‘We found absolutely nothing’
When Environment Minister Leo Brincat entered his designated office in Sta Venera for the first time last Wednesday, the only thing he found was a damaged IT network and disconnected CCTV system.
There were no papers, no laptops, computers or even rudimentary stationary – everything was gone.
“In the past PCs had their hard drives cleaned up,” Mr Brincat said, “but this time the PCs themselves have vanished.”
That left the minister with little option but to postpone his first meetings, he said, as Government technicians struggled to get the IT network back up and running.
Other ministers found similar situations when they first entered their private secretariats. Files and paperwork were gone – as is the norm – but ministers also found dirt, dust and damaged IT infrastructure.
Family Minister Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said her Valletta ministry was still not fully functional.
“We found absolutely nothing. No computers, no telephones, no files, no stationery. A TV that sat in the ministerial office was gone. My office is fine now, but I still cannot call up people next door because they don’t have any phones.”
Those claims were vehemently denied by former office incumbent, PN MP Chris Said.
“Saying there were no phones or internet is a barefaced lie,” he said, “and computers are missing because they’re leased from a private company – they’re either returned to the company or bought by the individual when they leave office.”
Ministerial permanent secretary Frans Borg told The Times that while PCs had been returned to the leasing company or bought by outgoing workers, he had no knowledge of missing phones.
Around the corner at Castille, Joseph Muscat found a Prime Ministerial office as Spartan as can be.
“There wasn’t even a pencil left,” said one high-ranking Government source.
“Absolutely everything was gone – save for a copy of the previous week’s The Economist, with a front page heading saying ‘Enter the clowns’”.
While the wit may have prompted a wry smile, the disappearance of Government property and hindrance to ministers’ first days in office did not.
At the Foreign Affairs Ministry, incoming minister George Vella said he found austere rooms and a filthy toilet.
“The toilet was absolutely disgusting. And there wasn’t even a vase. How is that possible? I had meetings with ambassadors already lined up, so I ended up having to send someone to my house to fetch some flowers to spruce the place up,” Dr Vella said.
But his PN predecessor, Francis Zammit Dimech, said he was surprised by the claims.
“I can only vouch for my own office, which I left in impeccable condition,” he said, “but the claims strike me as absolute nonsense.”
One Nationalist Party source said that it was standard practice to find empty filing cabinets. “Ministers and their private staff take any private files with them when they go. Anything relevant to the ministry’s work is passed on to the permanent secretary.”
But they also expressed surprise when told about the missing computers and damaged IT infrastructure.
“People of course take their personal belongings with them when they leave. But anything else is theft or vandalism.”
Another PN source said they were dismayed by the claims of vandalism but felt incoming ministers were making a meal out of the shortcomings.
“It’s not a million miles from what we found when we returned to government in 1998,” they said.
A Government spokesman said they were waiting for representatives of state IT agency MITA to provide them with an inventory of the PCs and laptops in its possession.
“We’re giving people the benefit of the doubt and assuming they were taken there for some reason,” they said, perhaps unaware of the PC leasing arrangement mentioned by Dr Said.
Parliamentary secretary Roderick Galdes, working out of Santa Venera’s Casa Leone like Mr Brincat, took to Facebook to voice his dismay at the office problems “left by those who preceded us.”
That would be the staff of former parliamentary secretary Clyde Puli. Mr Puli was not answering calls or text messages yesterday.
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...
Update 3 - Woman trapped as car crashes...
Revealed...the face of a Maltese woman...
In Discussion
Old buses, drivers to return
Updated: Minister apologises for...
PL reacts as PN labels Franco Debono's...
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...
25 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Charles Massa
Mar 19th, 17:20
Tistenna. Ghadhom bil fixkla ta telfa. Dawn meta jkunu fl oppozizzjoni bsaten fir roti jaghmlu. Tistennewx ahjar
Frans Aguis
Mar 19th, 13:23
After seeing the pictures, I find the statements by the PN to complete lies, unless another team, unknown to the ministers,was sent to do the cleaning after they had left.
Karl Consiglio
Mar 19th, 12:38
Labour still playing tricks, not happy to be in Government jew? This is so that they can have excuses.
Robert Agius
Mar 19th, 17:25
You've got a hunch? inside knowledge? are totally biased?
Joseph Fenech
Mar 19th, 12:03
Fejn kienu l - esperti ta' l - insinwazzjonijiet Super One TV ? Kemm kienu jixxalaw kieku veru sabu ufficju ta' ex- Ministru mnezza min kollox!!!! Mhux ahjar il- Ministri l - godda imghedu ghonqhom ghax- xoghol halli jsalvaw lil dan il - pajjiz imfarrak li sabu !!!!!
