A contract awarded to V&C Contractors for works in id-Dawr and l-Istringell Streets in Mosta was not in line with the acceptable legal and administrative procedures, a board of inquiry has found.

The board had been appointed by former minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici to investigate contracts for surfacing works on the two roads awarded by the former council.

In its report, the board said the contract was awarded by the Mosta council when Paul Chetcuti Caruana was mayor and works had started on February 29.

The estimate for the works ranged from €187,000 to €330,000 and, according to the evidence given by the acting executive secretary, Philip Borg, the council did not have the necessary funds in its budget or in other funds which were available to the council.

The acting executive secretary had indicated that the financing was meant to come from European Regional Development Funds that were allocated to the council and which amounted to around €700,000.

However, Dr Chetcuti Caruana, council appointed architect Labour MP Charles Buhagair and councillor Chris Grech stated there were enough Mepa funds for the works to be carried out.

The board of inquiry did not find that such funds were available to the council, neither from Mepa, nor from the ERDF.

The board concluded that it seemed that prima facie, the former mayor had failed to follow legal procedures while the acting executive secretary did not guide the mayor and the administration of the council well and did not take decisive and adequate control for things to be done in the correct manner.

However, it did not seem that any of the people involved had been criminally motivated.

The board still believed, however, that its report should be submitted to the Attorney General and the Police Commissioner for them to reach their own conclusions.

The full report and the Prime Minister’s letter to the permanent secretary in the Home Affairs Ministry can be read in the pdf link below.

Mosta council reaction

The Mosta council said in a statement that the inquiry report showed that serious flaws had been committed by former Mosta council that had been led by Dr Chetcuti Caruana.

Mosta residents had to suffer the consequences of that bad management and the present council also had to carry the burden of the bad decisions that had been taken.

The present council commissioned an independent report for the recommendation of immediate measures which were taken to safeguard the health and safety of the affected residents.

It also spent €6,000 to close gutters and patch holes which had been left uncovered, the council said.

It expressed satisfaction that the government was to give the council financial assistance to cover the expenses and hoped that the AG and the police commissioner would conclude their investigations in the shortest time possible for justice to be made with the residents involved.