Reference is made to the report ‘Gudja field: no shred of evidence of corruption’ (December 24).

The Minister for Justice, Cultureand Local Government makes itclear that his office received two reports from the Permanent Commission Against Corruption simul-taneously on Tuesday morning, December 22.

One report concerned Ian Borg, the second Jason Azzopardi.

Tuesday morning was also the first time that Minister Owen Bonnici got to know that there was an investigation concerning Azzopardi by the Permanent Commission Against Corruption and that this investigation had been going on for a full five years.

The Minister believes that reportsof investigations by the Permanent Commission Against Corruption on holders of public office are matters of urgent importance.

For this reason he called separately Borg and Azzopardi to his office to hand them a copy of the reports on the very same day he received them.

He also informed them that he was going to present a copy of the reports to the House once it reconvenes.

The Minister would like to thank the present members of the Permanent Commission Against Corruption for conducting their investigations in an expedite and professional manner.

The fact that the present Permanent Commission Against Corruption has not only expeditiously concluded investigations which arose during its tenure but also investigations which had been left lingering for five years speaks volumes about the impeccable commitment of the present members.