Mario Mamo
Mar 19th, 10:29
The ideal thing would have been that the outgoing ministers and parliamentary secretaries handed over their offices to the incoming ones. That would have shown their respect for the electorate's decision to remove them. It is not surprising that it was not done. Just a childish reaction to having lost a lucrative position:)
Victor Pulis
Mar 19th, 09:52
The picture shows a lot of wire but the most significant feature are the items on the box they are used to INSTALL not to dismantle!
Victor Pulis
Mar 19th, 09:50
Is it such a big deal to find out the company which leased out the PCs? a call (on the mobile!) will quickly answer the question of whether the PCs were returned or not. is there a will to get to the bottom of this or is it going to haunt us for ever and used as political proaganda?
Maryanne Abela Medici
Mar 19th, 09:16
they’re either returned to the company "
What about data protection??? citizen's data is recorded in several departments. What about follow up of policies, permits, requests etc.? Do people have to initiate these from the start? Where is the Data protection act being implemented?
or bought by the individual when they leave office.” These Individuals walked away with this data???
Joe Tabone
Mar 19th, 10:01
Maryanne,
There is another report in Times On-Line that says these offices were occupied by a Government agency and ordered to move (by the PL Government) a few days ago.
Another cheap gimmick!
G. Caruana
Mar 19th, 10:18
As if they care about putting you or your data at risk. They pretend to care, but these actions prompt you to think otherwise.
Joe Galea
Mar 19th, 08:09
Intkhom tinkwetaw ghal JM u l-kollegi tieghu u tipruvaw twasslu l-protesti taghkhom lil Gonzi, u fl-istess hin JM ser jaghmel safra ma Gonzi bhala soledarjita ,u dan kollu li qieghdin issemmu intkhom lanqas biss jaghddilhom min rashom.
Prosit ,komplu sejrin hekk.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130318/local/PM-invites-Gonzi-to-Vatican-ceremony.461959
Lucienne Dimech
Mar 19th, 07:43
How utterly stupid and irresponsible. This will only slow down further the government's work as if we have not wasted enough time already.
Raymond Sacco
Mar 19th, 07:12
< “computers are missing because they’re leased from a private company – they’re either returned to the company or bought by the individual when they leave office.” >
But why are computers returned because the party in government changes? Isn't the contract between a company and the government of Malta or is it beteweeen a company and the PN or PL?
Victor Vella
Mar 19th, 06:23
This is the legacy left by GonziPN regime of hatred and public destruction. An image of shame. Hope the police will investigate and take the perpetrators to court as this is a public offence and a criminal one by those who pretend to be heralds of peace and love.
Louis Fenech
Mar 18th, 22:43
There should be a police investigation,calling all those who were working in the respective ministries. All office materials should be returned and make the respective ministries responsible for the ransack made in their office by their respective staff.
X Borg
Mar 18th, 21:49
So we now know what needs to be done next time. All offices need to have an inventory done before leaving, rooms locked and security in place until someone signs off to move in.
In the meantime, as a taxpayer, I demand a full investigation and try to trace the equipment. If ANYONE (minister to clerk) is found to have the loot them immediate dismissal is the only solution.
Ms Xixi Caruana
Mar 18th, 21:20
Dawn kellhom mohhom mistrieha li ha jsibu s-sodda mifruxa. U hekk sabuha. Issa hemm bzonn ta tant tgergir ghal naqra xoghol ta ftit sieghat? Qas ghandhom wicchom tost.
Joe B Edwards
Mar 18th, 20:57
If these allegations are true, the police should investigate. Vandalism and theft of public property should not be ignored.
Francis Formosa
Mar 18th, 20:38
All through the election campaign the labour movment preached and practised co-operation and no had feelings , who ever wins or loses. Yet here we are ministries dismentiled, damaged and disrupted by the former occupants. It is only proper that the items relevant to the ministries be returned and instead of those concerned disclaiming responsibility, they should do their best to honour their ranks.
Ronnie Callus
Mar 18th, 20:35
All this vandalisim should be shouldered by someone who should have been responsible for the offices equipment and other related files/documents. There should have been inventories with each item serial number and no excuses whats so ever should be made. We all pay taxes for all this equipment apart from the salaries of these people concerned. One hopes that a serious investigation is carried out.
David Borg
Mar 18th, 20:31
Sounds like the 2013 version of the 1996 hofra. In any event government continuity is meant to be assured by the permanent secretaries; which evidently in PL's haste to claim "taghna llkoll" they cleared should not have "asked to resign". Time will tell.
Martin Saliba
Mar 18th, 20:16
“It’s not a million miles from what we found when we returned to government in 1998,” they said..
Is this an admition of guilt ? Two wrongs dont make one right . The police should investigate .
D Zarb
Mar 18th, 23:33
It just goes to say that PL has evolved into a new movement but the PN still have colonial mentality and will do everything to keep the country backward so a few can flourish.
John Zarb
Mar 18th, 20:10
Min jaf forsi nharqu fl-inceneratur?
Please choose the reason of your report below: