The ‘mysterious’ client who contracted Labour MP and Planning Authority board member Joseph Sammut for consultancy services in the fish farm sector is Mark Gaffarena, documents show.
Mr Gaffarena, the man at the centre of the Old Mint Street, Valletta, property scandal, set up a company – Deep Blue Fisheries – in July 2013, soon after the Labour Party was elected. Its declared aim was to manage or operate a fish farm and related activities.
Dr Sammut recused himself in the Planning Authority board’s hearing on the revocation of fish farm permits held on September 6, saying he had represented interests in the sector since 2014. He refused to reveal the name of his client when contacted by the Times of Malta.
Deep Blue Fisheries does not own a fish farm, according to several industry sources, who also said he had made an attempt at entering the sector but failed.
It is not a member of the Malta Aquaculture Producers’ Association, which represents the major interests in the sector.
Dr Sammut recused himself in the PA board’s hearing on the revocation of fish farm permits
When Times of Malta asked Dr Sammut why he had left the PA board hearing, he said his “firm was engaged by foreign and Maltese investors to spearhead the innovative approach in the field of acqua/mari-culture that will address all the salient issues which are presently crippling this industry”.
The company has not filed any audited accounts since its inception. There are no records at the Malta Financial Services Authority related to the company, except for the documents submitted when the company was set up.
After the PA board hearing on the revocation of permits, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had accused the Opposition of having ties with fish farm operators.
Dr Sammut has acted as Mr Gaffarena’s lawyer for a number of years. When this newspaper revealed the Gaffarena scandal, Dr Sammut had objected to reports of his link to Mr Gaffarena. In Parliament, he had called on the Speaker to ensure journalists “are not allowed to write such articles”.
In a letter sent to the Times of Malta in July, Dr Sammut referred to the fact that the report had pointed out that Mr Gaffarena was his client. “Primarily, the reportage is false and unprofessional and unbecoming of the Times of Malta and her reputation seemingly employing unprofessional reporters as I had the occasion to point out in the past”.
The Gaffarena scandal revolved around the payment of €3.4 million in land and cash by the government for the expropriation of half a building valued at some €900,000.
An investigation by the National Audit Office into the deal had concluded the expropriation was instigated by Mr Gaffarena, yet readily facilitated by former parliamentary secretary Michael Falzon and officials at the Land Department.
The Auditor General deemed “such collusive action as highly inappropriate, in clear breach of the fundamental principles of good governance, transparency and fairness”.
Questions sent to Dr Sammut remained unanswered.
caroline.muscat@timesofmalta.com