[attach id=232731 size="large"]Austin Gatt. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi[/attach]

Austin Gatt yesterday issued his strongest statement yet to deny any wrongdoing when he was minister responsible for Enemalta as fresh claims were reported on the infiltration of the corporation’s management by a Maltese representative of oil companies.

Reacting to the latest story, published by MaltaToday yesterday, Dr Gatt said: “What I can vouch for and can swear to is that in my long political career as minister I have never, ever talked with anyone, in any sector I have been responsible for, about tenders, let alone the tenders being mentioned.

“I have always refused to even entertain a conversation about any tenders, and any complaints I have received over the years about the handling of tenders I have always had a stock reply to: go to the police, the Commission Against Corruption or the Ombudsman.”

In my long political career as minister I have never, ever talked with anyone about tenders

The newspaper published documents that appear to show that entrepreneur George Farrugia, who at one point represented the oil firms Trafigura and Total, had insider access to the corporation’s management.

The news-paper claimed it had e-mails showing that former Enemalta chairman Alex Tranter and CEO Pippo Pandolfino had been hosted by oil suppliers in Miami.

Attempts to contact Mr Farrugia and Mr Pandolfino yesterday were unsuccessful and Mr Tranter said he had no comment to make.

“I do not want to add any comment to this story,” he said. Asked if he was implying that there was a problem with the article, Mr Tranter insisted: “I have no comment to make.”

About Dr Gatt, the story reported that Mr Farrugia had “allegedly” met the minister and other Enemalta officials “in a bid to ensure the lucrative sale of oil to Enemalta”.

On this point, Dr Gatt admitted that he was likely to have met Mr Farrugia and even other members of his family, seeing as they came from his constituency. However, he rejected the idea that he ever discussed contracts with him or that there was anything untoward.

“I categorically and without any reserv-ations absolutely deny that anything of the sort ever happened or that any conversations I ever had with anyone at all – let alone George Farrugia – ever even remotely touched on the subject. If MaltaToday has even a shred of proof in this regard I expect them to give it to the Commissioner of Police so he could investigate me. If they do not have such proof, then I expect them to retract it immediately.”

Mr Farrugia and his brothers were known as the owners of John’s Garage and were a prominent family from Ħamrun, Dr Gatt said, adding: “Any politician worth his salt, and that includes all Labour politicians, contesting the first district will have met George and his brothers a number of times and talked about one hundred and one things with them.”

The minister said he would be seeking legal advice and would sue if told that the claim in his regard was libellous.

In a counter statement, MaltaToday managing editor Saviour Balzan said his newspaper had not “in any way” inferred that the minister was aware of, or involved in, any illicit deals on fuel procurement.

“MaltaToday’s report does not suggest the minister was involved in any illicit behaviour. The fact remains that George Farrugia lobbied with both Enemalta and politicians.

“The fact that MaltaToday uncovered this lobby and its vested interests should be applauded and not castigated,” Mr Balzan said.

The newspaper first reported the matter on January 20, when it alleged petroleum chemist Frank Sammut, who is now under investigation, had taken commissions on Enemalta’s 2004 oil purchases from Dutch firm Trafigura.

The Government pointed out that, at the time of the alleged bribery, Mr Sammut was not a member of the oil procurement committee but a consultant to the then chairman Tancred Tabone on the reorganisation of oil storage.

Mr Tabone was one of the first people interviewed by the police.

It emerged this week that Mr Sammut had been investigated and eventually exonerated by the Permanent Commission Against Corruption from almost identical allegations of corruption that had been made in 1993 in an anonymous letter.

mmicallef@timesofmalta.com