13:37
When President John F. Kennedy imposed the “Sea Blockade of Cuba” in 1962 because the Soviet Union was installing nuclear missles, literally in the back-yard of the U.S.A., his critics and opponents objected to this action as they assumed that J.F.K. was risking the beginning of the Third World War!
In his defence, President Kennedy during one of his famous speeches replied to his critcs and opponents to the analogy of criticising him for catching the “robber” rather than criticising the “robber”; in this case the “robber was” the Soviet Union led by Nikita Kruschev.
The above can be compared to the ongoing saga of Nikki Dimech who is alleged to have solicited commission/kickbacks from the Contracts’ Manager and admitted to the Police; and the Prime Minister and the Nationalist Party are taking the necessary actions in respect to these allegations of corruption.
Shouldn’t we not condemn the "ROBBER" rather than the ONE that caught the “robber”?
JC.
N.Farrugia
Aug 24th 2010, 15:55
All these Labourite bloggers are a real shame to themselves and the party they support. Instead of at least resting on the perch as they usually do in certian occasions, they are trying to make a hero out of Nikki Dimech. These are the same people that did not question the reason why Darren Marmara was booted out of the Fgura Local Council. No explanation has yet been given as Marmara does not want to tarnish his favorite baby..the PL!
Charles J. Buttigieg
Aug 24th 2010, 18:09
What an exagerated example!
albert leone ganado
Aug 24th 2010, 12:52
As a neutral person I would advice nikki dimech to resign and this in the interest of his future career. I can understand that nikki did not do the what in other countries is considered to be the honorable way out and resign when first accused whether innocent or not. You made matters worse by foolishly signing a declaration that prima facie weakens your position . I appreciate that nobody in Malta ever resigns for reasons of honor perhaps because we take honor too lightly. However to shrug off a demanded resignation by political masters you must have a trump card much stronger than a mayoral position. If you were in a position to perhaps bring down the government by your vote or provide the opposition with some heavy artillery you may perhaps have survived the current ordeal as some scoundrels have done.
Therefore I suggest you end your political adventures and for pragmatic reasons resign. It seems that you lack the squeaky clean image or alternatively the byzantine qualities and survival techniques necessary to succeed in politics. Forget politics and reflect that nothing gives satisfaction as much as an honest successful professional career.
Joseph Stafrace
Aug 24th 2010, 12:40
@ Dr. Saliba
Assuming that you are a medical doctor; your reference to Sliema major's use of astma inhalers rather unetical. So much for Christian values.
Dr Francis Saliba
Aug 24th 2010, 15:05
@JosephStafrace.
Please don't talk nonsense about medical ethics to me. There is no professional relation between the mayor and me. I know nothing more than what the mayor himself publicised. There is nothing unethical about a doctor recommending that a self-professed asthmatic be provided with his asthma treatment when he is under stress.
Your comment is an attempt to tarnish my medical reputation unethically because your accusation is absolutely groundless. A gentleman would aplogize.
C.Cassar
Aug 24th 2010, 16:06
@Dr Francis Saliba
And ... you expect an apology regarding your odious comments! I've read some outrageous comments in my cyberlife, but yours, Herr Doktor, take the cake.
Dr Francis Saliba
Aug 24th 2010, 18:13
@CCassar
You accuse me of odious and outrageous comments. Prove it. I have made frequent comments in defence of Christianity and the local Church authorities. Those comments were efficacious but they were not odious or outrageous, except in the eyes of those who were unable to rebut them logically and had to resort to personal insults.
Franco Farrugia
Aug 25th 2010, 16:07
Mr Stafrace, I agree 100% with every syllable you have written in this comment! Well done!
P.Cassar
Aug 24th 2010, 12:21
I WONDER !!!!!!
ALL MAJOR CANNONS ARE TURNED ON THE SLIEMA MAYOR..............BUT..............IN OTHER CASES INVOLVING OTHER PERSONS IN NATIONAL REPERCUSIONS..........THERE WAS DEAD SILENCE FROM ALL QUARTERS.
WHAT COMES FIRST PARTY OR COUNTRY?????????
I'M STILL WONDERING !!!!!!
P Micallef
Aug 24th 2010, 12:13
Tfakkarni fil-kaz ta' Terinu. L-istorja tirrepeti ruhha.
SMifsud
Aug 24th 2010, 12:09
No libel suit has been initiated by the party so one ponders that this guy said nothing but the truth
Alfred Bugeja
Aug 24th 2010, 11:43
Nikki Dimech is merely refusing to do what the Mayor of Fgura Darren Marmara promptly did as soon as the PL put some pressure on him to resign. And the people of the locality are still unawares as to what Marmara did wrong.
This incident shows one thing. That the PN does not have control on its councillors as much as the PL does.
