Adds reaction by David Gonzi - Evarist Bartolo, the opposition's spokesman on education, this morning called on the government to hold an inquiry into alleged money laundering activities by the Maugeri Foundation of Italy, which used companies and banks in various including Malta to siphon away money.
Speaking at a press conference, he said the inquiry should investigate claims of money laundering, misuse of public funds and tax evasion in Malta. Maugeri is already under investigation in Italy.
Mr Bartolo said that some years ago, the foundation through Bank of Valletta, channelled €15 million to SIB Laboratories in Malta.
Some €9m had been reported as having been used in research and development but €6m were unaccounted for.
It was worrying, Mr Bartolo said, how SIB Laboratries Ltd - which employs just two Maltese - used institutions such as Bank of Valletta and had association agreements with the University of Malta and the Malta Council for Science and Technology. The prime minister's son, David, was also company secretary for some time from July last year, before resigning.
In Italy and elsewhere, Mr Bartolo said, companies such as Maugeri and SIB used individuals and associations to give them a veneer of credibility.
He noted that both the MCST and the University have now discontinued their association with SIB, although the University was still appearing on the SIB website.
Asked about Dr Gonzi, Mr Bartolo said his position should be explained. (Dr Gonzi has already said he was not involved in such transactions and had no knowledge of them)
The University last week said it had signed collaboration agreements with SIB Laboratories Ltd and the Fondazione Salvatore Maugeri to support collaborative research in the area of biomedical engineering after verifications about their standing.
Through the agreements, the parties established two awards: the Premio Salvatore Maugeri, an annual prize of €500 awarded to the best final year student project in biomedical engineering; and the Salvatore Maugeri Student Research Award, a €9,500 annual fund to provide support to final year student projects.
“The University of Malta entered into these agreements in good faith and after conducting its own enquiries concerning the other parties involved, which did not reveal anything irregular. The University only learned of potential problems through the press and has since suspended its agreements with the two entities pending further investigations by the competent authorities,” it said.
DAVID GONZI'S REACTION
In a reaction, Dr David Gonzi said he had worked as company secretary of SIB Ltd and not SIB Laboratories Limited. He was never involved in the operations of SIB Laboratories Ltd. The implications which Mr Bartolo tried to make were therefore totally false.
He said he had been engaged by a law firm to provide services to a number of companies as provided by the law firm and he never had a direct relationship with SIB. He had started those services in July last year, replacing another lawyer who also provided his services to the law firm. Dr Gonzi said he terminated his services this month.
Dr Gonzi said his services were limited to the duties of a company secretary and he was not involved in the management or administration of the company. He was not aware of any illicit activities.