Point 1: Charles Magro and his fellow directors run a small turnkey operation called Rainbow. They had previously carried out sub-contracting works with the Montebello brothers, better known as JPM, for a number of occasions. JPM, as you will learn, are developers not contractors. To be very precise they were developers, but they are now in the proverbial ‘shit’... having financially overstretched themselves with their development at Addolorata Hills, Mistra, Galaxy and of course the Jerma Palace Hotel.
The brothers Montebello, known as ‘l-ahwa gingrin’ who had a Monti stand, were not involved in doing up houses for small fry. So the following questions come to my mind.
(a) Is Tonio Fenech small fry?
(b) Why (and how) did Tonio Fenech choose JPM as his renovators?
(c) Were there any friendships or connections between JPM and Tonio Fenech in recent years? (For example did the Gingrin help or support Fenech in his electoral campaign?)
(d) Was the Jerma sale so important to the Montebello brothers?
(e) Would it have saved the Montebello brothers from financial disaster?
Point 2: Charles Magro and his company are a small company. They did not know that the semi-detached villa they were working on belonged to Tonio Fenech. They made it very clear to JPM – the Montebello brothers – that they did not care whether the work was intended as a favour. They only wanted to be paid for their work.
When JPM did not pay in time, the Montebellos asked Rainbow to seek payment from the minister in person – and hence, the colossal revelation that was publicised last Sunday.
Throughout all this episode, there are some interesting parallels which I hope will be revealed in the coming days about the encounters of minister Fenech with George Fenech and Joe Gasan on a private plane; as well as meetings between Gasan and George Fenech and very, very senior government individuals.
There is also a strange parallel between the sudden decision by MEPA, earlier this year, to announce that the conversion of hotels to residences was not on – right in the middle of this negotiation, ruining the Montebellos’ chances of recouping losses.
All of which happened at the same time as the Montebello brothers reneged on their responsibility/agreement/alleged “pjacir” in renovating minister Fenech’s residence in Balzan.
Which leads me to the following questions.
(a) To what extent did Joe Gasan and George Fenech show interest in Jerma?
(b) Did they take the matter to the highest quarters?
(c) Was this issue discussed with minister Fenech?
(d) What was Montebello told by minister Fenech about Jerma?
(e) Did the Montebellos ask the minister to intervene?
(f) Did the minister talk to the Prime Minister about the subject?
(g) What did the Prime Minister know?
(h) Did the PM’s personal assistant Edgar Galea Curmi know about this?
When Tonio Fenech boarded George Fenech’s plane with Joe Gasan, did they talk about one or more of the following topics?
(a) The toiletries on the plane
(b) The bitterness of the Campari orange
(c) The chances of Arsenal winning the match
(d) Jerma Palace Hotel
(e) The curvatures of the receptionist at the hotel
(f) Walcott’s chances of making it a memorable match
(g) How the Montebello brothers love pizza
(h) What a wonderful view the Addolorata apartments have over the cemetery
(i) The way MEPA sanctioned the above development
(j) How difficult it is to make ends meet these days
(k) Whether MEPA will sanction the Jerma Palace Hotel’s transformation development into another Portomaso-style development
Point 3: The saga does not stop here. At some point things turn sour at 216, Old Railway Track, Balzan. Mr Fenech starts slowing down on payments and the Rainbow people start getting unhappy.
Rainbow are well known for keeping their word when it comes to payments and work schedules. And according to their version of events, the minister decides to haggle.
To cut a long story short, the minister gets his architect friend involved and they reduce the estimated costs, and then finally arbitrarily erase thousands of euros that are supposedly owed to Rainbow Turnkey Projects Ltd.
Charles Magro is asked to pick up his tools and when he just does that, he finds workers from Gap Developments – another developer – on the same site.
Now hold on. Did we say another developer? Yes: developer, not contractor. Gap, you will see from the front-page article, do not renovate small homes. They develop projects from A to Z. Joe Saliba, the former secretary-general who works for Gap, will surely be kind enough to explain.
Yes, explain.
Now the Rainbow people are not exactly happy with the situation so through a common acquaintance they meet Edgar Galea Curmi, the man who serves as the PM’s ear.
They explain their situation and Edgar, who has a file on the Rainbow Turnkey project directors, listens attentively, promises nothing and as is expected, does nothing.
It is then – and only then – that they approach MaltaToday. Not through their lawyer, but through another third person.
Which of course encourages me to ask another set of questions.
(a) Why didn’t the Prime Minister follow the story at this point?
(b) Why did Gap get involved in such a small job?
(c) Does Gap usually get involved in such jobs?
(d) Is the minister naïve or what?
(e) Did Joe Saliba on behalf of Gap get involved directly or indirectly in this renovation?
(f) What did Edgar tell the Prime Minister after he met Rainbow?
(g) Why did Tonio use Gap?
Point 4: The beginning of the end is illustrated by the silence of the Prime Minister to all these very serious allegations. When this newspaper revealed the presence of Tonio Fenech on the private jet, no one could understand how this could have happened.
Fenech – Gonzi’s right-hand man since the early days of his leadership – is more than a soldier. He is his lifeline.
If his surname were Borg, Balzan or Dalli then perhaps the story would be very, very different. But shunning and regurgitating Fenech would mean losing out on a limb, a support, a pillar.
Here is the finance minister who has already shown us that he went to see Arsenal and share some fun with millionaires Gasan and Fenech, all with the blessing of Gonzi.
But now with these fresh allegations, somehow the whole plot thickens and everyone is asking why the Prime Minister is so silent.
The answer for the Prime Minister’s silence can be one of so many valid reasons:
(a) He has other things on his mind and could not give a toss
(b) He has no intention of rubbishing Tonio
(c) He knows something I know that others do not know
(d) He thinks that silence is the best answer to all this media hype
(e) He does not know what to say
(f) He is trying to remember what he said to John Dalli when he resigned years back
(g) He is wondering if Fenech will have a clue to this mess
(h) He is dreading the moment Tonio Fenech leaves his plebeian flat for something more austere
(i) He loves to tease
In return for waving MaltaToday I am offering…
I must admit that I am really annoyed that Alfred Sant chose to read The Times instead of the MaltaToday in the wonderful stunt Labour carried out on Budget day. Can they please send all their invoices inclusive of VAT to me ASAP? A big thank you to all the Labour parliamentarians who waved MaltaToday in front of poor Tonio.
In return for their favour, I promise not to badmouth Labour for the next couple of years. In fact I commit myself to being extra nice to all the Labour parliamentarians – even Dr Michael Falzon, the man who disputes the decibel counter and thinks that fireworks should replace love-making.
I promise to be nice to all of them and not to find fault in any of the things they do or do not say. By the way, can anyone tell me why the f*** Joseph Muscat chose not to answer questions from the press after the budget speech? Who the hell does he think he is?
Oops, I nearly forgot… I am supposed to be nice… sorry Joseph, you wore a truly elegant grey tie. It reminded me of the ties worn by my great admirer, lawyer cum scribbler Andrew Borg Cardona, known to his chums and foes as Bocca – a columnist who never licks ass, with never a nice word for the Nationalists. He finds perfection in you, dear Joseph.
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JPM, as you will learn, are developers not contractors. To be very precise they were developers, but they are now in the proverbial ‘shit’... having financially overstretched themselves with their development at Addolorata Hills, Mistra, Galaxy and of course the Jerma Palace Hotel.
