Government changes tack on power station witnesses

In an unexpected development, the Prime Minister announced this morning that government MPs would ask the Public Account Committees to summon witnesses in connection with the power station extension contract.

These witnesses, he said, would include Joseph Mizzi, the local agent of BWSC who had been unable to answer several questions asked during an investigation y the Auditor General. The committee would also be requested to summon officials from Enemalta.

Dr Gonzi said in a radio interview that it had been established by the Auditor-General that there was no corruption but two questions remained.

The first was the relationship between the Labour Party and Israeli bidder Batemam while the other was that a number of persons had not cooperated with the Auditor General.

Dr Gonzi said he had spoken to the government MPs on the committee, and they would next week propose to the committee a list of persons who should be summoned before it, including Mr Mizzi and Enemalta officials.

The PAC, he said, should get to the bottom of the reported links between Israeli bidder Bateman and the Labour Party.

Dr Gonzi stressed, however that the PAC was not the police or the courts, and its duty was to ensure that public funds were used properly.

The government had to date been objecting to the summoning of witnesses who were also questioned by the Auditor-General, arguing that the PAC should not undermine the auditor.