Latest update at 10.24pm- Education Minister Evarist Bartolo today insisted that he tried to solve an issue left by the previous administration over pending bills at the FTS and accused journalists of launching a “dishonest” attack against him.

The Sunday Times of Malta yesterday revealed that in 2015, Minister Bartolo personally intervened to order the FTS to pay a contractor – Avantgarde Projects Ltd - more than €400,000 for works which were being contested by the government agency.

Replying to questions this morning, Minster Bartolo said that he is being accused unjustly over this issue, as in this case he was “the solution and not the problem”.

Calling Opposition leader Simon Busuttil a “Pharisee” and saying journalists had “a dishonest agenda”, Mr Bartolo said in this case he had to intervene in order to solve a problem left by the FTS board under the Nationalist administration.

“It is not fair that after the previous FTS board had told this company to do the work and promised to pay, the issue is now being reversed on me. I was the solution and not the problem”.

Asked to state whether it was true that soon after the elections, he, together with his person of trust Edward Caruana, had personally met the director of Avantguard, Mr Joe Vella, to settle the issue out of court, Minister Bartolo did not reply.

FTS sources told The Sunday Times of Malta that the FTS had told the minister that the issue should be resolved in court or through an arbiter.

Instead, the minister intervened and ordered the FTS to close the issue and pay the contractor for his unauthorised work.

This order was issued through a memorandum penned by Permanent Secretary Joe Caruana, the brother of Minister Bartolo’s canvasser, Edward Caruana.

The latter is currently under police investigation over claims of corruption and fraud at the FTS.

PN tells Bartolo: Practice what you preach

In a reaction, the Nationalist Party said the manner how Mr Bartolo used the word ‘solution’ to justify the use of taxpayers’ money for a €400,000 payment for illegal works confirmed the corrupt mentality of the government.

It said that Mr Bartolo was evidently uncomfortable and under pressure, and he had therefore opted for the only course open for him, which was to attack journalists who were doing their duty by revealing corruption.

The PN said the minister needed to practice what his preached, having for months preached about political responsibility before he himself was caught in a web or corruption in his own ministry.

Ministry says Opposition must shoulder political responsibility

The Ministry of Education in a counter-statement blamed fiscal irresponsibility by the former government for the current controversy.

The ministry explained that in 2013 it found the Foundation for Tomorrow's Schools had a debt of €80 million and millions in unpaid bills.

The Auditor-General had been among those who remarked about shortcomings in the financial management of the foundation.

In 2011 the foundation had awarded Avantgarde Projects Ltd a works contract at tal-Ħandaq school. In April 2012, the foundation requested further works - the works now being described as illegal by the opposition.

The contractor was promised payment upon presentation of the bills, but no payment was made.

The contractor insisted that the additional work cost €468,920 while the foundation was prepared to pay €368,030. The minister recommended payment of half that amount after the contractor submitted documents. The foundation's board agreed and approved the payment.

The contractor declared that the documentation he presented was accurate and correct, and there was no conflicting information from the foundation that the work which was billed had not been done.

The ministry said that had procurement regulations and project management been properly observed in this and other cases, there would have been no delays, but it was clear that payment was delayed in order to be lumped on the new administration.

This, the ministry said, reflected maladministration and fiscal irresponsibility, by the former government. Political responsibility had to be shouldered by those who sat on the Opposition benches.