Labour Leader Joseph Muscat redoubled attacks on the Finance Minister yesterday, calling for Tonio Fenech to assume ministerial responsibility for his “serious lack of judgment” in his handling of corruption claims concerning the Malta Super Yacht yard.
How much evidence could have been destroyed...in the time before the police were told to investigate?
Last week, charges of bribery were issued against the former CEO of Malta Investment Management Company Ltd, Mario Mizzi, and he is expected to be arraigned in January.
The allegations first came to the government’s attention in September 2009, when marine engineer and tender bidder Paul Cremona approached the Office of the Prime Minister and alleged that during the bidding process, Mr Mizzi had told him “if you take care of me, I am in a position to help you”.
The OPM referred the allegations to the Finance Ministry but rather than inform the police, Mr Fenech simply informed members of the Privatisation Unit, including Mr Mizzi, of the allegations, Dr Muscat said.
In his speech, Dr Muscat said the matter was only referred to the police after he had tabled a parliamentary question about the allegation, six months after it first surfaced. Dr Muscat said that in making the Privatisation Unit aware of the allegations and choosing not to involve the police, the Finance Ministry had bumbled and acted “like Inspector Clouseau”.
“How much evidence could have been destroyed in the time between the Minister informing the alleged perpetrators of the allegations, and the police being told to investigate?” Dr Muscat asked.
In its response, the Finance Ministry said Dr Muscat was himself guilty of inaction on the issue. “In May 2010 Dr Muscat had boasted, in Parliament, that he knew of the allegations. Instead of informing the police, he did nothing,” a ministry spokesman said.
During his speech, Dr Muscat also accused the government of “deafening arrogance” in its handling of the Arriva public transportation issue.
The charge comes after Transport Minister Austin Gatt announced on Friday a major overhaul of bus routes, with each locality getting a direct link to Valletta and Mater Dei Hospital. The overhaul was coupled with an admission of failure by Dr Gatt, who said the new system had proven “too avant-garde” and innovative.
Now that the government had decided to revert to the old bus route system, it should ask the foreign consultants it had paid €400,000 to devise the scrapped system for its money back, Dr Muscat said.
A transport ministry spokesman said Dr Muscat had to make up his mind: he said the government did not listen to the public but he was now criticising the government for having taken public concerns on board and adapting bus routes accordingly.
But the Labour leader turned his guns to another ministry, complaining of the apparent indifference with which the Justice Ministry had greeted an inquiry into the Cyrus Engerer case this week.
In his report, retired judge Albert Manchè said he could not rule out a link between Cyrus Engerer’s resignation from the Nationalist Party and the police filing charges against him only 10 days later, after having dragged their feet on the case for months.
What Mr Justice Manchè was saying, Dr Muscat said, was that political allegiances could influence the administration of justice.
The government’s own actions were undermining itself. Referring to claims that members of the judiciary were looking to double their salaries, Dr Muscat asked: “How can Lawrence Gonzi confront the judiciary on their demand, when he gave himself a €500-a-week raise?”