Prime Minister To Keep Former Judge As Head Of San Vincenz After Contract Scandal
Prime Minister Robert Abela will retain former Judge Philip Sciberras as chairman of the management committee at St Vincent De Paul despite the findings of an investigation by the National Audit Office.
The NAO found that a contract worth €274 million was given to James Caterers and a subsidiary of DB Group without a competitive process and without the Finance Minister’s approval or that of Cabinet.
“The NAO itself did not recommend the taking of any action against the board,” a spokesman for the Prime Minister told Lovin Malta when asked whether Sciberras would keep his position.
The NAO report had pointed out that Sciberras was the first to suggest giving the food contractor a contract for 10 years in return for refurbishing the kitchen, in a meeting held on August 21st 2014.
The kitchen refurbishment eventually turned into the building of four new blocks and a servicing contract of 10 years, renewable by another five.
“Queried in this respect, the Chair of the Board referred to several meetings wherein the required refurbishment of the SVP kitchen was highlighted. Regarding the meeting of 21 August 2014, the Chair of the Board reiterated that captured in the minutes and provided no further insight in relation to discussions with the contractor and the ten year contract to be offered,” the NAO said, nothing that “later developments mirrored that foreseen at the meeting”.
Asked if Abela agreed with Sciberras’s assessment of PN’s MEPs when he targeted them with a “mizbla” (rubbish dump) comment, Abela’s spokesman said: “The Prime Minister uses moderate language when expressing himself.”
“The reality is that government has embarked on broad reforms which strengthen good governance and people can judge for themselves the destructive attitude of Nationalist Party MEPs, and their lack of consistency when speaking about Malta and other EU countries.”
Sciberras is also the chairperson of the Embryo Protection Authority, the spokesman said when asked to give a full list of the former judge’s engagements with government.
Abela has pledged to not repeat the mistakes outlined by the NAO. Yesterday it was revealed that a fresh contract has been awarded to James Caterers using the same “negotiated procedure” criticised by the NAO.
Who do you think will take responsibility for the ‘illegal’ deal?
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