Opposition wants to question John Dalli, Mugliett, Joe Saliba at PAC power station hearings
The Opposition this evening included former ministers John Dalli and Jesmond Mugliett, former PN General Secretary Joe Saliba and Michael Fenech Adami among people who it wants to call to give evidence before the Public Accounts Committee as part of new hearings on the power station extension contract.
The government and the opposition presented long lists of possible witnesses after Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt presented a motion at the end of a debate, which started weeks ago, where the members of the PAC questioned the Auditor-General on his report on the contract awarded to BWSC.
Dr Gatt's motion noted that during the debate, no evidence of corruption, trading of influence or insider information had been found. It was also noted that the bid by BWSC was €296 million cheaper than other bids, and the selected plant could in future use natural gas.
The debate had also confirmed that emission levels by the selected plant would be the same applicable in Germany.
However, despite the cooperation of the Auditor-General, more information was required on particular points including the alleged links between bidder Bateman and the Labour Party, claims that it had insider information and conflicting statements between BWSC representative Joe Mizzi and his former employer.
Since the evidence could have juridical evidence it was also being proposed that the procedure to be adopted by the committee would first be discussed and agreed by the House Business Committee.
The motion will be discussed at another sitting.
The list of people to be called as witnesses, as submitted by Dr Gatt, includes former and current Enemalta officials, the members of the various adjudication boards, the BWSC representatives, members of the Contracts Committee and the head of the environment section at Mepa, among others. Dr Gatt said that there were also two people indicated by the opposition as having allegedly given information to BWSC representative Joseph Mizzi.
The list also includes representatives of Lehmeyer International, the representative of Bateman and government officials.
Labour MP Evarist Bartolo then presented another list with a high degree of commonality with the government list, but also including Dr Gatt himself, Michael Fenech Adami, Joe Saliba, Jesmond Mugliett, John Dalli, Richard Cachia Caruana, Malta's permanent representative to the EU, contractor Nazzareno Vassallo, Prof Edward Mallia and various officials at Dr Gatt's ministry.
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F. Abela
Jan 12th 2011, 10:00
Is the Opposition going to continue to waste parliament time discussing the new power station forever ?
R Grech
Jan 12th 2011, 10:56
F Abela: Just wait and see the new power station, and its effects, and THEN come and come to talk about wasting time!
Stephen Koludrovic
Jan 12th 2011, 11:09
Whats wrong with you guys? It is quite a hefty investment that we will be paying through our nose.
We already seem to have forgotten the Mater Dei saga, such an enormous expense and yet patients ending up sleeping in corridors.
N.Cutajar
Jan 12th 2011, 11:14
Can't be worse than the effects of lejber in gov, their huge success story in opposition speaks volumes.
A. Zahra
Jan 12th 2011, 11:49
@ R. Grech. That is when you will realise that this charade is much adoo about nothing
P.Scicluna
Jan 12th 2011, 09:54
J.Formosa il verita twegga !!!!!!!!
Kevin Camilleri
Jan 12th 2011, 09:13
This is getting serious hope that a glim of light about this saga comes out. The problem in Malta is that if we really need to dig and find out we can easily do it as we are very small but unfortunately in Malta everyone adupts tha saying of HOKKLI DAHRI HA NHOKK TIEGHEK !!!!!!
Mela bil-populin naghmlu xalata meta jew ma jhallasx xi kont ta dawl jew ikollu xi aggustament ta taxxa u b'dawn l-oxxenitajiet( mhux biss tal-powerstation imma hafna ohrajn) kollox galore. Prosit J,Bundy ta diska tieghek pajjiz tal-mickey mouse
l fenech
Jan 12th 2011, 08:58
Prosit Evarist. Keep on the pressure. Sooner or later the whole truth about the BWSC mysterious contract will come out and the GonziPN will have to explain why the rush and change in contract was made to accomodate BWSC with a controvercial background and if Joe Mizzi was worth the Euro 4,000,000 gift.
R Saliba
Jan 12th 2011, 08:19
@ J. Formosa.
Better leave Austin Gatt and Lawrence Gonzi at the Circus. It's their job!!
