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Gatt makes new arguments claiming 'frame up'

Three Labour MPs knew about the oil scandal story

Gatt makes new arguments claiming 'frame up'. Video: Paul Spiteri Lucas

Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt this afternoon announced he had prepared a technical report that he intends filing with the police in connection with an email leaked this week as part of the unfolding oil scandal story and which, he said, is likely part of a frame up in his respect by the Labour Party.

He also said he had come across information that shows that at least a Labour MP and two candidates are somehow connected with this matter.

He pointed out that Labour candidate David Farrugia Sacco was the defence lawyer for the Farrugia brothers, owners of the John’s Group, and whose court action in 2010 against George Farrugia – the businessman at the heart of the oil scandal – is likely to have uncovered the emails now doing the rounds in the press.

He also said he was informed that another Labour candidate, Manuel Mallia, also represented the Farrugia brothers against George Farrugia and was a part of the investigative team which discovered these emails. He said Dr Mallia had even represented the Farrugia Brothers at a meeting in Geneva.

Finally, he referred to Labour MP Evarist Bartolo, who, he said, had circulated the latest controversial email, which was published by Maltatoday and then replicated in The Times.

Dr Gatt pointed out that last email published was very suspicious in that computers could only be set in Maltese from 2006 onwards, yet this email, purportedly from 2004, had a date in Maltese.

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Francis Saliba M.D.

Feb 17th, 17:57

If you stop pretending not to see what is obviously there for everybody to see, then you would see that Austin Gatt has already made it clear that, whoever "AG" or "Aust" were meant to hide, he never held any meetings with oil procurement agencies during which tenders were discussed. Some people are not naive but they certainly know how to close their eyes tight so as to pretend not to see.

Mr Stephen Borg

Feb 17th, 19:14

Good for you if you believe Aust or A.G but I can assure you that there are many people asking what is in Aust's Swiss bank account. Surely we cannot stop all investigations because Aust says that he never discussed oil procurment in these meetings.

Francis Saliba M.D.

Feb 17th, 20:49

@StephenBorg
I do not "believe Aust or A.G." because no one knows who they are, what they said or did - neither do you. Your assurances are valueless in my eyes so you may just as well keep your opinion to yourself. I know that Dr Gatt did not ask the Police to stop any investigation. He insisted on one and cooperated with the police.

Please do pause to think before rushing to type.

j brincat

Feb 17th, 10:45

AND why are they so superfluous according to your wisdom?




jb

Michael Magri

Feb 17th, 17:56

JB.. I think you missed my point completely.. What i meant was, lets see what Dr Gatt is going to come up with under oath when replying in court.

Mr Stephen Borg

Feb 17th, 13:06

Yeah yeah so you are saying that through these two press conferences AG or Aust whatever they called him in those emails managed to thrash Labour. Come on get real, no one except maybe and I repeat maybe you are believing Aust's version of events.

Francis Saliba M.D.

Feb 17th, 18:03

@Stephen Borg
Your "get real" your "so you are saying", your "no one except may be" and "may be you are believing" do not prove anything except that you are unsure about everything and you would better shut up until you ascertain facts.

Eve Axiaq

Feb 17th, 10:59

Vera. Baqghu ccassati!

M Borg

Feb 17th, 11:16

True if you listend well to what he said he made it a point to " emphasise " that he never once hinted or said that Gatt was corrupt..

He just said that he printed the emails that he was given.

Francis Saliba M.D.

Feb 17th, 18:17

If Nationalists are influenced by Gonzi and Gatt, it would be just as true that Labourites would be influenced by Muscat and Abela. Witnesses in court (unless court-appointed experts) are directed to stick to facts and not to spout opinions however formed. That is why kangaroo courts and trials by the press are no substitute for due process in courts of law.

M Grima

Feb 16th, 22:39

Labour does not hate him but they despise him, if you know the difference.

G. Ellul

Feb 16th, 23:13

One thing is clear: we have the ata Protection Act ghal-lasta.....!

Mario Mamo

Feb 17th, 00:09

' Austin Gatt - the man who Labour simply love to hate '. Are you sure that ONLY Labour likes to hate him. I can assure you that you are wrong. Mince your words before you spit them out or have you returned from Mars yesterday?

effie stafrace

Feb 17th, 00:51

definition of integrity please.

Alex Cutajar

Feb 17th, 02:02

L-aktar ministru arroganti fl-istorja tal pajjiz!

Igelna nisthu li ghandna dan it-tip ta ministri Malta!

Alex- www.alexcutajar.com

Noel Cuschieri

Feb 17th, 04:01

I DO NOT think that Aust was ever involved in this "commissions" scandal. It would have been too risky for a minister to get involved in earning commissions from suppliers. However, from what I have seen thus far, I DO think that his behaviour is making him arrogant and dishonest! Even his non verbal behaviour on TV tells us that this person thinks that people can be so naive and gullible!!

carmel vella

Feb 17th, 07:08

Then you should be blindfolded!

