Claims made by Gozo Channel’s disgraced former chairman that he is the only one fit to occupy the post of company CEO have been described as “ridiculous” and “absurd” by the Attorney General.

Through his abusive actions as former executive chairman, when he had forced a ferry back to port to pick him up, Joseph Grech had rendered himself unsuitable to occupy the post, the AG said.

Dr Grech recently filed a judicial injunction against Gozo Channel forcing it to stop issuing another call for applications for the CEO’s post and give him the job.

The AG said it was the Finance Minister’s responsibility, as the company’s shareholder, to make sure the disgraced chairman is not given the same position he occupied before.

The former chairman accused Minister Tonio Fenech of political expediency and victimisation for intervening to stop the processing of his application.

Mr Fenech told The Sunday Times last week that although Dr Grech was told verbally his application could not be considered as his behaviour had embarrassed the company and the government, he continued insisting he was the most qualified person for the job.

“It would be ridiculous if Dr Grech is given the same job he was asked to resign from,” the AG argued in his counter-protest.

Last November, the Gozitan lawyer appointed by the Government as executive chairman of Gozo Channel was forced to resign after ordering the ferry back to port because he arrived late.

Dr Grech was on his way to Malta to catch the ferry at 7.30pm, not realising the winter schedule of the company he was responsible for dictated that it left port at 7.15pm. Baffled commuters found themselves being taken back to Mġarr on the chairman’s orders.

Following a vacancy call for the post of CEO issued earlier this year, Dr Grech was one of two applicants for the post. Since none were accepted, the company issued a fresh call.

Dr Grech’s demand in front of the Gozo Court is now expected to be heard on Wednesday.