Ray Buttigieg
Jan 12th 2011, 06:35
the more people the opposition tries to implicate in this so called scandel, the more i am convienced that the allegations are just that....allegations. It would be practically impossible to organise an illicit deal with so many fingers in the pie. If the opposition targeted just one or two people i think it would have been more credible, but to summon all these people it is obvious what the aim is, some of the mud will stick.
s.vella
Jan 11th 2011, 22:21
Mr Formosa you must know much better who should go to circus, to circus should go who bring the parlament and this country in this big mess, after all im more than convinced that all of them affored the entrance ticket dont you.
A. Vella
Jan 11th 2011, 21:42
"... BWSC was €296 million cheaper than other bids ..." this immense figure is enough to convince me that the right contract was chosen.
Think about it, it is enough to lay two undersea power cables to Siciliy and be connected to the European grid. This is the real way to look forward in an industry where economies of scale really matter, and also gives us access to other forms of generating energy.
I. Cilia
Jan 12th 2011, 11:02
ehe mela, one dispute with Italy and we have to held at ransom because they will cut off our energy supply....
a very well thought argument I must say..
jgalea
Jan 11th 2011, 21:09
u le!
ahna ahna jew mahniex!
J. Formosa
Jan 11th 2011, 20:35
The opposition is more suitable to go in a circus than in parliament!
J.Catania
Jan 11th 2011, 20:52
If we live in a daily circus !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stephen Koludrovic
Jan 11th 2011, 21:00
Any particular reason for that statement?
Surely the more transparency in this matter, the better it will be for all of us, you also included.
This is quite a mega investment ,and not a kilo of potatoes that is in question.
R. Spiteri
Jan 11th 2011, 21:15
anke jekk hemm riha fina, trid tigi investigata. jaqaw inti wiehed mid dawl il blue eyed boy .
Muscat Pat
Jan 11th 2011, 21:32
Actually , it is a tragedy! So much money going down the drain for a machine that is out dated and dirty. Going for gas is not a matter of ideology and partisan politics; its just common sense. Is it too much to ask for clean technology from GonziPN?
martin busuttil
Jan 11th 2011, 21:49
oh yes, and the double paid minister, who you seem to support, can pay your entrance ticket.
David Borg
Jan 11th 2011, 21:52
I'm afraid that is only your short sighted opinion. The way I see it is that the opposition is doing its work.
Manuel micallef
Jan 11th 2011, 22:02
Why?! what I find a circus is the fact that PN is accusing the opposition with corruption (to defend itself). That only happens in Malta!! no other government, when accused itself, retaliates by accusing the oppositiion with corruption... as if the opposition has the power to decide on contract awarding!
Kevin Borg
Jan 11th 2011, 22:50
No. Its to funny for a circus. The whole circus entourage will feel offended.
D. Scerri
Jan 11th 2011, 23:49
Go directly to primary school. Do not pass Go, do not collect...
Anthony Briffa
Jan 12th 2011, 07:02
Ater this charade is over the PAC should investigate how much the investigations by the Auditor General , the Police, if any, and the PAC itself, has cost the Maltese taxpayer. It would be intersesting for the PAC to identify whoever was responsible for this waste of public funds and condemn him/them in a proper parliamentary motion. I hope this will take place before the end of this legislature.
edward ciantar
Jan 12th 2011, 08:30
Why? Is'nt parliament already a circus, my friend? Well to put it mildly, now an overpaid Circus!
a spiteri
Jan 12th 2011, 09:10
I agree with you 100% and the clowns are the gonzipn and all their apologists
l fenech
Jan 12th 2011, 09:13
@Formosa.
You are late, parliament has been a circus for a long time. Ask Gonzi and his Euro 600 per week back dated to 2008. There lies the magician who gave us Euro 1.16 from January this year.
Maximillian Zammit
Jan 12th 2011, 09:16
can someone tell me how much all these investiations upon investigations are costing us tas payers
Christian Sciberras
Jan 12th 2011, 09:20
I'm no PL apologist, but really, isn't this what they're supposed to do?
Quit complaining already!