Five of the nine members of the San Ġwann local council have asked the Department of Local Government to investigate the executive secretary and a list of alleged unauthorised purchases including a €9,000 desk.
Three Labour Party and two Nationalist Party councillors joined forces to complain about a list of transactions made by the council, which, they claimed, were not approved during official council meetings.
A letter sent by the councillors is actually a follow-up to another by former mayor Joseph Agius and his deputy, Etienne Bonello Dupuis, in which they asked the department to look into the councillors’ allegations “to put residents’ minds at rest that the claims are unfounded”.
The letter was signed by Anthony Mifsud Bonnici (PL), Neville Mallia (PN), Joan Farrugia (PL), Marica Bayliss (PN) and Violet Bajada (PL).
The councillors objected to the word “unfounded”, insisting their claims were serious and legitimate and spelt out in point form their worries. The councillors’ letter was sent not long before the mayor resigned shortly after his son, Noel, pleaded guilty to requesting bribes in connection with San Ġwann council. He was jailed for two years suspended for four.
The councillors listed a number of transactions they deemed irregular, especially in the light of the €174,000 deficit the council had. They claimed that, while seemingly lavish spending was taking place in some areas, like the €9,000 splashed on a customer care desk, in June the council had its telephone service suspended because the bills had not been paid since January.
The council had also bought a CCTV system and a large wall unit without councillors having even discussed it.
On the other hand, they complained that payments they approved, were not being made.
In the letter, the councillors said they had voiced their concerns several times but to no avail, which led to their request for an inquiry.
When contacted, local government director general Martin Bugelli confirmed receipt of the letter, adding that the department was looking into the claims.
Mr Agius Snr, who is still in hospital recovering from a heart attack, is expected to be charged with soliciting commissions or bribes from bidders in the race to win the waste collection tender.
The casual election to fill the mayor’s vacant seat on the council will be held on September 13. Sources said PN candidate Janet Barthet is in the running to take the seat but only if she decides to contest the casual election. She had garnered 299 first count votes at the 2009 council election.