Sliema council being investigated over payments to waste company
The Sliema local council is being investigated against over payments to a company that collects separated waste in the town, a service all other localities are getting for free, The Times has learnt.
“Investigations are also being carried out on some payments or financial commitments the Sliema council eSlntered into for the collection of separated waste, which may be irregular,” local government director general, Martin Bugelli confirmed yesterday.
He said the department was alerted to the matter over the past few days.
Mr Bugelli said the council’s executive secretary was instructed to withhold a payment the Sliema council had to make to the company, which also operates the domestic waste collection service in the locality.
Under a national waste collection scheme to retrieve recyclable waste, councils are obliged to register with either Green MT or Greenpak. The companies collect the separated waste from bring-in sites and the service does not come at an expense for the councils.
Green MT and Greenpak collect money from eco-tax refunds due by the government to companies that produce packaging waste and are signed up to the scheme.
“All local councils except Sliema have honoured their obligation to join one of two separated waste collection schemes run by Green MT and Greenpak. The participation of councils in these schemes is not subject to tender because they do not involve payments,” Mr Bugelli explained
In some instances, councils have also negotiated a deal to receive some income from the scheme over and above the savings they make on tipping fees for domestic waste because recyclable material is removed from the waste stream.
The news of fresh investigations in Sliema comes a day after the locality’s mayor, Nikki Dimech, alleged he was pressured to sign a €1.2 million contract with Green MT just minutes before the council voted on the matter.
Mr Bugelli refrained from entering the political fray when asked whether he would be investigating the mayor’s allegations.
“Allegations that political pressure was being applied are not my remit. My concern is solely that of seeing that council decisions and operations are done according to law. At face value, it is apparent there is nothing to investigate as the allocation to Green MT is not by tender,” Mr Bugelli said, insisting he was not aware of any contract to the value of €1.2 million.
The minutes of the Sliema council meeting held on January 20 this year show that councillors, of both political parties unanimously agreed on joining the Green MT scheme after both companies made presentations.
“For some reason, the decision of the council has not yet been implemented,” Mr Bugelli said.
Meanwhile, Green Mt, a subsidiary company of the Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises – GRTU, yesterday denied it was going to be awarded a €1.2 million contract.
It said the waste collection scheme would have cost the council no money. On the contrary, Green MT would have to fork out €332,000 in payments to waste collection contractors and about €4,000 to the council for a 24 month period.
The company said that, despite the council’s approval in January, the mayor failed to sign the final contract.
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C. Farrugia
Aug 28th 2010, 17:43
SIMPLE SOLUTION. Too many problems with local councils. Allegations and resignations abound and increase every day. All local councils should be disbanded and replaced by a government officiacl above politics, who can easily do the same job. It is cheaper, no politics involved savings on elections etc and one person responsible.
l fenech
Aug 28th 2010, 16:32
U le mhux vera, kif jista ikun.
Kristian Zarb Adami
Aug 28th 2010, 14:59
Is it possible for the locality to propose a vote of no confidence in the entire administration of the local council?
gcForte
Aug 28th 2010, 13:21
Darba wahda waqt recita tar ruzarju fil kantuniera, dik li bdiet tkarwat ir ruzarju, qalet biex nitolbu ghal Prim Ministru, qamet l-ohra u qaltila biex tghejd halli nitolbu ghal kap ta l-oppozizjoni. Ir ruzarju ma tkompliex ghax qabdu jghatu. Ahseb u ara li kieku il kunsilli kellhom xi darba ikunu indipendenti, kemm ser idumu hekk. Ghawn Malta BISS il menu huwa " Breakfast politika, Lunch politika, Dinner politika, u jekk immorru ghal qatra mhux.................sew qeghed tghejd.
Darren J. Galea
Aug 28th 2010, 12:34
Clearly a witch hunt is underway at the Sliema Local Council. Just when you thought that the PN could not stoop lower, they plumb depths deeper than the Marianas Trench.
And here's me thinking they were shallow hahaha!
A lesson to all wh dare cross them - THIS is what you get.
O.Grixti
Aug 28th 2010, 12:21
@Mr Bugelli
Could it be possible that there exists a previous contract signed by the previous mayors that bind this person to collect waste and the council to use him for a number of years?
And Mr. Dimech found all these problems!
J.C. Azzopardi
Aug 28th 2010, 11:47
There is one solution to all the mess in Sliema. I believe that the current situation is the culmination of matters badly dealt with from past Council Mayors and fell on the incumbent Mayor's lap.
So the solution is for the Prim Minister to suspend the current council and call fresh elections in Sliema.
O Galea
Aug 28th 2010, 19:21
I agree.
