I can confirm my decision to resign as Deputy Chairperson at Malta Enterprise following the publication of the Sofia Public Inquiry report.

While I have reservations over the conclusions of the inquiry report insofar as they concern the Malta Enterprise Investment Committee which I chaired, I decided to resign because I believe that trust in our public institutions should be beyond doubt.

The decision was also a heartfelt gesture of my deep respect and sympathy for the family of Jean Paul Sofia.

As a father myself, I can only imagine the sorrow and pain of this experience and I hope the family can finally begin to find some peace and closure.

There are some points I feel it is important to put out for the public record.

It is unfortunate that neither I nor any other member of the Malta Enterprise Investment Committee, was called to testify before this inquiry board.

Such testimony could have corrected some misconceptions and incorrect assumptions made by the inquiry in its conclusions.

I feel it is important to state that the investment committee is a non-executive body whose remit is not to assess such proposals, but to debate and decide upon them, based on documentation and recommendations submitted by Malta Enterprise management.

As such, this committee cannot, and should not, be held responsible for any incomplete or untruthful information that may have been submitted to it.

The investment committee had followed this procedure since way before my involvement.

During my tenure as deputy chairperson of Malta Enterprise, I was an active voice for reform and along with other colleagues repeatedly made calls for improved due diligence and process. I am hopeful that the necessary changes and improvements will continue to be driven forward in the interest of good governance and better public administration

Do you think more needs to be done in light of the report’s publication?