Charles Azzopardi, the tuna magnate who owns and operates many of the tuna pens in Maltese waters and beyond, and who has been investigated upon orders from the European Commission for fishing and ship-registration irregularities, had invited environment minister George Pullicino and former MEPA chairman Andrew Calleja for a yachting trip to Sicily on a chartered yacht.
The ill-fated voyage was organised just over a year ago, at the end of April 2007. It could easily have turned into a veritable disaster, had the trio not decided to disembark from the yacht at Pozzallo, and meet up with the skipper in Syracuse.
But the Maltese chartered yacht never reached its destination. Instead it ‘strangely’ motored straight into a reef, causing very serious hull damage and cutting the trio’s sailing holiday short.
Tuna magnate Azzopardi, known to his friends as ‘Il-Poodle’, is the brains behind the local multi-million euro tuna penning industry: targeted by international environmental groups for its negative impact on the marine environment.
In fact, Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) recently brought to the European Commission’s attention an alleged case of illegal reflagging and identity swapping between four tuna fishing vessels owned by AJD Tuna Ltd – part of Azzopardi’s fisheries empire. Informed sources told MaltaToday that the purpose of this apparent dual registration was to circumvent international shipping and fishing regulations.
Under pressure by the Commission, local authorities conducted an investigation into the incident, which revealed irregularities in the flagging and licensing procedures. The Attorney General has been asked to ascertain what steps should be taken with regard to Azzopardi Fisheries Ltd.
At the time of last year’s yachting trip, Azzopardi’s tuna pens were already the cause of widespread concern and criticism from civic groups and green groups, and MEPA was accused of turning a blind eye to these concerns. Among the long list of environmentalist complaints over the years was the fact Mepa had sanctioned an illegal extension of four tuna pens in St Paul’s Bay, less than a mile from the foreshore.
Azzopardi’s trip to Sicily, accompanied by the then chairman of the MEPA board, as well as the minister responsible for MEPA, did not pass unnoticed by a contingent of Maltese sailing boats, which in fact were in the area for the traditional Marzamemi sailing race.
These got to know of the mishap involving the yacht chartered by Azzopardi through the traditional hustle and bustle over the radio waves.
The presence of George Pullicino and Andrew Calleja, together with Charles Azzopardi, on the quay of Syracuse, was soon to be the talk of the 30-odd Maltese racing teams, who ended up raising questions of conflicts of interest between politicians and big businesses.
Confirming his trip with the tuna magnate, a spokesman for George Pullicino told MaltaToday he saw no conflict of interest, nor did he ever feel the need to declare his close friendship with Azzopardi.
“Minister Pullicino knew Azzopardi for a long time, long before the appointment as Fisheries Minister,” the spokesman said.
The former MEPA chairman, Andrew Calleja, was even more elusive.
“I am no longer a public figure, so I don’t see why I should answer on whom I choose as friends,” he said in the face of repeated reminders that he was still MEPA chairman when he went on the boat trip last year.
“Everyone knows I’m a friend of George Pullicino,” he added, avoiding reference to Azzopardi altogether. “I choose my own friends and I will not let other people choose them for me. I don’t see why I have to waste my time telling you who my friends are.”
Outlining the details of the shortlived boat trip, the minister’s spokesman said: “The chartered boat left Malta at around 7pm of Friday 27 April 2007 and returned to Malta around 11pm of Sunday 29 April 2007.
“During the trip, the chartered boat developed damages and the passengers returned to Malta on the scheduled catamaran service. Every person involved in this trip paid his share of the expenses involved. The trip lasted 48 hours.”
The Maltese company – based in Gzira – that chartered the yacht, would not comment about the incident.
The minister’s spokesman insisted there were no other invitations from Azzopardi to the minister, and insisted Pullicino always acted correctly even when Azzopardi had a brush with the law.
“MaltaToday recently reported, on an exclusive basis, that in the recent case involving Mr Azzopardi it was this ministry who wrote to the MMA suggesting that an inquiry is initiated. This confirms that when it was felt necessary all actions were taken, independent of any alleged friendship of the minister with Mr Azzopardi.
“Also note that after investigations by the fisheries department, the captain of a fishing boat which was engaged on a contract to Azzopardi’s fishing company was recently arraigned in court. Minister Pullicino always acted in a correct way and Azzopardi was not in any way treated favourably.”
The spokesman said: “Actions speak for themselves and when it was felt necessary, Minister Pullicino took decisive action even where Mr Azzopardi is concerned.”