Muscat challenges PM to grant free vote on Delimara debate
Labour leader says ‘blacklisted’ company in VAT scam was awarded a tender under Tonio Fenech’s ministry.
Gerald Fenech
In a sporadically charged and aggressive speech yesterday evening, Labour leader Joseph Muscat challenged Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to grant a free vote during next Thursday’s debate on the controversial Delimara Power Station extension contract.
He also challenged the PM to transmit the debate live on national television, and insisted that “whoever is silent on corruption is corrupt himself”
Muscat looked calm and composed as he addressed thousands of party faithful decked in Labour colours, who marched with Labour MPs from Paola Square all the way to Zabbar Road where the mass meeting took place to mark May Day.
The Labour leader shaped his hour-long speech as an attack on Lawrence Gonzi, using his ‘moral values’ to compare the government’s stance on a constantly rising cost of living, the reforms in the transport and energy sector as well as the exorbitant increases in utility bills.
“Gonzi talks about moral values but then he has no qualms in allowing families to be squeezed with exorbitant water and electricity bills. The price of gas has doubled in less than a year and there is still no sign of the Consumer Protection Agency which was promised in this year’s budget,” Muscat said.
Muscat also revealed that a blacklisted company which was involved in the VAT scandal last year had won a contract awarded only last March of €48,000 for paint supply services at the Department of Contracts.
“How can Minister Tonio Fenech state that to his knowledge, all companies in the VAT scandal have been blacklisted, when one actually wins a contract right under his very nose?”
Muscat also spoke about the situation in the health services sector where waiting lists had risen by over 100% since Lawrence Gonzi became Prime Minister. He was also scathing on the education sector insisting that four out of ten children do not complete secondary education.
“It is unacceptable that six years after EU membership, 22% of all children are living in poverty. A new Labour government will work tirelessly to create an equitable society where values and the ability to succeed will remain paramount.”
However Muscat spent over half his speech going over the details of the BWSC contract, with his audience growing restless as the speech winded.In a clear attack on BWSC agent Joseph Mizzi, he insisted that it was “impossible for someone to have amnesia” when pocketing an alleged €4 million in commissions.
“I am not satisfied that there is no conclusive evidence of corruption in this contract whilst the Auditor General has made it clear that the tender process should have been invalidated and a fresh call made after government changed the environment law midway through the process.”
Muscat insisted that the time for action was needed on the Delimara contract. He said the Labour Party would be visiting Marsaxlokk on Wednesday to show solidarity with its residents who would be suffering the most if the power station contract went ahead.
“Regardless of the vote on Thursday, the Labour Party will be announcing the measures it will take to rescind this contract for the benefit of the Maltese people,” he concluded.
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