Denis Pace

Feb 16th, 21:07

Everyone knows WHO is capable of frame-ups!

Why has this surfaced now......it dates back to 2004!!!!

Francis Saliba M.D.

Feb 17th, 08:59

"Everyone knows WHO is capable of frame-ups!" (Denis Pace)

Those who were not only "capable of frame ups" but actually carried them out on Pietru Pawl Busuttil and myself were indubitably the MLP police in furtherance of despicable criminal machinations by the Malta Labour Party. Do you know what you are scribbling and do you think that we all have lost our memory?

Mario Scicluna

Feb 18th, 08:15

@Francis Saliba M.D.

The time-warped Dottore is at it again! So you haven't lost your memory have you? Ok, so try to grasp the fact that the alleged weapon 'mysteriously' went missing from the Courts's vaults. How come? Interesting fact, no break-in was reported, so key/keys were used. All this under a PN administration. Nice! Remember Terinu Dott? Ettore Bono remember?

Mario Scicluna

Feb 18th, 09:05

@Francis Saliba M.D.

The time-warped Dottore is at it again! So you haven't lost your memory have you? Ok, so try to grasp the fact that the alleged weapon 'mysteriously' went missing from the Courts's vaults. How come? Interesting fact, no break-in was reported, so key/keys were used. All this under a PN administration. Nice! Remember Terinu Dott? Ettore Bono remember?

A Abela

Feb 16th, 20:49

PT1 in case they want to try it out here are the instructions Go to Control Panel, Region and Language, Formats tab, change to Maltese and press apply. No go to our outlook and try to print an email. Your date will be in Maltese format. Any old email that originally used the english date format but is printed in a computer with Maltese date format date will automatically change to Maltese.

A Abela

Feb 16th, 20:51

PT2 Besides I was using Maltese date format way back in 2001. Used to download a file from MITTS. Hallina trid

M Borg

Feb 16th, 22:34

@ A Abela

Can you explain if you change over to the Maltese language will only the date change to Maltese format, or will the whold email be translated into Maltese ?

John B. Borg

Feb 16th, 20:59

Did you ever hear the wise words "Silence is golden" I think that they are very appropriate in this case

M Borg

Feb 16th, 20:10

So will your computer also print a spelling mistake when it translates June into Maltese ?

Because the date on the emial is spelt badly.

G. Calleja

Feb 16th, 20:25

M Borg, the only place where June is spelt 'incorrectly' is the Times of Malta replica as far as I know. The original email as shown by Malta Today has a Ġ instead of a G as required.

anthony bartolo

Feb 16th, 23:23

You seem to be well experienced in meddling with computers.

Denis Pace

Feb 16th, 21:08

We have had a taste of frame-ups in the past. AG has a strong case....Take it to court!

Joseph Aquilina

Feb 16th, 20:37

One thing is for sure; the ICT Minister knows much much much more then you ...

There is a difference between Maltese Font and Maltese Language. The email client changes the date to Maltese format not if you install a Maltese Font but if you change your OS language setting to Maltese. The latter was only introduced after 2006 ...

Try another one!!

A Abela

Feb 16th, 20:57

@Joseph Aquilina
And what if that email was printed say last month. What format will it print?

Now you try another one

Ethelbert Schembri

Feb 16th, 22:48

Many people will do wonders with a computer and he's surprised that one could actually do that stupid thing ?? Is A.G or any of his apologists saying that people are stupid and only they can play with the computer??

Keep these idiocies coming Agostino as your credibility went skydiving!!

Noel Borg

Feb 16th, 19:57

Mr Borg, may I remind you that most, if not all top posts in Government and Government consisted bodies are selected by political people. When good decisions and good performance is achieved by them, the Government gets due credit so I think that it's only fair that the Government (or rather Dr Gatts assumed it's responsibility in the Oil commission scandal, x'tahseb?

twanny borg

Feb 16th, 20:30

@noel borg. Sakemm ma jkunx hemm provi li ag ha xi flus m'ghandux jithammeg b'tajn. Lanqas naqbel li n-nies kollha kienu appuntati ghax nazzjonalisti ghax hemm laburisti li huma dedikati daqs nazzjonalisti u hekk ghandu jkun. Kien hemm zmien fi zmien alfred sant li l-pl beda jghid li l-kapijiet tad-dipartimenti jkunu laburisti biex iwetqu l-politika tal-pl.

Wally Vella-Zarb

Feb 16th, 21:04

Twanny Borg, Alfred Sant halla lil partitarji Nazzjonalisti li kellhom karigi gholjin fejn kienu. (Hemm min jghid li dan kien wiehed mill-aghar zbalji tieghu). Ghall-kuntrarju, kien Ministru Nazzjonalist li kien ftahar li jippreferi jara skrivaniji vojta milli mimlijin mill-Laburisti.