A.Sacco
Aug 28th 2010, 11:29
Minkejja l-opinjoni politika tieghi, sa mill-bidu nett meta tnidew dawn il-kunsilli lokali, hassejt li kellhom jithallew barra mill-politika (fis-sens li kandidat li johrog ghall-Kunsill ma kellux jintrabat ufficjalment ma' xi partit politiku). Ir-raguni hassejt li kienet ovvja (ghal min irid jifli sew is-sitwazzjoni lokali): bniedem tal-affari tieghu u ta' hila biex jamministra servizz lill-kommunita jista jhossu mxekkel u SKOMDU 'jiccappas' bil-politika partigjana f'rahal jew villagg fejn ikun maghruf sewwa. U jibqa lura u ma johrogx ghall-elezzjoni ta' dawn il-kunsilli. Rizultat?: nibdew nitwikkew b'salt kunsillieri jew bi kwota ta' intelligenza taht in-normal, fejn joghxew jonfhu lilhom infushom - dur ftit irhula u tara irham ta' kommemorazzjoni fejn l-isem tas-sindku jisboq fil-kobor it-titlu tal-kommemorazzjoni innifisha - jew makakki li jridu jistaghnew fl-iqsar zmien possibli, ergo kazi ta' tixhim.
l fenech
Aug 28th 2010, 11:21
U jghajdu li l-pandemia ghaddiet.
GiovDeMartino@ F Sammut
Aug 28th 2010, 10:28
Do you think it is humanly possible to find candidates who are really neutral? Was Sant correct when he called Mintoff traitor? Or when he said thet the NO had won the referendum?
R.Lewis
Aug 28th 2010, 11:03
Saying something is one thing and stealing people's money is another. If you say something I can answer you back, but you cannot steal tax payers money.
martin saliba
Aug 28th 2010, 12:31
Sant was wrong on the EU vote , calling Mintoff a traitor is debatable as no one knows all the facts but he was right about the LC being neutral.
Joseph Zammit
Aug 28th 2010, 10:27
Imbaghad ghax raw haddiem li jahdem mal-kunsill fuq il-bejt tas-sindku ta' Haz-Zebbug, is-sindku kellu jirrinzenja!!!!!! hekk tajjeb!! U min jaghmel il-kawlata u l-babuljata joghqod hemm. Min isajjar il-borma ikun jaf x'tefa fiha..............mhux hekk.
GiovDeMartino
Aug 28th 2010, 10:20
Darba wiehed purtinart maghna, sargu xih, qalli "Sur Martinu il-flus u n-nisa la tafdhom ma hadd!"
Raymond Camilleri
Aug 28th 2010, 11:47
U darba minnhom xih gharef qalli: In-Nazzjonalisti lanqas ghassa ma tazza ilma tal-vita ma tista' tafdahom
gcForte
Aug 28th 2010, 12:47
Naqbel ma dak li qallek dak sargu ix xih, Sur Martinu..................Pero il gvern li ghandha ma jafux dan il qawl, ghax il flus jafdhom wisq fl`idejn..............ovvjament ghax mhux tieghu.
Mario Vella Laurenti
Aug 28th 2010, 10:20
There is big Rat in all this business. Maybe it's not one rat, but much more then one!
patrick zammit
Aug 28th 2010, 09:50
"Green MT and Greenpak collect money from eco-tax refunds due by the government to companies that produce packaging waste and are signed up to the scheme."
So would that mean that Green MT would end up pocketing E1.2 million not from the Council but from companies producing the waste?
R.Borg
Aug 28th 2010, 09:38
THE MALTESE TAX-PAYER, BESIDES THE SLIEMA RESIDENTS, HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO KNOW THE TRUTH, AND FAST PLEASE !!!!
Anthony Baldacchino
Aug 28th 2010, 09:25
Jien nahseb li dan is-sindku sab ma wiccu dak li hallew sindkijiet ta` qablu.
E. Vassallo
Aug 28th 2010, 09:21
The situation is confusing. Councillors from both parties backed the choice of the company collecting waste which is free of charge. Nothwithstanding this, the service is never activated and the council is paying third parties for the service. Is this the correct version? Who is responsible?
gcForte
Aug 28th 2010, 09:12
In nanna kienet tghejd, " li kull min isib il hawt ta l-ilma imbierek,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,ibil subghajh ". u in nannu kien jghejd li " ghal xejn hadd ma jghamel xejn ", u iz zija kienet tghejd li " ghal xejn nahslu u nerfaw "..( ma nafx ghal x`hiex kienet tghejd ) u mela jigu ibellawilna li dak li jghamlu, jghamluh ghax ihobbu lil belt jew rahal taghhom. Qeghed nghejd ghal kull kunsill.
Frans Sammut
Aug 28th 2010, 09:24
I can understand how you feel. However the truth is that there ARE people who would work for their localities without pecuniary motivation. What spoiled the idea of setting up local councils was the introduction of partisan politics in their set-up. Dr Alfred Sant had objected to this aspect of this institution. Come to think of it, it is becoming a common adage that whatever Dr Sant had pronounced and/or foretold about developments in Maltese life is proving to be right. Dr Sant's insight into Maltese life is only now being dispassionately evaluated.
