Opposition leader Simon Busuttil will wait for the result of the police investigation into allegations against former Gozo minister Giovanna Debono before considering what action to take, if any, against the MP.
Dr Busuttil was giving his first reaction to allegations that Ms Debono’s husband, Anthony Debono, had used public funds to carry out works for her constituents in Gozo.
At the time Mr Debono was employed at his wife’s ministry as the officer in charge of the maintenance and construction department. He would allegedly provide cement, concrete and other construction materials at no cost.
The allegations were carried in Malta Today, citing what it described as a whistleblower. The police have opened an investigation and have seized official documents from the Gozo Ministry.
He would not shy away from taking all necessary decisions
On Sunday, Dr Muscat called on Dr Busuttil to shoulder responsibility and take action against the former Cabinet member, saying that these alleged abuses had occurred under the PN’s watch.
Ms Debono broke her silence yesterday afternoon in a short statement in which she vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
She also expressed her readiness to repeat her statement under oath and collaborate with the investigation.
The long-serving politician said that rather than point a finger at her, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat should come clean over his alleged involvement in the €4.2 million Café Premier deal, through which the government bought back the lease of this property in Valletta.
Asked for his reaction during a news conference marking the launch of the PN local council campaign, Dr Busuttil yesterday afternoon said that he would not shy away from taking all necessary decisions. While noting that Ms Debono had already denied the allegations, he said he did not want to act on the spur of the moment but wait for the outcome of the investigation.
He added that his position was in line with the course of action taken last year when Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi had made allegations against former minister George Pullicino. He also noted that Mr Debono had been working at the Gozo Ministry before his wife became minister and he was not part of her secretariat, unlike the wife of incumbent Gozo Minister Anton Refalo.
Asked whether he would consider suspending Ms Debono from the party until the probe was completed, he noted that contrary to the two former PN ministers (Michael Falzon and Ninu Zammit), who had admitted having secret Swiss accounts, she had denied any wrongdoing.
He also questioned whether the allegations could have been made by contractors who had not been paid for works carried out in Gozo during the last months of the PN administration. However, he would not substantiate this suggestion when pressed to do so by this newspaper.
The police are looking into invoices for a series of works allegedly carried out for free, including at an illegal garage in a quarry, in private residences and for a Nationalist Gozitan mayor.
This practice had allegedly been going on for a number of years till the very end of the last legislature, which saw the PN lose heavily at the polls.
The works used to be included as part of several projects which were never carried out. Instead, contractors would use these funds to carry out works for the minister’s constituents, under the supervision of Mr Debono himself, the whistleblower claimed.
Asked whether he was ever made aware of such practices during his nine-year stint as Nadur mayor, PN secretary general Chris Said, who was also at the launch, replied that he never came across such incidents. He questioned whether these allegations were intended to deflect attention from the Café Premier scandal.
In a statement issued prior to Dr Busuttil’s reaction, the Labour Party yesterday accused the PN leader of remaining silent in the face of serious allegations.
This point was also raised by Alternattiva Demokratika which noted that it was inconceivable for a minister’s husband to be employed within the same entity. The AD described Ms Debono’s denial as lacking credibility.