Mario Cassar
Aug 24th 2010, 11:29
Hekk titlob is-serjeta' u ghamel sew il-PN li keccieh
gcForte
Aug 24th 2010, 12:04
Naqbel mieghek , pero ma zghir biss le ...x`tahseb............Niggarantilek li Dr. GonziPn lest li jaqta idejh sabiex jghamel l-istess lil xi membru parlamentari............imma nini nini jghamel hekk, ghax jitlef il gvern ta qalbu. Dik serjeta .............HUX ? Jekk nara nemla naffigha daqs kemm jien b`sahti, pero jekk nara iljunfant l-anqas biss nahseb x`ser nghamel.
R Cassar
Aug 24th 2010, 11:28
@ all
You are misunderstanding the article...this is not a personal interrogation...it is the same case opened 2 months ago and which is now being closed after the IAID conducted the required checkings regarding the fairylights contract...for which the allegations were against the whole council and not just the mayor...as you should all know that a council does not stand on 1 man's decisions but motions taken collectively and payments are authorized collectively and signed by 2 persons...
Don't start inflating things!!!
M.ellul
Aug 24th 2010, 11:06
jidher bic car li il PN ha jati show b dan iz zaghzugh biex juri li andu par idejn sodi !
FULL STOP !!
A.Grech
Aug 24th 2010, 11:06
Is this a question of the famous ONE POUND OF FLESH?
Dr Francis Saliba
Aug 24th 2010, 10:52
May I plead with the Internal Audit & Investigation Department not to use "torture" during any "grilling" of the Sliema mayor and to supply him with plenty of astma inhalers?
Charles J. Buttigieg
Aug 24th 2010, 13:33
Niki Dimech’s claim that he was framed and forced to sign a confession because of his medical condition can’t be ignored. Those who are asthmatic know exactly the look and feel of panic as breathlessness sets in. If Nikki’s public statement is a lie, why aren't the Police suing him for the infamous malafama?
And here we have a member of the noble profession taking the micky out of an asthma patient. Not very noble, not very professional.
Dr Francis Saliba
Aug 24th 2010, 15:20
@CharlesJButtigieg.
Those who are taking the micky out of the Sliema mayor are the traditional labourites who are all the time complaining about an alleged absence of the culture of resignation in the PN ranks (conveniently forgetting the John Dalli case among others) but in this case are extolling the Sliema mayor's refusal to resign when so requested and with so much evidence against him provided by himself (under "torture" if you believe him not the police).
Charles J. Buttigieg
Aug 24th 2010, 17:58
Just_because_I’m_a_lifelong_Labourite doesn’t mean that I’m so gullible to believe anything Labour says and dispute PN at all times. Nor does it make a follower of what the traditional Labourites proliferate. God gave me some brain power and I try to use it.
My notion about public figures resignations, in that people in power should step down when public perception so dictates hasn’t changed and therefore I am convinced that the young Mayer has no other option than to resign his office. Having said that, I cannot exclude the confused mind in people’s mind as they have difficulties to establish which side the truth is. Unlike you, I believe that any police force has it in it to take a short cut during an investigation and commit a frame up. On the other hand suspect can claim police brutality and frame ups and Nikki has his weaknesses too.
In the present conflicting perceptions, I feel that Nikki should take a long sabbatical from all his public and political activities while an independent enquiry establishes the facts.
I don’t do deride, I leave that to the lower levels within the ranks of traditional Labour and Nationalists supporters.
Dr Francis Saliba
Aug 24th 2010, 21:09
@CharlesJButtigieg
I did not say anything different from you apart from doubting the allegations of "torture" of the mayor while in police custody. I know that , at one time, such methods were routine and I was forced to retire compulsorily from the police force because I did not show any enthusiasm for those practices. I am not at all convinced that those barbarities have returned to the police corps. They had already been eliminated when I was reinstated on the grounds that my compulsory retirement had been a miscarriage of justice.
gcForte
Aug 24th 2010, 10:40
X`tahwid...... , x`cuc hu ir rumanz " Il misteri tal Wardija ". li fih kwazi 1000 pagna. Dan ir rumanz ta tas Sliema gabruh f`zewg pagni. Li ma nistax nifhem kif Dr. Gonzi iddecida li ikecci lil Nikki Dimech mil partit meta l-anqas tah ic cans li jiddefendi lilu innifsu quddiemu . Din hija id demokrazija, li jiftahar biha il PN. Din tissejjah dittatura. Lil Dr. Gonzi nghejdlu li hemm proverbju li jghejd ..." LI TARA EMMEN NOFSU, AHSEB U ARA LI TISMA X` GHANDEK TGHAMEL ".
Lewis Ellul
Aug 24th 2010, 10:06
Povru Nikki Dimech. Ara jekk ixxellef dufrejk maghhom dawn in-nies, holl xaghrek u gieb iz-zejt! B'mod jew iehor isibu mezz biex itajjruh. Dik hi d-demokrazija kristjana tal-PN!