The government lost some €30 million over the past year from the running of the bus service, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said on Dissett  this evening.

He said that part of the cost stemmed from the fact that a number of buses were being leased at advantageous rates for their owners.

The introduction of a new bus operator next year would be a huge challenge, he said, and the new routes would be rolled out gradually to avoid a repetition of the past. The Spanish operators, he said, were showing they knew the realities of the local market.

The government subsidy for the bus service next year will be €23 million. (See also http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141127/local/23m-bus-subsidy-is-only-a-start-court-hears.545903 )

NO NEED FOR MINISTER TO RESIGN PENDING INQUIRY 

When questioned about the shooting incident involving the driver of Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia, Dr Muscat said he saw no need for Dr Mallia to step down pending the outcome of an inquiry into his actions and those of his officials in the wake of last week’s shooting incident involving the minister’s driver.

Such ‘comedies’ of ministers resigning and being reinstated happened under the Nationalist government.

In Dr Mallia’s case, he said, the report by the Board of Inquiry was due to be completed within 10 days and the minister could continue in his duties up to that time. If the report showed any wrongdoing, the minister would consider his position. The same applied to his officials.

HELENA DALLI ‘LEGALLY CORRECT’

On the controversy involving Equal Opportunities Minister Helena Dalli, Dr Muscat said the minister was legally correct and he was sure she did nothing wrong , although the government could have handled the matter better had it been realised that the PN would try to extrapolate matters.

On Luciano Busuttil, who is to be summoned by the Commission for the Administration of Justice over alleged conflict of interest, Dr Muscat said Dr Busuttil had explained how he had not stayed on as legal adviser of a company which tendered for a Cospicua Council tender. However the court felt the matter should be investigated further.

It was worth pointing out, Dr Muscat said, that lawyers who were prominent in the PN were also undergoing proceedings before the council.

CODE OF ETHICS

In other points, Dr Muscat said the new code of ethics of ministers had been approved by the Cabinet and would be tabled in Parliament shortly.

SHANGHAI ELECTRIC

Dr Muscat said the final agreement with Shanghai Electric would be signing in the near future, enabling the company to take a 33% stake in Enemalta with an investment of €320 million.

He reiterated that the new timeline for the building of the new power station would be explained by minister Konrad Mizzi during the Budget debate next week.

When asked if the power station would be ready next year, he said he would not jump the gun.

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