A private company owned by the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, Keith Schembri, has made use of billboards erected by the Labour Party exclusively for the recent electoral campaign.
Regulations issued by the government last year allowed political parties to put up special billboards on main arterial roads without applying for a Planning Authority permit.
The rules specify that such billboards could only be used by political parties three months before a general election, European and local elections or in the case of a referendum.
The rules also specify that the same billboards are to be dismantled a week after the publication of the official results and makes it clear that only political adverts can be displayed on these billboards.
However, it seemed Kasco Ltd made use of at least one such billboard both before and after the electoral campaign to advertise its products. This billboard stood at the entrance to Lija.
The political billboard in Lija displayed a pasta advert in April but was used by the Labour Party as soon as Prime Minister Joseph Muscat kicked off the European Parliament elections campaign.
The Times of Malta was also told that the Labour Party billboards were not removed after the elections and commercial adverts could be seen on them.
So far, the Planning Authority is not known to have taken any action to have such political billboards removed.
Nationalist Party billboards have not yet been removed either and still display the same political messages used during last month’s electoral campaign.
Apart from being the Prime Minister’s right-hand man, Mr Schembri is also considered to be a key coordinator in Labour’s electoral campaigns.
Mr Schembri retained his shareholding of Kasco Ltd, which owns various businesses, ranging from the importation of paper, food and ironmongery products, apart from offering commercial services.
The company also owns coffee shops and an interior design studio, among other businesses.
The Panama Papers had revealed that, after taking public office, Mr Schembri had opened a secret company in Panama and a trust in New Zealand.
Despite calls for his resignation from various quarters, Dr Muscat kept Mr Schembri in office and he had full confidence in his top aide.
ivan.camilleri@timesofmalta.com
The same billboard in Lija was used by both the Labour Party and Kasco Ltd, owned by Keith Schembri.