Gatt: I am serene because I did nothing wrong - will ask police to investigate e-mails
Minister says he met Farrugia, infrequently, about once every three months, but never about tenders or oil procurement
Gatt: I am serene because I did nothing wrong - will ask police to investigate e-mails
Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt said this afternoon that he was serene in the knowledge that he had done nothing wrong in the oil procurement scandal allegations.
Speaking at a press conference at his ministry, he said that it was right that newspapers uncovered the case, however he was not ready to accept baseless insinuations in his regard, particularly malicious insinuations by the PL and its media.
Dr Gatt pointed out that he had a track record of suspending calls for tender and calling in the police to investigate whenever allegations of some wrongdoing were made. In a contract involving Mater Dei Hospital, for example, a man had been taken to court after he had asked the police to intervene.
Had he had any information about irregularities in oil procurement, he would have similarly gone to the police immediately.
However he stressed that he never had any inkling that corruption was taking place.
Dr Gatt insisted once more that he never discussed oil tenders with George Farrugia, the person who was granted a pardon last week.
Referring to media reports, he said the published e-mails could be forgeries and indicated a frame-up by the Labour Party, and he would therefore file a police report.
He noted that there were inconsistencies between an e-mail published by The Times (today) and the one published by Malta Today.
A representative of The Times explained that the e-mail published in The Times had been retyped because of the poor quality of the original found on facebook, as was explained in the caption of the newspaper.
Dr Gatt accepted this version of events, but he insisted that there were further inconsistencies, such as the date being in Maltese instead of English, which still merited investigation.
Continuing, Dr Gatt said the references in the e-mails to AG and Aust as well as 'minister' could be a reference to him, but he denied that this implicated him in some way.
He said the police had not sent for him again after the new e-mails were published.
He said he had no problem with collaborating fully with the investigators but was respecting the Police Commissioner's wish not to publish the statement he had given the police while investigations were continuing.
Anyone with information had a duty to go to the police, he insisted.
POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITY
Asked about political responsibility, he said he saw two aspects - whether one did something directly in a way which was criminal or unethical, or, secondly, by omission.
In this case, an Oil Procurement Board constituted of a large number of people was responsible for oil procurement. There were written procedures about oil purchases.
How did a minister remain responsible?
With regard to former Enemalta chairman Tancred Tabone, he said there was no accusation against him. In appointing him to head Enemalta, the government had appointed a very very successful businessman who had also been chairman of the Water Services Corporation and the Chamber of Commerce.
So what did one do in this case?
Dr Gatt said he did not feel he should resign.
MEETINGS WITH GEORGE FARRUGIA
When replying to other questions, Dr Gatt said that he had met Mr Farrugia several times in relation to Enemalta but they had never discussed oil procurement or tenders.
Asked how many times he had met Mr Farrugia he said 'roughly once every three months.'
He denied ever making 'even one cent' illicitly.
PRESIDENTIAL PARDON
He said that had the prime minister or the attorney general had a problem about his presence at a Cabinet meeting which decided the pardon, they would have told him, but no one had any such issue.
SWISS ACCOUNT
Asked whether he had an account in a Swiss bank, Dr Gatt said the account was opened by his father, inherited by his mother and now by him.
Popular Stories
Old buses, drivers to return
Former Judge Ray Pace found dead
Updated: Minister apologises for...
Three new Nationalist MPs elected –...
Where’s Everybody staff is given notice
Updated - Director of Prisons submits...
Update 4 - Eddie Fenech Adami stable...
Revealed...the face of a Maltese woman...
Update 3 - Woman trapped as car crashes...
In Discussion
Old buses, drivers to return
Updated: Minister apologises for...
Updated - Director of Prisons submits...
Enemalta seeking minimum five year gas...
Protected birds shot and trapped as...
Mario de Marco, Zammit Dimech concede,...
PN postpones salaries as financial...
Updated - PM's offer to Opposition MPs...
No appeals board for first part of power...
250 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Joe Xuereb
Feb 16th, 02:23
Never mind people's political affiliations indicated in the colour of their face. Looking at AG I would not trust him further than I could throw him.
This 'I am serene' nonsense reminds me of the judge in Court saying, when passing sentence, 'and s/he showed no remorse'. Lack of remorse equals lack of examination of conscience. Not a very nice characteristic. Certainly not to be trusted.
John Zammit
Feb 15th, 14:39
A few days ago some one who knew well Austin said that he is capable to take a false oath. and nothing was heard since. Where is the usual arrogance he used to answer with any why is he so trimmed
Joe Xuereb
Feb 15th, 13:50
@Ronnie Callus(Today, 12:22). Mark my words, son. Justice is all we have. Nothing else matters.
Ah! the Human Condition. It doesn't half get itself into a twist. As in knickers. And no one, but no one, is exempt. People may resign their public office (if you get my drift) but it's still a 'running-away', problem un-resolved.
People may read into this what they will. Merci buckets(thanks).
Ronnie Callus
Feb 15th, 12:23
A.G is going to be remembered by many !!!!!!!!!
Ronnie Callus
Feb 15th, 12:22
My friends the election is getting nearer and one will be not so much surprised if something else crops up by the PN. What is true is that the citizens are paying their due in taxes and Energy (which seems to go into corruption) and noone in Government is taking responsability.Just work to the police is being given and not paid their due.We need JUSTICE to be shown and NOT JUST SAID.
Joe Xuereb
Feb 15th, 12:03
If I were wrongly accused of something I might say I'll go to the Police to uphold my plea of innocence. If I were less than clean, then I could still go to the Police to distance my accusers. In which case going to the Police would be just a ruse. Very crafty but transparent. Worthy of a squabble among kids in the school-yard.
Serenity, like acting, can be mere facade. Some are good at it.
pat muscat
Feb 15th, 10:13
Issa f'dan l-iskandlu Dr Gonzi qed jikkopja lic-Ciprijotti u lill- Griegi jew lil Angela Merkel u l-accountabilty tal Germanizi?
Lawrence Fenech
Feb 15th, 09:56
Aust you have done wrong from day one, BWSC, Arriva, Bridge to nowhere and the ruin of Valletta entrance and now this press conference to add salt to injury.
Michael Sammut
Feb 15th, 09:46
Serenity is the last thing one should experience in situations like these, if there is any sense of responsibility for one's ministry. Concern would be more appropriate in this case Minister Gatt. This is taxpayer's money we are talking about, but then again that never did register highly on your radar. That this person has been allowed to be a minister for so long, and after so many fiascos...
mark johnson
Feb 15th, 09:43
It would appear that 'serene' is this election's 'cool and relaxed'.
Kenneth Azzopardi
Feb 15th, 09:26
Natrally the police will investigate the entries in this Swiss account to verify that there was no wrong doings on his part.
Giocchino Attard
Feb 15th, 09:05
Is soltu meta il mamma issajjar xi borma kawlata ikelna rieha tfuh, imma din il kawlata ta gonziPaNic tinten wisq nahseb li halija tinharaq.U min sejjer jemmen lil AG ghax kif qal Franco AG huwa giddieb,fil qorti taghna jekk tinqabad tigdeb darba aktarx li titlef il kawza.
Joe Fenech
Feb 15th, 08:50
Serene because Gonzi protects you and because you're arrogant!
M Borg
Feb 15th, 10:52
Or could it be that he is serene because he has nothing to hide ?
Peter Simpson
Feb 15th, 08:45
Ah, but John Dalli a PN ex minister had to resign on ' circumstantial evidence' to clear and protect the good name of the E.U; that of Malta and that of the Nationalist Party. GonziPN fully agreed and the rest is history.
This time however, it seems that GonziPN is applying one weight two measures. Why are n't the' european values' - fully applied in Dalli's case- not applied again?
Ronnie Callus
Feb 15th, 08:38
In-nies jistaqsu, min qed jghamel frame ups. Skont Austin! tan-naha l-ohra ghandhom l-interess. Biss ahna nistaqsu ! jistghu dawn qed isiru minn naha tal-PN (id-mohbija) biex jidhru l-ohrajn u jippruvaw jahbu / igerfxu l-imhuh tan-nies (evidenza). Nistaqsu il-ghala gew iffurmatjati l-HARD DISCS TAL-COMPUTERS ? MIN KELLU INTERESS. Ic-cittadin jistenna risposta u mhux noqghodu nghidu mod iehor.
Ronnie Callus
Feb 15th, 08:31
Dr.A.G qal li jista l-emails huma forged ghax ta'Times mhux taqbel ma' tal-Malta today li hi l-originali li fuqha investigaw il-pulizija u qalulna li ghandhom provi bizzejjed biex jipprocedu.Qal li tat-times giet it-tajpjata u saru zbalji biss it-data qeda bil-Malti.Qal min ghandu l-interes li jghamel dan jekk mux tan-naha l-ohra.ALLURA BL-istess ARGUMENT minn ghandu l-INTERES li jgerfex fl emails
Eve Axiaq
Feb 15th, 10:09
Ezatt. Stramba hafna kif email tfaccat fuq facebook bi zbalji fiha. Donnu hemm min irid johloq konfuzjoni biex jaghti l-impressjoni li l-emails qed ikunu faked. Lejliet elezzjoni kollox tistenna.
