On Tuesday, the National Audit Office was questioned about what went on during their investigations into how BWSC won the now infamous power station extension contract.
Their conclusion was hardly one of no corruption as The Times headline implied, perhaps too hastily. A more thorough reading of what went on at the Public Accounts Committee should perhaps have led to a fairer headline.
To illustrate the true nature of what went on at the PAC one should bear in mind various statements made during this first sitting. First, asked whether Joseph Mizzi, exclusive agent for BWSC, had put at their disposal all e-mails exchanged between him and BWSC from November 2005 to February 2009, NAO top official John Burlò said he had not. The police alone can order such retrieval.
Second, the few e-mails recovered revealed that even before the tender was issued, Mr Mizzi was promising BWSC they would win the contract through his contacts with Enemalta and the political hierarchy.
Third, Labour MP Evarist Bartolo pointed out that, within four years, Mr Mizzi had delivered on his promise: environmental regulations were changed by the government; government policy on energy generation was changed going contrary to a Cabinet decision and the tender specifications were changed, all in favour of BWSC.
This showed he had the contacts, which produced the desired results, Mr Bartolo concluded.
Fourthly and significantly, Auditor General Anthony Mifsud confirmed that top people within Enemalta and the Department of Contracts did not cooperate in the inquiry. He also said that though he had found no “hard evidence of corruption”, his office had seen many coincidences which made one wonder. “There was smoke but no fire was found.” Most damning of all, the PAC met after a few weeks ago the Nationalist majority led by Austin Gatt voted against calling in witnesses to give evidence in the controversial BWSC case.
Some in the government might be content with not finding the fire. Nevertheless, people know the wise saying that “Where there is smoke, there is fire.”