Opposition Whip Joe Mizzi yesterday in Parliament requested a ruling from the Speaker on what he alleged were lies or the withholding of information by Finance Minister Tonio Fenech in his responsibility for Enemalta Corporation.

Immediately before question time, Mr Mizzi said that on January 1 this year he had asked Minister Fenech a parliamentary question on the annual electricity usage in Gozo for each year between 2000 and 2011. He had requested a breakdown of industrial, commercial, domestic and public places usage.

Having received no reply, he had asked the same question on February 21. The minister had replied to the January PQ, referring him to the subsequent February PQ and saying the corporation’s audited accounts had not been finalised and therefore no information was yet available.

Mr Mizzi said this meant that the information was not unavailable.

On another occasion Mr Fenech had said Enemalta had no systems to enable Mr Mizzi’s questions to be answered.

Mr Mizzi said this was untrue because he had in hand a document containing Enemalta statistics that included all he had asked for. This was a clear case of information of national interest being withheld.

This was not the first time that Minister Fenech had resorted to lies and beating about the bush with his replies, he added.

Mr Fenech was also on record saying that Enemalta replied to any complaint or criticism, including those in the media, within two weeks. So why had the corporation not replied to him?, Mr Mizzi asked.

On yet another occasion Mr Fenech had denied Mr Mizzi’s well-founded allegations that Mepa had ordered the shutting down of the Marsa power station’s precipitators because the contractor had been dumping toxic waste illegally in a local quarry. Mr Fenech had said that the precipitators had been shut down because technicians could not repair them without specific parts.

Mr Mizzi said that both as an individual and as an MP doing his constitutional duty he felt misguided and humiliated. He again asked the Speaker for a ruling on the basis of standing orders and the code of ethics, adding that he needed a guarantee of being able to do his job.

Opposition deputy leader Anġlu Farrugia said the minister had lied three times and it was all on record. This was a serious shortcoming in any democracy.

Leader of the House Tonio Borg said Mr Fenech was away attending an Ecofin meeting and on his return would be able to reply and justify his answers. He also had a right not to reply.

Mr Mizzi said that, having given all needed proof, he felt ridiculed by what Dr Borg had just said. The ministerial right not to reply did not say much for the government’s transparency.

Speaker Michael Frendo said he would deliver the requested ruling at a later date.