Former minister for Gozo Giovanna Debono.

An individual who claimed that former Gozo minister Giovanna Debono’s husband used public funds to carry out free construction works for her constituents now enjoys the protection of the Whistleblower Act, the Prime Minister said yesterday.

Fielding questions from the media on whether the allegations made had been substantiated in any way as a result of police investigations, Dr Muscat said: “I am not the police and it is not my job to ask them for updates… What I do know is that there is an official whistleblower who is now formally protected. This means this is no longer about an individual making allegations.”

This is the first official whistleblower in the country who has gone through the legal process, which involves the Police Commissioner and the Attorney General confirming he deserves protection for information in his possession that can help police investigations. The whistleblower said works were paid for by the Gozo ministry under the previous administration and were organised by Anthony Debono, the former minister’s husband.

The works were allegedly carried out in the months leading to the last general election and including some on the day the polls opened in March 2013.

The whistleblower gave the police a detailed list of places he claimed he had worked as directed by Mr Debono, according to government sources.

The law dictates that when raising a concern about danger or illegality that affects others, the individual making the disclosure should usually not be directly or personally affected by that danger or illegality.

The whistleblower does not have to prove that what he is reporting is true, which means the police have to investigate every case listed to see whether there was any wrongdoing.

This means this is no longer about an individual making allegations

A protected whistleblower who makes a disclosure is not liable to any civil or criminal proceedings.

The informant is claiming the Gozo Ministry adopted the practice of issuing invoices for works that were never carried out. Instead, contractors used the funds to carry out works for constituents.

Meanwhile, the PN has made counter-claims about Gozo Minister Anton Refalo. PN deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami on Monday challenged Dr Refalo to face the media about allegations that his ministry had carried out works at a Marsalforn restaurant, in garages near San Lawrenz and in a number of private fields in Għasri.