Riccardo Schembri
Feb 15th, 08:14
Mela filwaqt li Austin Gatt qieghed seren, il-Poplu qieghed ihallas l-ghola kontijiet tad-dawl, jipprova juza trasport pubbliku u ma jinqediex sew. Jista S-Sur Austin Gatt jwiegeb darba rigward ir-responsabilta politika li suppost ghandu jgorr, Jew Dan il-bniedem jqis lilu nnifsu l-fuq mill ligi.
Riccardo Schembri
Feb 15th, 08:10
Sal Lum ghadna ma smajna l-ebda cahda rigward li JPO allega li Austin Gatt Kien lest jiehu gurament falz fill konfront ta JPO u mbghad iridna nemmnu dak kollu li qal fill press conference. Li Austin Gatt dejjem seren huwa veru, umbghad ic-cittadin ikollu joqghod ihallas ghal kull fjask li ghamel hu. Hemm lista ta zbalji fosthom l-Arms, Bwsc, il-Fairmount u d-dizastru totali ta trasport pubbliku.
HENRY FENECH AZZOPARDI
Feb 15th, 09:59
Il bierah Gino Cauchi kellu ic cans kollu jistaqsi din id domanda lil Austin Gatt imma thawwad u tilef l opportunita. Jien cert li AG jaf kif jittakilja lil JPO forsi ma jridx jaqa f'xi nasba li JPO qied jipprova jonsob.
Naccertak li hadd ma jghamel bziq fuq immniehru u AG jistenna l hin propizju biex jirritalja jew jinjora ghax il bniedem ikun irrelevanti. Stenna ftit u iz zmien itina parir.
Riccardo Schembri
Feb 15th, 08:04
Ftit tal-jiem ilu l-Onor. JPO allega pubblikament, li Austin Gatt kien lest li jiehu gurament falz fil-Konfront tieghu. Kien lest li jahlef li l-istess Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando Qallu li jekk mhux ser jinghata ministeru, dan kien ser jghamel il-kumplament tal-legislatura jghati il-gambetti lill istess Gvern. Kien ikun jghamel sens li kieku Austin Gatt wiegeb ghall Allegazzjonijiet li ghamel JPO.
A. MICALLEF
Feb 15th, 08:02
Austin Gatt ikkonferma li ltaqgha ma George Farrugia fuq xoghol iehor imma mhux fuq
ix-xiri taz-zejt. Imma ghaliex George Farrugia irreferera ghal-dawk il-meetings u rrefera
ghal- Austin Gatt bhala A.G. u Aust ?? Xkien hemm hazin li tghid jiena kelli meeting mal
Ministru Austin Gatt tal-Gvern Malti ?? Ghalfejn Aust, AG ??? Xried jahbi George Farrugia ??
Michael Sammut
Feb 15th, 07:51
"However he stressed that he never had any inkling that corruption was taking place"
If this is the case his resignation is long overdue. For gross incompetence if for nothing else. What is a minister's job if not to be responsible for what goes on in his Ministry? Complete absence of accountability is what we have here.
C Falzon
Feb 15th, 07:40
Mhux jien mhux jien qal Dr Austin Gatt meta fuq l emails kien hemm miktub AG, Aust u sahansitra ministru....issa bidel il verzjoni. Wara 3 gimghat ta silenzju minn GonizPaniK and Co. gie jghidilna f konferenza stampa li kienu qed jghidu ghalih. U miskin insieh il kont li ghandu f' bank Svizzeru. Miskin dan Aust...qabditu id dimensja tghid??? Not convincing at all.
Ronnie Callus
Feb 15th, 09:12
U mhux dan biss Sur.Falzon ! Issa qed jghid li hemm Frame Ups fl-emails. Ma' jafx dan li dawn jistghu qed isiru minn nies tan-naha tal-PN biex jidhru li saru mill- PL. U ghalhekk nies responsabbli u b'rashom fuq ghonqom tilfu kull kredibilta fil-Partit tal-PN.Ghalhekk tal-PN ghandhom din il-fernezija u qed ittihom gewwa. Anke tismaghom jitkellmu tinduna minn wicchom u t-tonn li juzaw.
J Galea
Feb 15th, 07:34
Why are people on whom doubts are being raised asking the police to do anything? The police don't need anyone to tell them what to do. They need independence from the politicians of all colors and should answer to the courts, whose judges and magistrates are selected by proper selection boards not the politicians. We do not need this incestuous system of justice that we have with all its defects.
Joseph John Zammit
Feb 15th, 07:25
Well... to be honest on TVHEMM Aust was very convincing in the same way Dalli was when he issued a statement.... God knows what lies beneath!
N Camilleri
Feb 15th, 07:15
Il-haruf tas-sagrificcju !! Kif ghidt is-sewwa jirbah zgur u zejt jitla f' wicc l-ilma aust
patrick cutajar
Feb 15th, 07:02
Ta min wiehed jinnota li minkejja kumbinazzjoni jissemma fl-emails taz-zejt u minkejja li kumbinazzjoni nesa jiddikjara kont bankarju gewwa l-isvizzera. Austin jibqa relax qisu ma gara xejn. Jien ghaliha prova cara kemm il-PN huma maqtghuhin mir-rejalta.
rodney bone
Feb 15th, 06:45
This going to the police thing when the media (news) say there is something wrong has to stop. Government has to be proactive not reactive.
Anthony Paul Naudi
Feb 15th, 06:37
Hafna paroli hafna bla bla bla u s'issa hadd ma kien kapaci jimplika lil AG fuq xi frodi jew tixhim. Jekk hemm xi hadd li ghandu xi tip ta'informazzjoni ghnadu jersaq b'wiccu l-quddiem u jiftah il-hangra inkella dawn kollha paroli fil-vojt. Jekk AG jigi pprovat li huwa hati ta' xi haga allura ikollu jhallas ta ghemilu imma jekk le ghanda tinbidel id-diska.
charles flask
Feb 15th, 06:26
All this must have raised the costs for Malta to buy oil and, therefore, must have reflected on the very high water and elect bills in the past years. It is only fair that we should have our money back, maybe deducted incrementally from our future bills. There were too many scandals for just a small country! Someone has to take responsibility. Who?
M. Grech
Feb 15th, 06:13
Oh yes, we have to take his word for it just because he says he is serene. If all was above table, why all that coding, AG, Aust etc? All seems calculated to drag on and skip the 9th March appointment. People want answers now since we pay salaries to civil servants for this type of work. By the way, what exactly is the responsibility of a minister?
Shaun Anthony Camilleri
Feb 15th, 05:59
First it was not him being referred to. Then someone asked if someone mentions you in an email does that make you guilty? So it was him being mentioned. Then he had nothing to do with this firm's contractor. Then he met him every three months. Oh I have a Swiss bank account too. A rushed pardon is given without any consultation to the one caught. The saga continues.
I WANT MY MONEY BACK!
Joe Xuereb
Feb 15th, 04:11
@Francis Saliba M.D.(Yesterday, 17:24). Saliba, slightly off piste but in such a murky cauldron one more stir won't make any difference, is John Dalli the one and only whose sentiments about Libya is that it was better off under Ghaddafi's fists and for good(?) reason? While on the subject, I wonder what your position is on the matter? I mean about Libya, awful then and not much better now.
Nicholas Ellul
Feb 15th, 00:57
Min m'ghandux x'jahbi jispjega kollox u konforerenza stampa damet ghaddeja il fuq minn saghtejn u kullhadd staqsta kull ma ried u ha risposta carissisma ghal kull ma gie mistoqsi. Ara Joseph, ipprova jitfa t-tajn u meta gie mistoqsi qal lill gurnalisti 'morru u fittxu intom', Dik hi id-differenza cara bejn PN u min jipprova jitfa t-tajn u jahbi idu. Austin irrisponda u Joseph harab.
Philip Micallef
Feb 15th, 00:05
These emails look like manipulated and forged from thousands of miles away and Minister GATT did the right thing by asking the police to investigate. The truth is that PL have been trying to get at him and the people that work and have worked for him now for years and I am sure truth will prevail. PL cannot fathom professional, efficient people.
K CASSAR
Feb 14th, 22:48
I find it interesting that people like Franco Debono and JPO who worked closely with A.G. give us a picture of him to complement what is going on, while Gonzi defends him. Who to believe? Someone filled their pocket with millions and for correctness A.G. should take responsability until proved otherwise. His not knowing what goes on in his ministry is reason enough as it is!
Joe Fenech
Feb 14th, 22:06
If the Maltese police werent a bunch of comedians, things would be very different!
m. borg (slm)
Feb 14th, 22:03
To all gonzipn apologists, Austin Gatt will not be generous for defending him his Swiss Account is his and his only don't get any idea.
Is it just one account? Will he let the police investigate this account and if he has any others? There is more than one offshore bank in Swistrerland.
pat muscat
Feb 14th, 21:20
Imsomma dan il-pajjiz ifakkarni f'riklam tal-washing powder; 'whither than white' sa kemm ninqbdu!