JOHN WHITE

Feb 17th, 08:07

@Wally Vella-Zarb

Imma r-realta mhux hekk habib anzi f`certu entitajiet lahqu hafna aktar laburisti milli nazzjonalisti.Jigifieri tigriex fil-konkluzjonijiet tieghek

anthony bartolo

Feb 16th, 23:32

Not owned but HIGHJACKED.

Willie Grech

Feb 16th, 20:03

Aquilina, if you care to read some of the posts here you should learn much more. But maybe your blue eyes cannot see what you don't want to see. Read and learn before you write to apologise for something or someone who is full of wrong doings!!!

Joseph Aquilina

Feb 16th, 20:32

@Willie Grech
... you failed to answer my question ...

Mr Alistaire Gill

Feb 16th, 20:54

Joey, ara x' ministru fjakk kellna biex ma jafx kif id-dati ta' l-emails jinbidlu awtomatikament jekk taghmel update.
Li hu zgur hu li kemm int u kemm jien li meta nircievu l-kont tal-Arms (mhux tort tal Arms) qed inhallsu parti minnu biex naghmlu tajjeb ghal kickbacks. Jekk int kuntent b'dan, jien m'hinix.

Noel Cuschieri

Feb 17th, 03:16

Aquilina, Mr W. Grech is right; read some of the other posts...

R. Saliba

Feb 16th, 20:28

why all these '?!!!?!?!' on your post? He had to wait because the police told him not to speak. He obviously could not hold it in any longer.

A Abela

Feb 16th, 21:00

Try to print one of your own old emails today but before set your language to maltese and see what happens

R. Saliba

Feb 16th, 20:29

no it doesn't.

A Abela

Feb 16th, 21:09

Try again Sur Saliba. Mine worked on xp and windows 7 Jekk jinteressak f dawn il posts hemm instructions. Ma hmiltx li l ministru Gatt jittrattana ta inbicilli u jigi jghid li ma tistax tipprintja email tat 2004 bid data maltija

Noel Cuschieri

Feb 17th, 03:06

Mr Camilleri,
Can you please elaborate more on your comment?

M Grima

Feb 16th, 22:43

And how did you come to these conclusions Holmes? The only muck I have seen is coming from Id-Dar Centrali.

Noel Cuschieri

Feb 17th, 02:56

Are you sure you are commenting on this news item? Or your comment should have been placed somewhere else, and by mistake it has been put here?!!

Robert Agius

Feb 17th, 06:52

The delirious doctor is up to his shenanigans again...

JOHN WHITE

Feb 17th, 08:02

Well said Mr.Saliba

twanny borg

Feb 16th, 20:12

Min qallek li ma iddikjarahhomx fit-taxxa?

Noel Mifsud

Feb 16th, 20:38

proset twanny igifieri mis sistema li holoqm hu stess tal MITA u ma nafx xiex ma nstanitx id diskrepanza bejn ir returns tat taxxa u id dikjarazzjonijiet li ghamel fil parlament Hu stess qal li insijhom. Mulej nerga nitolbok ghini nifhem dil balbuljata. Pero ma dana kollux proset Aust ghax wara 3 weeks sirna nafu minn int, u wara dankollu ftakart li kellek ktieb l isvizzera.

Noel Cuschieri

Feb 17th, 02:45

"Typical Labour" !!! Can you please explain in more detail? And by the way, can't you see that AG's arrogance is making HIM believe that all Maltese people are stupid?!!!

Robert Agius

Feb 17th, 06:53

the Horror!! The Horror!

twanny borg

Feb 16th, 20:09

@N. aquilina- Dawn huma t-twegibiet tal-pl? L-istess tip ta' kummenti tal-pl taqra kumment taqra kollha. Kollha l-istess haga tajn u xejn sugu. Indikazzjoni li inkixfu. Prosit austin gatt.

Joe Bonanno

Feb 16th, 23:01

T Borg
So all pl comments are just vacuous? Let me point out a few things to you. 1 it is Austin Gatt making all the accusations, mud-slinging and seeing conspiracies everywhere. 2 So far he hasn't produced one shred of evidence to back up his allegations. 3 Don't confuse opinions, conjecture, supposition, speculation and wild accusations by AG with facts.

Noel Cuschieri

Feb 17th, 02:39

@ twanny borg

X'prosit?!! Prosit ta' xiex?!! Ghidilna ta' xiex...!!

Mr Alistaire Gill

Feb 16th, 21:00

Then there are hardly any people of good will!

Robert Agius

Feb 17th, 06:54

Indeed corruption begins morally...

anthony bartolo

Feb 16th, 23:53

Carry On Dreaming...............that is what the PL be doing after the 9th election result.

JOHN WHITE

Feb 17th, 07:47

It means that David could know something that you and me don`t know.
Is it that difficult to understand?? Yawn ....

anthony bartolo

Feb 17th, 00:01

Vitor Laiviera...................... you should contiue, and the PN was responsable for the frame up of Pietru Pawl Busuttil. Hallina!!

Mr Alistaire Gill

Feb 16th, 21:03

He has to explain his accusations in court now.
The three persons he accused called his bluff within the hour.

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