Updated 18:03 PL challenges de Marco, Fenech Adami to publish invoices
17:45 PN derides Muscat's 'lies'
Parliamentary secretary for planning Deborah Schembri today questioned if the construction works carried out by contractor Pierre Sladden on PN deputy leader Mario de Marco’s property were meant to be a gift.
The works began in 2011 but Dr de Marco only paid the €34,000 bill shortly after Adrian Hillman resigned from his post as Allied Group.
Dr de Marco this week denied that the works were a gift and insisted that he had been chasing Mr Sladden’s company Redmap to invoice him for the works.
Addressing a press conference today, Dr Schembri said the Redmap contract tabled by parliamentary secretary Ian Borg yesterday clearly shows how the company usually goes about its business.
Dr Borg only tabled the contract following questions sent to him by the Times of Malta.
Dr Schembri said the contract tabled by Dr Borg gave a very detailed breakdown of the works involved.
She questioned Dr de Marco’s reluctance to table the Redmap contract relating to his property, and also noted that the works were carried out when he was responsible for [the now-defunct] MEPA.
“What assurance can Dr de Marco give that there works were not meant to be a gift,” she asked.
Muscat should tell us about his own property - PN
Dr de Marco was simply the latest target in the PL's "series of lies", the PN said in a reply. Opposition leader Simon Busuttil, party president Ann Fenech and deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami had all been attacked. Now it was Dr de Marco's turn.
Given Dr Muscat's "predilection for property and MPs' personal lives," he should explain how his own property in Burmarrad had been granted a planning permit in record time and publish invoices related to its construction, the party said.
The Prime Minister should also explain who paid for his Easter trip to Dubai, when he and his wife had stayed at one of Dubai's most expensive hotels, the party added.
'So much for transparency' - PL
Dr de Marco and Dr Fenech Adami's unwillingness to publish invoices related to their properties gave the lie to Simon Busuttil's claims of good governance, the PL said in a counter-statement.