Malta’s authorities, including the Office of the Prime Minister, are refusing to answer or even acknowledge questions sent over a private security firm being potentially employed through taxpayer money to oversee the government’s recent makeshift floating migrant detention centre.

Sources have told Lovin Malta that Kerber Security Ltd., owned by Ronald Axisa, was being paid through direct order to provide security guards for the vessel in lieu of a Maltese state presence.  The security guards were placed on harbour cruise vessels that housed up to 425 migrants outside Maltese territorial waters, some of whom were there for roughly 40 days.

The true cost of the mission is still unclear. So far, the government has provided lump sum figures of a daily fee of €3,000 and €6,500 to Captain Morgan and Supreme Cruises to use their vessels. However, it has refused to breakdown all the costs or give greater detail of other expenses beyond renting out harbour cruise ships.

Lovin Malta had first reached out to the Office of the Prime Minister on 4th May to enquire about the security presence on the harbour cruise vessels. However, this was also ignored. The newsroom then sent specific questions to the office of Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri, which were:

Were Kerber Security employed to handle security onboard the harbour cruise vessels housing migrants outside of Maltese waters?

If so, how much were they paid?

Was the contract issued by tender or direct order?

If Kerber did not handle any security, who did?

What were they paid?

Was the contract issued by tender or direct order?

Camilleri’s office has refused to respond or even send an acknowledgement of questions received.

With the government playing hardball on the actual costs, it remains to be seen just how much higher the true expense of the mission was, with an estimated €350,000 already spent on the harbour cruise ships themselves.

Migration emerged as a significant issue during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beyond the harbour cruise flotilla, Malta’s Armed Forces could potentially face charges in Italy for refusing to rescue 101 asylum seekers in Maltese waters and reportedly turning them away at gunpoint with enough fuel and the coordinates to reach Italy.

Abela has recently struck an agreement between Malta and Libya to tackle the migration crisis in the Mediterranean.  The deal will see the creation of two new co-ordination centres in both countries.

What do you think of the government’s silence? Comment below