Mark Dalli
Aug 28th 2010, 09:26
Siehbi jidher li trabbejt f'familja Laburista Mintoffjana!!!
Michael Cassar
Aug 28th 2010, 09:43
Jien bhalek nahsibha. U kull min qieghed hemm mhux qieghed hemm ghalxejn!!!!!
gcForte
Aug 28th 2010, 10:03
@ Frans Sammut........Kieku nixtieq li naqbel mieghek,ma Dr.Alfred Sant u ma kif kienet tahsibha il knisja, pero taf daqsi jew ftit aktar minnhi, li ghawn Malta nejxu biss ghal politika. Jekk qaddisin blu jew ahmar, jekk familji ,blu jew ahmar,jekk kazin tal banda, tal futbol, jew ta xi haga ohra, ahmar jew blu, jekk "job" blu jew ahmar, il bieb ta Kastilja daqqa ahmar, blu, jew biex ma niggildux ahdar. Ahseb u ara li kemm stajna inhallu il kunsilli newtrali. @ Mark Dalli.........Jekk, qeghed tghejd ghalija, ghandi kull dritt bhal ma ghandek kull dritt int li nappoggja, partit jew politikant partikulari. La semmejt lil Mintoff, nghejdlek li niftahar li jien kont u ghadni nadurah, bhal kull mexxej li kellu il partit tas SERVIZZI SOCJALI , u DAK LI DEJJEM TELLA LIZ ZGHIR FIL WICC, u mhux bhal tal lum....30 % tal familji qeghedin f`riskju tal FAQAR, meta qeghedin nghejxu fit 2010.
a,borg
Aug 28th 2010, 10:09
U bunanna kienet tghid Hadd wara Hadd tasal ta kulhadd u issa waslet tal kunsulieri tahhom,mhux hekk alla birek kull minn jithol fil kunsil fil politika kollha jahasra biex jaqdu il poplu u ghax ihobbu il pajjiz,idedikati,ezatt kemm jirsistu biex ikolhom poter,imsikien joqghodu boghod mil familji tahhom jghiduuuuuuu bilhaq u il buznannu kien jghid kulhadd fejn jaqbilu iqabel!!!
R.Lewis
Aug 28th 2010, 11:00
u il-buz buz nanna kienet tghid li il huta minn rasa tintenn. Il Gvern imissu izarma l-kunsilli kollha immedjatament ghax xbajna nisghimu, u min jaf kemm ghad irridu nisghimu aktar bi frodi u l-poplu miskin ihallas. Minn hu mejjet ghal qatra u minn hu mejjet fis sakra. Dear Govt please scrap all local councils immediately. Whoever is there, he/she doesn't do it for nothing, but for something. I already said it before, the Govt should build another Law Courts in Valletta instead of the Old Opera house to handle all this corruption, and forget about another new building for Parliament.
John Micallef
Aug 28th 2010, 12:44
@ Mark Dalli.
Ejja nghidlu li jista jkun li ghandek ragun b'xi mod.
Imma ma tridx tghid li mhux minnu hux!!??
Ara poggi bil- qghieda u ahseb fuq din il- haga u wara irispondini.
eugene sapiano
Aug 28th 2010, 13:36
I also adored Mr Mintoff and I still do. There were instances where I disagreed with him especially in 1983 when he asked for a motion for the introduction of divorce to be wthdrawn and obviously in 1998 when he brought down a Labour government.
gcForte
Aug 28th 2010, 13:57
@ eugine sapiano .........I agree 100% with you . Facts are facts. Mintoff was a great man . Whatever it is said. If you just follow his biography, it never ends. A great revolutionary for his country, and I believe that when Dr. A. Sant called him names, he ( Dr.Sant ) did not really means it, and I am not sure if Dr. Sant have ever apologized. Anyway, nobody can change the story. You can twist it, but facts remain facts.
Joe Gauci
Aug 28th 2010, 14:47
R.Lewis naqbel mieghek siehbi. Bil-Kunsilli l-korruzzjoni splodiet u nizlet l-isfel. Min se jibda jdawwar petizzjoni biex il-Kunsilli Lokali jigu mnehhija?
A.E. Camilleri
Aug 28th 2010, 09:08
Mr. Mayor, Can you indicate why the said contract was never signed since January when this had been approved, please?
Claire Zammit
Aug 28th 2010, 08:48
Another investigation?!?!
It seems to me that the Sliema council is involved in too many investigations. It’s time for the Mayor to step down and leave the job to someone else who knows how to lead without ending up the subject of a multitude of investigations. Nikki, do it now before it's too late.