Public Accounts Committee chairman Tonio Fenech should have allowed Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis to make his points during a committee meeting last week when he kept him from requesting a ruling from the Speaker.

However, he could not, as the Speaker, review the way a House Committee chairman handled a meeting, Speaker Anglu Farrugia ruled this evening.

The Speaker also ruled that he could not get involved in what terms of reference the Auditor General, who was protected by the constitution, could draw up.

The ruling was requested by Justice Minister Owen Bonnici following the meeting which Mr Fenech had closed claiming that all items on the agenda had been dealt with and that the minutes of the previous meeting had been agreed to by everyone with no matters arising put forward.

One of the items was the investigation by the National Audit Office of the agreement between the General Workers’ Union and Arms Ltd regarding a concession under an emphytheusis agreement with the Lands Department.

Raising a point of order, Dr Zammit Lewis said the Auditor General could not investigate two points under the terms of reference because matters dealing with civil rights had to be dealt with by the Court.

He said the terms of reference had been sent by the Auditor General after the PAC had agreed to an Opposition request for an investigation.

The Justice Minister, Dr Zammit Lewis said, had written to chairman Tonio Fenech saying he objected on two points.

Mr Fenech said the committee’s work was directed by procedure which had been followed and the minister’s action, Mr Fenech argued, was ultra vires.

The Speaker's ruling in full may be read in the pdf link below.