Ronnie Callus
Feb 14th, 21:06
Dr.A.G ma' nafx kif mort fuq il-Media biex tigi interogat min haddiehor u hallejtx lil pulizija jghamlu xogholhom huma ??Biex l-affarijiet ikunu serji ghandhom jitkomplew biss serjeta b'min suppost jghamel u imhallas ghal dak ix-xoghol.Ahna ic-cittadini li nhallsu t-taxxa irridu li l-affarijiet mhux biss jidhru ! imma li veru jsiru biss serjeta.Dan mhux skandlu ta'xi bicca cikkulata li seraq tifel
Anthony Gatt
Feb 14th, 21:01
In any democratic country the Minister responsible for any scandal would resign, whether he is involved or not. At the end of the day he is resposible and therefore he should resign.
As General Secretary Austin Gatt was brillant. As a Minister, we cannot say much. Gonzi should have changed him a long time ago, before Franco Debono started questioning his abilities.
Eddy Privitera
Feb 14th, 20:53
According to Dr.Muscat, Austin Gatt had never declared that he has a bank account in Switzerland, when he made his annual declaration in parliament !
HENRY FENECH AZZOPARDI
Feb 15th, 09:48
So did Gino Cauchi and he decclared them later. AG confirmed that de did not declare them being an inheritance and confirmed he will include them. Nahseb tal lajber kolla subajhom dritt. I am convinced that if a person to person investigation is done on the MPs assets one would come up with many discrepancies. Kemm int tifel sew Eddy.
Mr Alistaire Gill
Feb 14th, 20:50
Bhala il-ministru taz-zejt qatt iccekkja kemm haddiehor kien qed jixtri z-zejt?
Kieku jaf kien jinduna li hemm il-buzullotti.
Joseph Gauci
Feb 14th, 20:41
What amazed me most was the fact that this press conferance was called at AG's ministry building rather PN's hq's. it comes without saying, Gatt is a liability to his own party!
Kimberly Farrugia
Feb 14th, 20:35
My electricity bills give me a sense of serenity as well.....especially when they amount to 0!
Joe Pace Asciak
Feb 14th, 20:34
Insinwazzjonijiet, allegazzjonijiet u assassinji ta' karattru. Hu car li l-vjolenza fizika tal-passat iddawwret f'dik psikologika tal-prezent. Billboards bla sustanza u proposti kkuppjati jew imwettqa. Zewg binarji li fuqhom il-mlp bena l-kampanja, kif mistenni. Tassew futur sabih: verzjoni aggornata tal-passat.
Owen Ellul
Feb 14th, 20:33
Toni Abela was heard boasting on his prowess to obstruct justice and he is still the PL's deputy leader. Austin Gatt denied any wrongdoing. In the first case there seems to be no more doubts about his wrongdoing. In thesecond case, though I have no reason to doubt Austin's integrity, we should wait for Farrugia to spill his beans before sitting in judgement.
K. Vella II
Feb 14th, 20:32
"Dr Gatt said the account was opened by his father, inherited by his mother and now by him."
Where did he say this? In the recording he simply says the account is in his name.
priscilla ciangura
Feb 14th, 20:31
Illejla norqod ghal qalbi mela...ghax miskin kont qed ninkwieta li AG ma kienx seren!
Mr John Borg
Feb 14th, 20:29
Santo subito!!!
Charles Massa
Feb 14th, 20:29
Ghandu kont gewwa bank fl Isvizzera li il ministru qatt ma iddikjara.
Il ministru Gatt dejjem seren. Imma l poplu mhux seren ihallas il kontijiet gholja ta dawl u ilma. Mhux seren juza l Arriva.. Mhux sereni l haddiema tal ex drydocks li tilfu xogholhom minhabb lil Fairmount, mhux seren il poplu li ghandu power station tahdem bil heavy fuel oil.
Joseph Cauchi Senior
Feb 14th, 20:17
Why are commenters bringing up the issue of Commissions!
Can these people kindly say what’s wrong if the Commission Agent is paid a fee for his services rendered by the company he represents?
This is called “Commission Fees”!
This is normal business practice all over the democratic and civilized world!
Anki bċċa sensar jitħallas il-Kommixxin!
So, what’s the big deal?
JC.
Pierre Vassallo
Feb 14th, 20:11
The whole point is that it's evident that emails were forged. This is nothing else but an attempt at mudslinging.
G. Caruana
Feb 14th, 20:03
Anybody may draft and fake a hardcopy e-mail. Smoke in mirrors.
Thomas Anderson
Feb 14th, 19:58
Dr Simon Busuttil said this morning that he has a moral authority to ask for Dr Abela's resignation does he has the same moral authority to ask for Dr Gatt's resignation since Dr Gatt didn't declare his Swiss bank account? Or is it a case of two weights two measures?
Anthony Mizzi
Feb 14th, 19:56
NEMMNUH?
Xi jghid Dr. Gonzi issa , bhal ma kien jghid ghal Dr. Franco Debono li hu u li jghid Franco IRRELEVANTI ????
Jekk Dr. Gatt qieghed ihossu seren, wahdu qieghed ihossu seren ghax il-poplu MA HUX SEREN JARA DAWN IL-BUZOLLOTTI, dawn il-kommixin, dawn il- P. N. tomimi bil-kontijiet u bit taxxi li jhallas !
Dawn ZZZZGGGGGGUUUUUURRRRR BUZOLLOTTI!
J Cauchi
Feb 14th, 19:53
The story is not over yet!!!!!!!!!
Michael Sammut
Feb 14th, 19:42
Dear Minister.
The very fact you say you had no inkling, even if that was true, smacks of highly incompetent governance and is the very reason why you should be replaced. It is your job to have an inkling, and to be fully responsible for what happens in your ministry. How long must we put up with this sorry state of affairs? A crying shame if there ever was one.
Noel Mifsud
Feb 14th, 19:40
Ma kemm hu qaddis dal gvern - l BWSE xejn hazin insew li ic Chairman ta l EneMalta kien jahdem ma Zarten dan possibnli jahseb uin nies jinsew
Mr Alistaire Gill
Feb 14th, 19:35
AG is one of those who took the €600 weekly wage increase BEHIND OUR BACKS.
AG is the one who stated that Smart City was not obliged to employ the 6000 people in the stipulated time as a pump was not removed. Smart City officials in Dubai denied they ever had promised to employ 6000 people.
Whom shall we believe?
Godfrey Zammit
Feb 14th, 19:34
Borma mhawda ghanda nispera li EU ma tamlinniex xi kawza ohra minhabba lintina.
Noel Mifsud
Feb 14th, 19:23
Qed nara tvhemm u impressjonani AImma proset li almenu AG sirna nafu minn hu gahx sal hadd baqaw jinneghaw li AG huwa Austin Gatt u impressjonanti hija li wara dal panic kollu halla kollox ghha illum il Minsitru. Mulej ghini nemmen din il verzjoni please.
Anthony Mizzi
Feb 14th, 19:57
Austin Gatt SEREN bil-kontijiet fil Bank Svizzeru U L-POPLU mhux daqshekk seren BIL-KONTIJIJIET ma L'ARMS Ltd.... u x'inhu jsir mit-taxxi li jhallas u l-kontijiet li jintbghatulu!
Noel Mifsud
Feb 15th, 10:07
Anthony wara 5 days u wara li anke in nies ki jahdmy mal MTA qalu li AG u Aust jista jkunu hafna, tipo Angku Gabiriel, jew Arana Gbin lol, sirna nafu li hu l Minsitru. Li impressjonani hafna u din ma nafx kif hadd ma nduna li baqa jiftakar hafna afarijiet, li ilhom is snin, imma nesa li AG u Aust jistaw ikun hu. Mulej ghini nemmen din il verzjoni please, naf li difficli imma ipprova.
carmelo buttigieg
Feb 14th, 19:18
He said he was serene.. the people aren't cause they've been paying the highest utility bills ever. What intrigues me the most is, if it is as he's saying that there was nothing illicit going on, why was he always referred as A.G. or Aust in the emails published?
Ronnie Callus
Feb 14th, 21:10
Well said Mr.Buttigieg. Probably he is going to say in order to minimize on INK. At least he is admitting now that A.G and Aust could be him. Why he took so long to regognize this, because if I am not mistaken his Ministerial Body told us that AG could refer to anybody.
M Borg
Feb 14th, 21:18
Why are you so sure that the emails mean anything? Could it be that the person who wrote them wanted to give the impression that he was talking to the minister when in reality he was not.
Why were the emails messed up ? Nothing is clear we just have to wait for the police to do their work.
sammy cassar
Feb 14th, 19:16
And dear all we have 'il-konferma' that old labour is back. U kif we mention the 80's. They will never change. They only changed their name and emblem. Dr.Muscat is only wearing a mask till the election. All smiles and no substance.
Salvu Borg
Feb 14th, 19:50
Mr Cassar, how come you are trying to deviate the subject, after all this sage about the hand in the oil !!! you have to have the decency to write or even to show your face, come clean and dis-associate yourself from the bribery and the theft done from our taxes. Someone is responsible for all this and it was only AG as Minister.
Mr Joseph Azzopardi
Feb 14th, 21:20
Who confirmed this version of events? Cause the way I see it, a number of e-mails were released by the press and online not by the PL. The PL, like everyone else, held the minister in question accountable for these events.
