Gozo Minister Anton Refalo called his canvasser who is a Gozo Channel employee – and not the duty manager as a statement by the company stated last week – when a ferry was ordered to return to Ċirkewwa to pick up him and other passengers.

An investigation carried out by The Sunday Times of Malta over last Sunday’s incident has revealed that the minister phoned Raymond Borg – an off-duty Gozo Channel junior official who is also the minister’s canvasser – asking why passengers, including him, had been left to wait at the quay while the MV Gaudos departed with no passengers aboard.

Mr Borg – known as Ix-Xitan – then contacted the ship’s captain, Paul Muscat, and the duty manager in Mġarr, Teddie Pace, advising them that the ferry should turn back as the minister was waiting in Ċirkewwa.

This information contradicts Gozo Channel’s statement issued after the incident, which said: “The duty manager received a call from a passenger, who identified himself as the Gozo Minister, complaining the ferry left passengers stranded.”

The company suspended Mr Pace on Tuesday, saying it was company policy to ensure no passengers were left waiting, and it is taking disciplinary proceedings against him. However, Gozo Channel failed to provide a written version of this policy when asked to do so by this newspaper.

Sources also said it was normal practice in situations like last Sunday’s – when the company was operating a shuttle service to cope with high demand at Mġarr – for the third vessel to cease operations as soon as the two other ferries were able to cope. This is done for logistical purposes as well as to cut down on overtime costs.

When contacted by The Sunday Times of Malta, Mr Pace declined to comment stating that he had already submitted two reports to the Gozo Channel chairman and another to his union.

Asked specifically whether Dr Refalo called him last Sunday, as stated by Gozo Channel, Mr Pace would only say that “the company and his colleagues know the whole truth about what actually happened”.

‘Minister calls me when he’s in need’

On the other hand, Mr Borg admitted to this newspaper that Dr Refalo called him to complain and was extremely angry about the incident.

“I had already finished work when the minister called to ask why they were left stranded,” he said.

However, Mr Borg pointed out that the minister did not instruct him to call the vessel back, and Dr Refalo himself has denied this.

Asked why the minister phoned him and had not contacted someone more senior in the company, Mr Borg said: “Dr Refalo always calls me when he needs something.”

Mr Borg also admitted that he called the vessel’s captain, Paul Muscat, and the duty manager in Mġarr telling them that the minister had just called him to complain as he was left stranded in Ċirkewwa.

Following its statement last Monday, Gozo Channel has so far refused to reply to further questions from this newspaper.

The Sunday Times of Malta asked the company to state why Mr Pace has been suspended, who ordered the suspension and what charges are being brought against him.

The company was also asked whether its statement on the alleged contact between Dr Refalo and Mr Pace was correct and whether it was true that the minister had in fact called Mr Borg instead.

This newspaper addressed the same question to Dr Refalo, whose spokesman stopped short of giving a categorical reply.

He said: “The minister called to complain to whoever was in charge. Gozo Channel, in its statement, said it was the duty manager who received the call from a passenger.

“The minister is informed that the duty manager made a report on the same evening, confirming the whole sequence of events and stating that he received the call.”