Economy Minister Chris Cardona today stood by his decision to dissolve a technical committee entrusted to evaluate the concession of a new casino licence.

Questioned by journalists at the University, Dr Cardona insisted that his behaviour was correct.

“My decision was not to involve myself in the process but to stop it. I had to do so because I felt there was a conflict of interest,” he said.

Dr Cardona said he learnt of this conflict of interest while seeing the commercial relations of people nominated to serve on boards.

Asked who was the board member with the conflict of interest, the minister said people would be named in the coming days. Political comments, he said, would be made once the court process was concluded.

He said his actions had been taken because he believed in the market and its potential.

Dragonara Gaming is challenging the Privatisation Unit decision to name Eden Leisure as the preferred bidder for the licence.