Mr Stephen Borg
Feb 14th, 22:44
I think as regards the report above you are out of point and out of context because here we have irrifutable evidence provided by two independent news rooms that have no links what so ever to the Labour Party. The point here is not if labour changed or not but why did the Nationalist party end up like this, here we have a serious case of corruption and the Labour party has nothing to do with it.
Joseph John Zammit
Feb 15th, 07:23
At least he has a nice smile not a devilish on! At least labour have the decency of wearing a mask, a mask that PN threw at our faces long time ago. Sammy continue to live in the 80 s, and why not mentioning also the 60s. Every one has a part of his history which we all better forget, including the PN. So please shut up cos we are fed up of negativity.
James Grech
Feb 14th, 19:13
Austin Gatt's intervention was far from convincing. If anything it goes to prove that there is infact a strong lobby in the oil procurement process that is not going to throw in the towel without a fight. & what a fight!! The uturns the doubts are verging this scandal into surreality. Yet another case of there is smoke, amply proof of that, but no fire. But we've all experienced this before right?
James Grech
Feb 14th, 19:08
Austin Gatt's intervention was far from convincing. If anything it goes to prove that there is infact a strong lobby in the oil procurement process that is not going to throw in the towel without a fight. & what a fight!! The uturns the doubts are verging this scandal into surreality. Yet another case of there is smoke, amply proof of that, but no fire. But we've all experienced this before right?
James Grech
Feb 14th, 19:01
Austin's intervention was a far from the cry from the PM's, to leave justice take its course. Why was Farrugia given a pardon than, if the emails might have been forged? So Portelli was right after all when he said that this was the tip of the iceberg & that there was a strong lobby behind oil procurement. The complexity behind this type of defense is proof, if any was required.
James Grech
Feb 14th, 18:53
Confusion galore!! But maybe that's precisely what these ppl want. By sowing doubts that its maybe a frame-up or that maybe the emails were forged, they attempt to deviate attention. This is precisely what happens when there are no laws like that which removes prescription over wrong doings by politicians & the whistle blower's. The more complex this gets, the more stench there is!!
cesco di luigi
Feb 14th, 18:49
So on what floor of the dar centrali did he meet this businessman every 3 months. On the 4th floor, or in the basement.
cesco di luigi
Feb 14th, 18:48
he said he had a track record in suspending calls for tender. what he didn't say was the track record for changing the tender specs at a very critical stage (BWSC) and the failure of the Arriva tender which was a give-away to the company that has not delivered what was promised.
Peter Simpson
Feb 14th, 18:48
First he said he did not meet George Farrugia;then A.G. could be anyone, then he admitted he met him but did not discuss with the oil trader oil procurement.
Joe M Borg
Feb 14th, 18:57
Didn't you hear about a certain Toni Abela who said three times that he had NOT gone to the police, then admitted. He ALSO claimed that he had ALWAYS told Joseph everything, then said that he had not?
Pace M
Feb 14th, 19:25
@ Lol Joe! Incredible. So now were comparing... Tony Abela case vs A.G case...... So that is the idea after all! Well thanks Mr.BOrg. You just confirmed the game..... Just thanks for continuing to push me away from the PN. JUST INCREDIBLE
pat muscat
Feb 14th, 21:05
@Joe M Borg. Toni Abela's case was about the national importance of Labour Party bar's katnazzi: the oil scandal is about our pockets and about trust in the people we have elected!
M. Baron
Feb 14th, 18:47
Justice in this case should take the form of recouping those commissions paid: and transforming them into Utility Bill credits for all of us who footed the bill !
william cauchi
Feb 14th, 18:46
"Asked whether he had an account in a Swiss bank, Dr Gatt said the account was opened by his father, inherited by his mother and now by him."
What a load of rubbish. The proceeds from the account are inherited but not the account number. So on the death of a person, the account is closed.
So if there is Swiss account in Dr. gatt's name, it was opened by him.
Any experts to confirm this.
mario salnitro
Feb 14th, 19:41
Good to know thank you!!!
Gianninu Saliba
Feb 14th, 19:58
Dear William, you must be a socialist, you shoot from the hip and hope to hit the target. Then you expect others to confirm that you did hit the target. Just go to http://switzerland.isyours.com/e/banking/secrecy/inheriting.html
and you will find out how far off the mark you were. SWISS BANK ACCOUNTS ARE INHERITED. The caps are deliberate, hoping that you will here me shouting.
M Borg
Feb 14th, 21:26
Did you hear his explanation about this account on TV ? He said that this account was opened by his father 40 years ago and that no money was ever deposited in it since that date.
As you said the account would have been opened by him with " money that was transferrd from his father's account. "
He said that he has nothing to hide and that he is giving the police the account number to check .
manuel lia
Feb 14th, 18:36
@anthony galdes...i accept your explanation mate....retyped not photocopied...pero issa li austin gatt dahhal lill pulizija biex jinvestigaw dawn lemails zgur li nkunu nafu minn fejn gew u min baghtom.. police have the power to investigate and be sure they will investigate....and they will find out for sure who is after this.remember the secret service act?if someone is playing he will get caught
Andrea Schembri
Feb 14th, 18:45
manuel allinqas int ragel u tammetti laffarijiet.Pero gejjin minn fejn gejjin lemails bnaqra intelligenza li hu zgur hargu minn tal-qalba u fihom hemm affarijiet ta korruzzjoni sfrenata li hadd ghadu ma ghamel car lilna il-poplu fejn marru dawk il-miljuni li hallasna ahna.
Anthiny Galdes
Feb 14th, 19:47
Refer to : TOM artcile: "A representative of The Times explained that the e-mail published in The Times had been retyped because of the poor quality of the original found on facebook, as was explained in the caption of the newspaper."
Saviour Aquilina
Feb 14th, 18:35
Police must Investigate Saviour Balzan and Malta Today to see if that emails are fake or haking. Who knows who are after these??
C J Vassallo
Feb 14th, 22:12
I was under the impression that the PN would at least uphold the fundamentals of a democratic state and not go back to soviet times with a straight forward challenge towards the free press in its heroic effort to expose the truth.
On March 9th, I hope my vote will contribute to eradicate this type of fanatical following. Malta is supposed to be a proud European Union state. Shame on you SA!
Cornelius Murphy
Feb 14th, 18:27
So Joseph Muscat alleges that a minister has committed a crime but does not go to the police to report it (making him either a liar or an accomplice in the cover-up), while his deputy, Toni Abela, goes to the police to interfere in a case that is already under investigation and then boasts about it.
That's New Labour for you! Exactly the same as the Old Labour they want you to forget.
BEWARE!
Patrick Zammit
Feb 14th, 18:23
But hadn't A Gatt said that he never spoke to Farrugia, then said that if he had spoken to him, it was because he was from Hamrun?
Since evidence has now surfaced that he had indeed spoken to Farrugia, A Gatt is saying he met Farrugia every 3 months.
Not very consistent...
j brincat
Feb 14th, 18:15
@Joseph Vassallo
"Old Labour is back!"
Imagine what you would be saying if the emails and all the story really came out of the PL media!
But then in the hope of holding on to power at all costs the PN apologists would say anything and as usual are pointing their finger at the WRONG direction.
Incredible but true!
jb
shirley tamti
Feb 14th, 18:15
do i remember correctly that austin's ministry tried to imply that ag or aust was not austin gatt yesterday or the day before? are really 'the times of malta' and 'maltatoday' right and left hands as austin is implying? that is not my impresion whatsoever
Marion Storace
Feb 14th, 18:10
@ Lawrence Fenech - skond l-argument tieghek, GonziPN w il-klikka messhom irrezzenjghu 'en bloc' meta Gonzi ivvota 'bil qalb' ghal oghli tad-dawl u l-ilma ghax il-poplu, hlief xi erba charlatani, hass il dawn il-kontijiet kissru l-but tal-familja barra il €500 fil gimgha li serqu min fuq dar il-poplu.
Joe Bonanno
Feb 14th, 18:04
Since the emails came from two different newspaper it remains to be seen if either paper ascertained that they (emails) were genuine. It isn't unknown for the art of "Disinformation" to be practiced to create doubt and cast suspicion on genuine articles. Gonzi should still demand that Gatt recuse himself from any discussion of the procurement affair in cabinet meetings.
Joseph Vassallo
Feb 14th, 18:02
Old Labour is back!
Frame up! Remember Pietru Pawl Busuttil?
We are really going back to the eighties!
Joseph is building a campaign on lies, as when he says that he believes that Malta needed EFA in 1987!
Mela nesa kemm kien ighaddieh biz-zmien meta kien gurnalista fis-sena 1996!...u fuq it-TV!
Show these clips!
Clinton Magro
Feb 14th, 18:30
Fejn trid "inharsu il quddiem" u fejn trid "show these clips" .... qed jaqbadni id dardir
Maria Xuereb
Feb 14th, 18:40
Do you remember the promotions that were handed over to most of the people involves in the so called Frame Ups Mr. Vassallo? So who was after the Frame Ups the Pl or the PN who wanted to get the power at all costs?
Joe Bonanno
Feb 14th, 18:58
Do you have evidence that it is a frame up? No, just AG's supposition. Then how can you say that JM is lying? As far as JM's lack of respect to EFA (your words) then you must include me in that category also, because it was EFA who put Malta on the debt treadmill after blowing the billion the MLP left behind. If saddling Malta with debt is a feat to be proud of then you and I differ enormously.
Mj Fiteni
Feb 14th, 19:53
Come on man be realistic. Don't take it this matter as a pn hardcore supporter. I undsd that you love saying VIVA PN during meetings but try reasoning. It's Austing Gatt, known ages ago for his discussable manners of doing politics. Just remove this guy and continue following your party but get rid of these characters. Austin Gatt, John Dalli, RCC are all well known even by your fellow pn fans
j brincat
Feb 14th, 17:58
Exchange regulations (until we joined EU) prohibited holding of accounts outside Malta!
jb
j brincat
Feb 14th, 17:55
"He noted that there were inconsistencies between an e-mail published by The Times (today) and the one published by Malta Today"
And TOM reporter immediately explained 'these' inconsistencies!.
jb
j brincat
Feb 14th, 17:54
"however he was not ready to accept baseless insinuations in his regard, particularly malicious insinuations by the PL and its media"
AND the emails and write ups did NOT emanate from PL media!
jb
Andrea Schembri
Feb 14th, 17:53
Fuq il-mails li qed tallegaw li huma imbabsa wahda huwa ritratt ta l-originali(MaltaToday) u l-ohra VERBATIM replica(SundayTimes). Fil-fatt waqt il-konferenza Austin Gatt prova jallega li imbabsa imma il-gurnalist ta TOM qallu li TOM ikkupjat l-email u setaw ghamlu xi zbalji fit-typing. Verbatim replica iffiser li ikkupjawa kelma bkelma li jfisser li jistaw ikun hemm human errors
Anthiny Galdes
Feb 14th, 17:48
@ manuel Lia...email was retyped and NOT photocopied!
Richard Caruana
Feb 14th, 18:11
Why not photocopied?
Have we run out of copying ink and paper in this country?
Aristide Galea
Feb 15th, 07:56
Richard , the season that the email was copied and not photocopied is because it wasn't clear .
m farrugia
Feb 14th, 17:43
it does not mean that if a minister meets a businessman, he is getting involved in tenders.it is a known fact that businessmen regularly meet policymakers, politicians etc.. - it's in their interest to be informed in order to explore every available or future opportunities.it's their hobza ta kuljum. Infact it seems that businessmen have also started meeting pl just in case they are elected.
Daniel Borda
Feb 14th, 17:41
frame-up by the Labour Party - Meta tkun taf lill-Ministru Gatt personali temmen dak li qed jghid. dan huwa frame up mill-MLP biex jidher helu. Imbierek Alla l-Malta Today issa ddecidiet li tippublika din l-istorja. Tal-Misthija, issa mhux l-Orrizzont biss ghandna izda hemm pushjatura mill-MaltaToday. L-istess emails li fil-verita ma jaqblux!!
pat muscat
Feb 14th, 18:53
@ Daniel Borda. Jew framed himself up!
Mj Fiteni
Feb 14th, 19:56
@Daniel Borda - FYI, MLP has changed its name and is now known as PL
Minister Austin Gatt doesn't need anybody to frame him up. He can do it well all alone and put handcuffs on and put himself behind bars without having labour to frame him. It'a Austin Gatt come on, know your people, you don't beed to be pl or pn. IT's Austin hehehe
James Grech
Feb 14th, 17:40
PM believes Gatt.
Gatt says he did nothing wrong.
Gatt says Tancred Tabone did nothing wrong.
Gatt met Farrugia but did not discuss oil procurement.
What's next?
PM and Gatt seem to be acting as judge and jury. Didn't the PM say that they wanted to let the police conduct a serene investigation?
Joseph Vassallo
Feb 14th, 18:05
Stop talking rubbish!
PM and Gatt asked the police to investigate!
Mario Scicluna
Feb 14th, 17:36
Li hu zgur huwa li xi hadd qed jigdeb, ghax logikament ladarba ntalbet Proklama xi haga tinten u 'wrong doing' sar u hemm le? Kieku ghalfejn tintalab proklama, mhux biex jikxef!!? Lil Mr Farrugia bil-pulit ghamlulu sarima, allura ghalissa ma jistax jikkontradixxi jew igiddeb lil Ministru AG, ghax tal-PN makakki bizzejjed li qieghed 'under investigation'. Ma ninsewx li nvolut hemm Tancred Tabone.
anthony sultana
Feb 14th, 17:35
This last 5 years our tiny island was in a mess,we need a change from top to bottom,also we need a strong watch on our money .We want to know where our money goes in the next government.
Joseph Galea
Feb 14th, 18:58
Mr. Sultana, have we been living on the same island?
M Farrugia
Feb 14th, 19:48
I pity you if you were living in a mess, you should have asked for help. Probably you were watching Super One news and lost your TV remote control for 5 years. .
Lucienne Spiteri
Feb 14th, 17:35
bil-frame ups baqghu jiddilettaw il-lejber ....no wonder li baqghu jghixu fl-80s!
Ms Jessica Spiteri
Feb 14th, 17:55
U int milli jidher ghadek tghix fil-holm, fejn id-dinja hija Utopia u korruzzjoni ma jkunx hemm! Qumu minn hemm jahasra
Francis Saliba M.D.
Feb 14th, 17:33
The versions of the e-mails as published show evident discrepancies between them. At least one, if not both, must be forgeries. On top of everything, the suspect e-mails are being deliberately misinterpreted so as to cast doubts on Minister Austin Gatt's integrity. These are despicable, malicious acts and they be actually also blatantly criminal.
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Feb 14th, 17:53
What evident discrepancies?Can you explain please? As for misinterpretation, let me remind you how you shouted corruption just because Muscat was meeting businessmen. It seems to be OK for a Minister of Government to meet a businessmen but if the Leader of the Oppositon does the same, then according to you there must be corruption. Mur ifhem.
A Abela
Feb 14th, 17:56
The Times version was a verbatim replica (was retyped) not a photocopy. Hence the difference in some words.
Patrick Zammit
Feb 15th, 07:35
Which part of "the e-mail published in The Times had been retyped " did the learned doctor not understand?
Francis Saliba M.D.
Feb 15th, 11:16
@ A Abela & Patrick Zammit & Andrew Camilleri.
Nothing for me to understand. An innocuous e-meal that does not prove that anything wrong was done by Austin Gatt, was copied by typing (with mistakes) and published in a format that created the false impression that it was a photocopy when it wasn't.
James Grech
Feb 14th, 17:32
Track record here and track record there. Is the minister really sure that he wants us to consider his track record? That in the BWSC saga maybe? Whereby policies related to emissions were changed seemingly to accommodate BWSC? During that saga, there too was a commission that changed hands? So we pay for the commissions and the minister still thinks he should not resign!!!! What a load of crap!!
Cornelius Murphy
Feb 14th, 17:28
FORGED EMAILS! Issa x'jonqos?
Il-maskra tal PL qed tikkrolla! Jalla tilhaq tikkrolla kompletament qabel id-9 ta' Marzu, u mhux wara biex imbaghad il-poplu jibqa bil-likk!
Joseph Aquilina
Feb 14th, 17:25
I believe Austin Gatt because he was in the cabinet when this gave the pardon!! In other words; he is afraid of nothing; not even the mud throwing machine of the lejber party!!
Paul Debono
Feb 14th, 17:20
Typical of labourities, some will still say they don't believe Austin. First they want him to speak, now that he spoke they won't believe him. If anyone knows anything about him, he should just go to the police and let the police do their job.
Eddy Privitera
Feb 14th, 17:18
The emails in question date back years - 2003-2004. Surely if anyone had forged those emails at that time, he would have used them then, not now ! Or is Dr. Gatt alleging that the emails have been forged now either by The Sunday Times / Times and Malta Today. Or by someone who passed them to these newspapers. And these newspapers fell for it ??? Sorry Dr. Gatt, I dont buy your story.
M Farrugia
Feb 14th, 19:49
Nobody expects you to. You have already come out with your conclusion, the Police will only be wasting their time if it was for you.
HENRY FENECH AZZOPARDI
Feb 15th, 10:16
Eddy you do not have to buy any stories from AG, you just parrot all that is said by PL.
IT IS A FACT THAT THE EMAILS ARE TAMPERED. You do not have to be Sherlok Holmes to understand that. The same emails are not identical. In due time this inflated ballon trying to implcate AG will burst and the swing continues. The PL are the same old blogs trying to clay all PN MEPs with mud. Grow up.
Carmel Grima
Feb 14th, 17:18
You may or may not like Austin Gatt's face but let us not judge untill all the facts are made clear. Election time is unfortunately a time for mud slinging and with all this going on, how on earth can one be sure of what is true or untrue.
Ing Carmel Grima
Leonard Brincat
Feb 14th, 17:16
Hawn Malta tal biki l-ex chairman mhux akkuzat, Farrugia inghata l-mahfra presidenzjali u kullhadd baqa b dak li ha. Kollox bizzilla jaghmlu tal PN. Nispera li ghal ta l anqas naqblu li xi hadd dahhal xi haga fil but.
Lawrence Attard
Feb 14th, 17:12
Jien moralment konvint li ghandek tirrezenja. Vera baqa biss 3 gimghat pero xorta ghandek twarrab. Ghamel bhal ma ghamel dak ir ragel ta' vera l ET il Papa li meta nduna li sahtu nahsietu se jwarrab. Int warrab ghax kull ma missejt mieghu froga shiha saret. Inti liablity ghal PN.
James Grech
Feb 14th, 17:12
The issue of whether Gatt was implicated or not is besides the point here. What is of paramount importance is the fact that commissions changed hands & on more than one occasion, under Gatt's watch. This is the political accountability that all and sundry should seek. If Gatt was directly implicated than that would be even worse, but atm its the political responsibility that should shouldered.
Chris Finch
Feb 14th, 17:07
Does anyone else remember JPO's tears just before the last election?
Joseph Cauchi Senior
Feb 14th, 17:07
Why are commenters bringing up the issue of Commissions!
Can these people kindly say what’s wrong if the Commission Agent is paid a fee for his services rendered by the company he represents?
This is called “Commission Fees”!
This is normal business practice all over the democratic and civilized world!
Anki bċċa sensar jitħallas il-Kommixxin!
So, what’s the big deal?
JC.
M Grima
Feb 14th, 17:04
Jigifieri AG huwa frisk bhal-hassa? U zguuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrr!!!!
Daniel Abela
Feb 14th, 17:04
Cannot help but make an observation.
No matter the outcome of the investigations, it is a fact that corruption took place. Will not speculate as to who is behind it as that is for the police to find out, but for some of you to state that this is a bubble or as if there is nothing wrong going on is simply frightening and untenable.
If a pardon has been granted there is definately wrong doing.
manuel lia
Feb 14th, 17:03
jekk taghmel photocopy ta email il kopja tigi listess...allura kif hemm spelling differenti flistess zewg emails li gew pubblikati fit times u fil maltatoday?arawhom u taraw spelling mhux listess....wahda 'mattieu' u lohra 'matthieu'...fwahda 'appropriate' u flohra 'appropreate'....u din suppost listess email...FORGED EMAILS...imma possibbli hsibtu li hadd mhux ha jinduna?
M Borg
Feb 14th, 17:16
There is something funny going on that is why everyone should let the police do their work.
They will get to the end of this
Cornelius Murphy
Feb 14th, 17:22
Mela ma tafx bil-photocopiers ta l-ahhar teknologija li xtara il Partit Laburista ghall-Mile End, il-Hamrun. Trid tarhom, ta! Fihom sahansitra spell checker allajbierek!
Ronnie Callus
Feb 14th, 17:25
Sur.Lia mhur ghand il-pulizija bihom.
Daniel Fenech
Feb 14th, 17:27
Tat-Times VERBATIM REPLICA. Replica jista jkollha zbalji
A Abela
Feb 14th, 17:32
Il kopja li dehret fil website tat Times ( ara il caption) hija "verbatim replica" u mhux photocopy tal original
Eddy Privitera
Feb 14th, 17:36
Manuel LIa: " A representative of The Times explained that the email published in The Times had been retyped
because of the poor quality......... " Hence this could explain the slight difference. Austin Gatt accepted this explanation !
N Chetcuti
Feb 14th, 17:37
Did you read the article above? TOM said they retyped it because of poor quality. Retype not photocopy.
Andrea Schembri
Feb 14th, 17:45
Fil-fatt manuel dak li ghadni kif spjegajtlek ikkonfermawh it-Times of Malta waqt il-konferenza xhin Austin Gatt beda jghid li l-emails imbabsa u il-gurnalist ta TOM qallu li it-TOM ikkupjat Verbatim tal-emails u setaw hadu xi zball fit-typing. This closes all your arguements. Thanks
Peter Zahra
Feb 14th, 17:46
Correct 100 % !!! Police should investigate !!!
Ronnie Callus
Feb 14th, 20:59
@Manuel Lia:
L-email originally toghod u mhux li ghandhom tat-times li skont AG qalulu li haduha minn fuq xi facebook.Jekk hemm xi email forged !mhux bilfors kif qed jghid Austin - 'Min ghandu interess jekk mhux tan-naha l-ohra' ? Mela ma' jafx li jista jkun xi hadd mill PN li jghamel din il-mossa biex iwahhlu fl-ohrajn.F'ta Raymond ukoll Fenech Adami kien qal li jaf min !
HENRY FENECH AZZOPARDI
Feb 15th, 10:40
@ Eddy Privitera
Be careful how you quote others becuase you end up in trouble. AG asked the police to investigate the emails becasue he believes in a frame up. The times issue was not the only discrepancy between one email and the other. PL are trying to implcate AG in the OIL issue. What is the true interest of the PL in this oil issue? National or PL interest? HALLUNA
Joseph Bajada
Feb 14th, 17:01
am I expected to believe Austin Gatt?
m. borg (slm)
Feb 14th, 17:09
Not necessarily, but giving him the benefit of the doubt one wonders why he has acted suspiciously so far.
A M Bonello
Feb 14th, 17:11
of course for he is a truthful man,a man of business wisdom and of course very very trustworthy gentleman
M Borg
Feb 14th, 17:19
Well have your pick free world !
Would you rather " believe " two emails which are supposed to be a copy of each other but which turn out to be anything but !!
Andrew Vella
Feb 14th, 17:19
I would rather say "are we expected to believe obviously forged emails?"
Francis Saliba M.D.
Feb 14th, 17:21
You are expected to examine all the evidence dispassionately and to form legitimate conclusions, not to discard anything that Austin Gatt says simply because it was said by Austin Gatt and not by his enemies.
scott brown
Feb 14th, 17:54
we are a democracy, so you have a right not to believe him. But I do. Austin Gatt faught the most fierce socialist regime we ever had and we own him and PN 25 years of peaceful living.
Likewise, I do not believe JM's allegations about corruption because he never goes to the police to have them investigated.
PN always involved the Police. PL be it under mintoff, KMB, sant or JM never did.
Anthiny Galdes
Feb 14th, 17:55
Of course not!! :))
Peter Simpson
Feb 14th, 17:01
He should resign at least to clear the name of his party! That is the way politics is done in Europe: are we in Europe with a la carte moral values?
M Borg
Feb 14th, 17:08
Why should he resign. if the emails were really forged ?
Why hand the prize to the forger ?
Let the police do their work I am sure they know what they are doing
vincent Lia
Feb 14th, 17:35
Politics in most countries let alone European would not permit a person to be a member of parliament and also leader of the opposition, if not elected in a general election. In Europe any fraud is reported immediately and not let it wait for a general election campaign hoping that the alleged fraud will not be proven false before the election.
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Feb 14th, 17:55
Lia: who told you that the 'fraud' was known before the election capamiagn? What proof have you got? But we do know that the Pn has had the Abela recording for more than two years - does this not bother you?
Victor Calleja
Feb 14th, 17:00
Li kieku grat bara min Malta sur ministru hati jew le id dicenza titlob li lewwel tirrizenja u wara jekk tinstab li kont innocenti terga tigi appuntat mil prim ministru. Bhal ministru Said per ezempju.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Feb 14th, 17:24
John Dalli foolishly did that, resigned his Ministerial job, and later it was found that the politically motivated accusation was false - too late to mend matters.
Pav Elliot
Feb 14th, 16:57
The authority on constitutional law said it all too clearly, Dr. Austin Bencini stated a couple of days ago that.....even if the oil commissions scandal happened under Dr. Gatt's nose, and he was unaware as in fact did apparently happen, then any 1st year uni graduate would know that political accountability for this scandal must be borne by the minister responsible.
Nuff said, I suppose.
jm busuttil
Feb 14th, 16:56
To all PL brainwashed bloggers have you read the caption under the e-mail published this morning by the Times. Some one is playing dirty games. Austin is right.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130214/local/cabinet-intervention-needed-for-rogue-oil-trader-to-return-cash.457467
Leonard Brincat
Feb 14th, 17:09
Nahseb li min naha tieghek qed tkun arroganti sur/Sinjura Busuttil. xi dritt ghandek tghid li il PL huma brainwashed mela mhux kullhadd jaf jghazel mit tajjeb ghal hazin. Nahseb li ghandek kull dritt li tappogja il PN ma nahsibx li gejt brainwashed.nahseb il medja aktar hemm cans li taghnel brainwash fuq il PN ghax Net -- PBS TVM-- TVM1 jew 2 insomma dawn kollha jghatu palata lil gvern.. X tahseb?
Daniel Fenech
Feb 14th, 17:16
@ jm busuttil
I'm no brainwashed blogger, but on checking the article in the link you provided, the caption under the image clearly states: A verbatim replica of an e- mail circulated ...
Now, before insulting anyone else's intelligence, would you care go looking up what VERBATIM REPLICA means. Won't you agree that replicas might have some mistakes/deficiencies?
jesmond zammit
Feb 14th, 16:54
dil farsa kollha wara li hadu z zmien kollhu biex min jaf bil proklama , x arrangamenti jekk kien hemm?...m ghandi l ebda fiducja f dak li qed jigri
Joseph Gatt (il-Bovju)
Feb 14th, 16:50
Republic Of Malta = Banana Republic (Within the European Union Of Course)
Dennis Spiteri
Feb 14th, 16:52
Dahhakt...
Geoffrey Farrugia
Feb 14th, 16:49
As if anyone is going to believe what AG says!! I am almost in tears hearing him talk of how innocent he is. i guess he also never pushed the people around him to top postions here and there.
santo subito!
Joseph Cauchi Senior
Feb 14th, 16:46
“Referring to media reports, he (Austin Gatt) said the published e-mails could be forgeries and indicate a frame-up, and he would therefore file a police report”.
… Forgeries and FRAME-UP …!
Does any of the above words ring a bell?
JC.
Mr Joseph Azzopardi
Feb 14th, 16:45
A minister is responsible for his ministry both in terms of fraud and also in terms of negligence in not knowing. IF (and it's a big if given the e-mails that have emerged) Austin Gatt didn't know of this case, he should still be held responsible for negligence.
Leonard Brincat
Feb 14th, 16:45
Dr Gatt.
Jiddispjacini nghidlek li jekk ma intix korrot allura inkompetenti ghal l ahhar. Ghax kull fejn missejt int fiasco shih u herba hallejt lil ta warajk.
J Mifsud
Feb 14th, 16:41
So he is insinuating that George Farrugia is trying to frame up AG, since George in his email said that he met with the minister?
Marco Galea
Feb 14th, 16:46
he met the minister ... so? about what? How can you be sure that they talked about oil ?
Joseph Aquilina
Feb 14th, 16:50
Did you read the emails? The emails do refer to Austin Gatt but in no way to they imply (so far) that Austin Gatt knew or actually profited from the scheme!!
jm busuttil
Feb 14th, 16:53
@ J Mifsud
If you have patience searching the web you will come across two e-mails which differ. Let me help you out read caption under photo:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130214/local/cabinet-intervention-needed-for-rogue-oil-trader-to-return-cash.457467
Eve Axiaq
Feb 14th, 17:02
AG qed jinsinwa ukoll li l-kumpanija taz-zejt ghamlitlu frameup (snin ilu). Ghax l-email li harget il-bierah jidher li l-kumpanija staqsiet ghal ministru fl-email li kitbet lil George Farrugia.
Joseph E Briffa
Feb 14th, 17:30
The minister is insinuating that somebody other than Farrugia is trying to frame him .We all know that there are people after Gatt's blood. So it wouldn't be surprising if the emails are forged. The emails are not identical and moreover they do not say anything untoward about Dr Gatt. Some people must be playing games.Gatt is right to involve the police
J Mifsud
Feb 14th, 19:15
The email who asked george on how the meeting with the minister went came from trafigura. So what interest do trafigura has on how the meeting went if they discussed anything different than the oil procurement?
Mario Scicluna
Feb 15th, 09:22
@Marco Galea
Din isbah! Kumpanija illi xogholha huwa biss business taz-zejt fuqgiex tahseb li tkellmet ma Aust/AG/Minister? Fuq il Festa ta' San Gejtanu jew? PN fi stat konfuzjonali. U bir-ragun.
Mr ALBERT LEONE GANADO
Feb 14th, 16:39
Austin Gatt showed lack of the political acumen to smell fishy dealings. In such situations the honorable way out id to resign because he was foolish..
Andrew Vella
Feb 14th, 17:25
The PL apologists calls have evolved thus:
He should resign because he is corrupt!
to
He should resign because he is politically responsible!
and now
He should resign because he was foolish!
I think they should finally call it a day an reflect on whether it was worth pursuing this path for the PL
Charles Zerafa
Feb 14th, 16:37
dan super potenza hadd ma jista ghalih, pajjiz tal mikemaws. bil kummissarju b'kollx
Neville Debattista
Feb 14th, 16:37
I have a feeling that this bubble which JM is blowing ad nauseam as if it was a trumpet will soon burst in his face. Afterwhich it will not be easy to wipe the mess off his face.
Joseph Borg
Feb 14th, 16:47
Strange... This week all that pbs transmitted was the abela case.
Paul Borg
Feb 14th, 16:59
Yes Neville. But the corruption was done under his watch since 2004. Given the benefit of the doubt of involvement, it still makes him responsible for the people he appointed and the Political competence. No bubbles blowing here , you know why? ........because it did happen and people are in custody. Crime of the century, surely not Joseph's fault ??
Conrad V. Busuttil
Feb 14th, 17:05
Your opinion of the bubble being blown ad nauseam will be supported or otherwise challenged at a time when immunity to parliamentarians is waved with retro-activity, should the the PL be given a mandate, as it seems it is the only party willing to bring truth of what has happened over the years. Only then will it take a lot of wiping the mess off one's face. One only needs to see whose face it is.
R. Gauci
Feb 14th, 16:37
Il-ministru Gatt/Gvern kien responsabbli ghan-nies li jappunta, l-aktar meta nafu fuq liema kriterji dawn jigu mlahhqa, allura mbaghad ghandu jwiegeb hu maghhom. Din mhux kwistjoni ta' tfiegh ta' tajn ghax tal-misthija li persentagg tajjeb tal-kontijiet li hallsu n-nies marru fil-bwiet ta' ftit individwi.
Fl-1997 Charles Mangion kien irrizenja ghal ferm anqas, dik serjeta', dik accountability...
Lawrence Fenech
Feb 14th, 16:57
@gAUCI
Dr. Joe Micallef Stafrace ukoll kien irrizenja meta il-gvern ried jgholli il birra sold ( 1 penny) ghax dik xarba tal haddiem u kien ihossa iz-zieda fil but.
carmel parnis
Feb 14th, 16:36
Hafna lablaba hawn tkellmu car u iffaccjaw lil Austin Gatt il qorti ha tohorgu ta rgiel
Joseph Borg
Feb 14th, 16:50
Habib, il fatti huma li huma. Forsu ag u aust ma humiex austin gatt, imma dil bicca tinten. Li hu ZGUR li waqt li jien, u nahseb int konna qed naraw kif ser nitimghu lil familja, dawn in nies hadu 600zieda fil gimgha. Issa ghidli int min hu ir ragel...
Eddy Privitera
Feb 14th, 17:27
Carmel Parnis: Austin Gatt ghamel libell lil Saviour Balzan tal-Malta Today, Saviour Balzan sfidah jitlob biex il-kaz jinstema QABEL id- 9 ta' Marzu. Sal-lum Austin Gatt ma laqax din l-isfida !
HENRY FENECH AZZOPARDI
Feb 15th, 10:33
@ Eddy Privitera
Eddy titfa statemnts bl ghadocc u tiprova tghamel storja fuq kollox. Kieku ma ghamilux libel kont tajt AG ghandu x' jahbi. Issa ghax ghamillu libel qed tghid ghax ma jghamlux b'urgenza u ma laqax l isfida ta' SB. Int ma lqajtx l isfida tieghi fuq il flus li niehdu mill EU. Ghadek tghid li niehdu inqas milli nghatu bil 1.128 billion?
Taf li siehbek KMB qal li niehdu 70 miljun
Manwel Sinagra
Feb 14th, 16:36
According to the Sunday Times report, the emails appear to form part of a cache recovered from George Farrugia's computer. If there are electronic versions of the emails, then the email headers would be available and one can tell who sent them, which server was used and much more.
anton cassar
Feb 14th, 16:35
Ma tarax li l-pulizija mhux ha jergghu jibaghtu ghalik........
Iktar jekk xi hadd qed jaghtillek !!
Julian Borg
Feb 14th, 16:34
Comments in here are incredible. If anyone has any suspicions or evidence they are to got to the Police. Is it that difficult to understand? Its easy to chuck mud - the MLP do it all the time - they have a whole TV station dedicated to it. Joseph Muscat is clearly lying when he asks journalists to do their job - if he had any evidence he would use it - he's not that stupid!! He clearly has nothing
G. Cachia
Feb 14th, 16:33
Imma jien nahseb li kif qed jitkellmu whud minn dawn il-bloggers dawn jafu xi haga. U jekk hu hekk allura x'qed jistennew biex imorru ghand il-pulizija u jirrapurtaw li jafu.
Dan jghodd b'mod specjali ghal kif jitkellem Dr. Joseph Muscat.
Jista jkun li dan hu l-ISTIL tieghu bhal ma qal fuq ir-rizenja ta' Dr. Anglu Farrugia. Forsi dan STIL modern li ghad irridu nitghallmu minghandu.
Ethelbert Schembri
Feb 14th, 16:30
The moment that Farrugia admitted the crime and worse was given the pardon, A.G became the Minister under which the facts happened so it was in his duty to ensure such things never happen. And here we are talking about a sum of a €1 Billion and that is no joke! And who was taking care and approving such payments never questioned where are all those € Millions going? A.G, we're not fools.
