Gerald Fenech The Small Business Chamber (GRTU) seems to be under a cloud recently, with another of its vice presidents having had to suspend himself from the council due to criminal proceedings – the second after Sandro Chetcuti, who was last month charged in court with the attempted murder of GRTU’s director-general, Vince Farrugia.
This time it is Mario Debono, vice president representing the pharmaceuticals sector, to have suspended himself from the chamber’s council pending investigations into a case of illicit importation of unlicensed drugs, MaltaToday can reveal.
The police are to arraign Debono on criminal charges before Magistrate Antonio Mizzi on Tuesday. The former GRTU official has been under police investigation, as well as the subject of a magisterial inquiry, since December 2007: when the authorities were alerted to a suspicious consignment of 400 packets of fake medicinals imported by his company, Surgiquip.
This is not the first time that Debono is appearing in court, having already pleaded guilty to charges of sending hate mail to Labour leader Joseph Muscat in 2007, when the latter was still an MEP.
In vitriolic emails sent to Muscat, Debono – who describes himself to his friends as a “diehard Nationalist” – referred to the MEP as “Goebbels”, former foreign minister George Vella as a “birdbrain”, Labour commentator Manwel Cuschieri as “maqjel” (pig sty), and Labour leader Alfred Sant as a “mental masturbator”.
Speaking to Malta Today, Vince Farrugia confirmed Debono’s auto suspension adding that it would be impossible for him to remain on the GRTU council if he is eventually found guilty.
“I can confirm that Debono has suspended himself from his post as Vice President on the GRTU council pending the outcome of this case. If he is found guilty I can see no way in which he can remain in the post representing our members”.
Farrugia explained that as soon as Debono received the court summons, he immediately asked for a meeting with President Paul Abela and himself after which it was agreed that Debono should suspend himself from the functions of Vice President responsible for the GRTU section.
“When Debono’s election for VP came up we were informed that the Medicines Authority had imposed a €20,000 fine on his company but that the directors were convinced of his innocence and that they were challenging the decision. We had no idea that the company directors would be charged by the police in court and Debono will not speak for GRTU in court”.
He also said that the decision on Debono’s future within the GRTU after the court case is resolved depends on the GRTU members adding that he received the third largest number of votes in the council elections.
Debono was also a prime mover in the government’s decision to halt new pharmacy licenses in the wake of the Pharmacy of Your Choice scheme, launched just before the March 2008 election. Despite being under investigation on the fake pills importation, he still continued to sign agreements on behalf of the GRTU until recently.
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