A former Gozo Channel chairman who was forced to resign after it emerged he had directed a ferry to return to port and pick him up after arriving late has made a claim for the company’s CEO job.

His actions had embarrassed the company and the government

Applying for the vacant post, Joseph Grech said he was “the most qualified person for the job”.

However, Gozo Channel told Dr Grech his application (one of two received) could not be entertained due to last November’s incident, which led to his resignation from “a position of trust”.

Sources told The Sunday Times Dr Grech was informed in writing that following his resignation as chairman, “the minister had personally advised you that as a matter of policy the government could not consider you for the post of CEO.”

Yet, Dr Grech is still keeping up the pressure and last Friday filed an injunction against the company forcing it to stop issuing another call for applications and instead give him the post.

In the injunction, presented to the Gozo court, Dr Grech – a Gozitan lawyer from Victoria – turned his guns on Finance Minister Tonio Fenech, who is politically responsible for the company, and accused him of “victimisation” due to “political expediency”.

Since Dr Grech’s job application was dismissed due to its ‘political baggage’ and the other applicant was not considered to be suitable, the company is now making another call for applications. When contacted, Mr Fenech confirmed that after his resignation Dr Grech had asked to be appointed CEO of Gozo Channel.

However, the minister insisted the government had informed the applicant, even verbally, that this was not possible.

“Dr Grech, who as an executive chairman was a political appointee in a position of trust, cannot expect the company to reward him with the company’s top executive post of CEO after what he has done,” Mr Fenech said.

He added that while it was with regret that he had to ask for Dr Grech’s resignation, as he had made a contribution to Gozo Channel, his actions had embarrassed the company and the government.

“I fail to understand how Dr Grech cannot appreciate that his demands and expectations are completely unreasonable in the circumstances, and as I have emphasised all along to him after asking for his resignation, he cannot be expect to be put back in the same position.”

Sources said the Attorney General would be responding to Dr Grech’s injunction tomorrow.

Last November, Dr Grech was on his way to Malta with his family to catch a ferry at 7.30pm, not realising that the winter schedule of the company he was responsible for dictated that the ferry left port at 7.15pm.

Baffled commuters found themselves being taken back to Mġarr after the chairman demanded that the ferry be turned back.

Various attempts to contact Dr Grech yesterday proved futile.