Prime Minister Joseph Muscat yesterday dodged questions about whether he will publish all the energy agreements signed by the Labour administration, saying he was much more open to scrutiny than previous Nationalist administrations.
“This is a break with the past, as before nothing used to be published. We have released more than was ever disclosed by any previous government,” Dr Muscat said.
In contrast, he said, the last PN government had kept under wraps the contract with former bus service operator Arriva and the deal for the construction of the BWSC power plant in Delimara.
The Prime Minister was replying to questions from the press during a visit to the new Toly plant in the Bulebel industrial estate on the outskirts of Tarxien. Questions on the government’s transparency in the energy sector had been raised by the Opposition ahead of what was meant to have been a parliamentary debate on the €320 million deal signed last month with Shanghai Electric Power.
This agreement was for a €250 million cash injection in Enemalta, in return for a minority stake in the corporation, and an additional €70 million investment through which the Chinese company will convert the BWSC plant from heavy fuel oil to gas.
This agreement has been published but the Opposition insisted it could not debate the issue without having the bigger picture.
It is therefore calling for the publication of the contract under which the BWSC plant was purchased by Shanghai Electric Power, Enemalta’s seven-year business plan, the deal signed with consortium Electrogas for the construction of a new power station and the two power purchase agreements between SEP and Electrogas.
This is a break with the past, as before nothing used to be published
When asked specifically if he would publish these agreements, Dr Muscat’s reply was to draw comparisons between his government’s record and that of the PN on the disclosure of contracts.
The Prime Minister also faced questions regarding e-mails published by Malta Today which raised the possibility of the presidential pardon granted by the PN government to oil trader George Farrugia being withdrawn. Some of these e-mails had been sent by Mr Farrugia’s wife to former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.
Asked whether he thinks Dr Gonzi had misled the Public Accounts Committee when he recently testified that he was not aware Ms Farrugia was the wife of the pardoned oil trader, Dr Muscat said this would be determined through further investigation.
Earlier, Dr Muscat inaugurated the new corporate offices of Toly, which specialises in the manufacture of packaging for cosmetic products. The complex was refurbished at a cost of €2 million and the UK-based group is eyeing further investment in the near future.
He announced that Toly CEO Andy Gatesy had been appointed as one of the directors of Trade Malta, a new government entity which will be focusing exclusively on the promotion of international trade.