George Cutajar
Feb 14th, 16:29
As usual many PL apologists simply love to rip into their pet hate - Austin Gatt. He is now facing the press and has declared that he has nothing to hide. The incriminating e-mails need to be scrutinised before anybody reaches conclusions which may be very far from the truth. What is baffling is that the same e-mail appearing in separate media is different. Who and what is behind all this?
manuel lia
Feb 14th, 16:27
qabel titkellmu u tiktbu hawn..harsu sew lejn zewg emails li hargu fuq il maltatoday u fuq it times..suppost huma zewg emails listess..imma min iqarraq jinqabad....listess emails u fihom spelling differenti....forged emails....thats what they are...bil provi ghax lispelling differenti...ezempju....wahda 'dear mattieu' u flohra 'dear matthieu'...fwahda 'appropriate' u flohra 'appropreat'..FORGED
Lawrence Fenech
Feb 14th, 16:26
Bongu. Issa mur ghamel "Affidavit" halli tkun kompluta.
Joseph Aquilina
Feb 14th, 16:23
Clearly lejber diehards are all out to throw as much mud and invent/fabricate stories as much as they can. And their leaders at Lejber HQ, rather then try to control them they actually agitate them to do more such things!!
Another reason why Lejber cannot be trusted! Lejber does not care about the truth (just watch OneTV)!! All lejber wants is power!!
Tonio Micallef
Feb 14th, 16:21
Does this mean that George Farrugia, who has been given a presidential pardon is a liar? Who is telling the truth?
Ronald Borg
Feb 14th, 16:21
you are serene eh Dr Gatt?
Even if you were not involved in this mess, remember you were supposed to be managing Enemalta!!
There was yourself as minister, and your appointee Alex Tranter no???
So any wrong doing on thier behalf reflects (at least) badly on you as being a terrible manager no?
Think about it.
R Casha
Feb 14th, 16:21
"Dr Gatt pointed out that he had a track record of suspending calls for tender and calling in the police to investigate whenever allegations of some wrongdoing were made" - such as the choice of the power station supplier BWSC ... loool
K.G. Vella
Feb 14th, 16:20
When has Gatt ever been serene? This must be the joke of the millenium!
Ethelbert Schembri
Feb 14th, 16:19
The Times of Malta & l-Maltotaday are now PL run papers ?? When did that happen?? It seems that A.G got confused in his attempt to throw the blame on to others except himself.. It is only understandable but just to remind this lovely figure that HE was the Minister responsable when the person that admitted to have taken commissions, so it is A.G that must shoulder the political responsibility.
Peppi Borg
Feb 14th, 16:19
What about political responsibility? The bigegst scandal ever has been committed. Is Austin Gatt sure he didn;t do anything wrong?
S. Attard
Feb 14th, 16:19
OH!! It is a frame up!!!! I am also serene; I do not believe you. On the other hand, if I believe that you did noti know anything about this scandal that shocked our Island, then you are a very INCOMPETENT MINISTER. Then you should either resign because of your political responsibility or you should resign because you are totally incompetent.
J. Scicluna
Feb 14th, 16:18
OH! It was the Butler with the Lead Pipe in the Kitchen!
No! Wait!
It was Joseph Muscat in Hamrun with a Frame-up!
Hallina, trid!
A Abela
Feb 14th, 16:17
"Referring to media reports, he said the published e-mails could indicate a frame-up and he would file a police report." Who framed you The Times and Malta Today?
Adrian P. Cassar
Feb 14th, 16:17
We are waiting for JPO-style tears now!!!
Kenneth Williams
Feb 14th, 16:13
Remember his speech to keep us rest assured on the eve of the inauguration of our beloved Arriva....zmien il buzullotti spicca....u nahseb li se noqghod fuq kliemu u ninsab seren!!!! My Foot !!
Joseph Aquilina
Feb 14th, 16:21
Yes remeber it Kenneth, when no proof against Austin Gatt will be brought forward and lejber will have for another time demand an apology for all the mud throwing they have been doing these last few weeks.
Saviour Aquilina
Feb 14th, 16:34
You stay seren Mr Williams if the PL win.....but cannot tell for how long you stay seren. Regard Arriva did in the PL program mention someting on Arriva???
Ms Jessica Spiteri
Feb 14th, 17:04
@Saviour Aquilina
Mhux hekk ux! So PN is responsible for the ARRIVA mess and not managing to clean it up and now we expect JM to break out a magic wand and fix the problem dearest Austin created!
Joe Bonanno
Feb 14th, 18:50
Joseph Aquilina
Perhaps you're missing the fact that a very serious allegation of fraud in oil procurement has been issued. Just because Austin Gatt says he did nothing wrong does not make the issue go away. Either way, charges are being laid and one person granted immunity, so kindly keep that in mind. The PL did not orchestrate any fiddling of the oil accounts.
Charles Micallef
Feb 14th, 16:06
Gatt: I am serene....there is always a first!
M. Spiteri
Feb 14th, 16:06
That shows that once you're not corrupt, you're utterly incompetent not to know that in your ministry for years, millions of commissions were (allegedly) stole under your eyes without noticing it, and on such trivial thing such as Malta's energy purchases. You should have resigned
Joseph Micallef
Feb 14th, 16:20
As if your wife is sleeping around and you would be first to know. U hallina. It is a fact that such things are only revealed by accident, spite or trouble between participating parties. Even if there was installed the whistle blower act there will only be a whistle blower if the person is honest before the act is done and does not want to get involved. like sex, corruption will always exist.
J Martinelli
Feb 14th, 16:29
M Spiteri, you obviously do not understand how 'commissions' are paid. from who to whom & without passing through ministries or entities responsible to pay for commodities.
Do you think for one sec anyone offering bribes will let the minister responsible , know? How naive!
You know who should have been investigated years ago? MLP clubs which charged Lm25 'to hasten the purchase of a colour TV'.
twanny borg
Feb 14th, 16:01
Il-pulizija zgur li taf kemm thalsu f'commissions. Li trid issib fejn marru dawn il-flus u min hadhom. Qabel ma tohrog din hadd m'ghandu jitfa tajn kontra hadd. L-email facli anki dak iz-zmien wiehed jghid li kellu laqgha mall-ministru biex jimpresjona meta fil-fatt ma jkun veru xejn. Hafna nies jipruvaw jipresjonaw li jafu lil dak u lil iehor meta ma jkunx veru sempliciment biex jiehdu vantagg.
Edgar Cachia
Feb 14th, 16:19
Naqbel perfettament. irrid inzid ejja ma naghgglux u l-ewwel inhallu lil Ministru Gatt jispicca il konferenza stampa u izjed min hekk inhallu lil pulizija taghmel xoghla mhux kulhadd diga ikkundanna lil dak u lil iehor
Ronnie Callus
Feb 14th, 16:28
J'alla veru hekk !!!!! Issa naraw, halluh jghid dak li ghandu jghid lil George Farrugia, kif ukoll hallu l-kors ta' l-investigazzjoni f'idejn l-Attorney General (A G) u lil kummissarju tal-pulizija.
A Abela
Feb 14th, 16:31
Mur jghid hekk lill John Dalli siehbi
brian spiteri
Feb 14th, 16:40
@ twanny
Jekk il ministru mhux imdahhal xorta ghandu jirrezenja ghax hu kien responsabbli ghall dawk il persuni li damu snin shah jiehdu il commissions u hu qatt ma induna!!!
R. Gauci
Feb 14th, 16:44
Min appuntah ghandu jwiegeb ukoll Sur Borg, taf daqsi fuq liema kriterji jappuntawhom nies hekk,fuq il-kulur ta' l-ghajnejn u mhux fuq il-kapcita' u l-integrita'. Allura iva, l-ministru ghandu jwiegeb daqshom anke jekk ma jidholx fiha.
francis caruana
Feb 14th, 15:59
u halluna ............time over. we will see soon
Guza Zammit
Feb 14th, 16:19
sur caruana, la amilt statement qisek taf xi haga, so you are duty bound to speak to the police.... if not... il kumment tieghek jitfa' biss tajn
Ronnie Callus
Feb 14th, 15:57
Hopefully not Austin. We want this to come out of the pardoned person and not yourself. Also in the name of the honest people we would like that this person be protected from any harm, as anything can happen before he declares what he should declare.
anton cassar
Feb 14th, 16:13
Ronnie do you honestly think that the pardon came without strings attached ?
Roderick Camilleri
Feb 14th, 16:22
Do you honestly think that Austin Gatt doesn`t know exactly what George is going to say in the pardon?
R. Saliba
Feb 14th, 16:25
mela hsibt li ghadna fl-80s?
Vince Carlo Busuttil
Feb 14th, 16:30
Dear Mr.Callus, as if the pardoned man is going to disclose anything or anyone other than which has already been agreed with AG. This scandal will be pushed under the carpet and we will only know the whole truth when the PL wins the election and institutes the Whistle Blower act and people will come forward and tell us all.
anton cassar
Feb 14th, 17:21
Sur Saliba qedin 2013 u mhux fl-80`s....Pero ma tantx qed nara differenza ta !
A. Vella
Feb 14th, 18:13
Mr Camilleri, if he didnt you would probably accuse him of issuing a presidential pardon for something unknown.
Ronnie Callus
Feb 14th, 20:50
@Vince Carlo Busuttil.
Mr. Busuttil and all,not only me and yourself does not feel 100 % honest that the full truth is going to emerge from this investigat;because their could be influence on George what to say.More even with what emerged today by AG that after healleged that no meetings had ever been done,now he is saying that he had ! and AG could be him.
Please choose the reason of your report below: