PN deputy leader Robert Arrigo shielded his interests in a company which is used to operate the Topaz Hotel as part of a lease agreement negotiated with Yorgen Fenech’s father George.
Asked by Times of Malta why his interests in the company had been shielded when it was set up in 2013, Arrigo said his ownership of Hummingbird’s parent company had been disclosed in his declaration of assets as an MP for a number of years.
“A Maltese fiduciary company was used on incorporation for commercial sensitivity reasons. Back then, we wished to avoid irritating our suppliers and customers who to some extent may have, at the time, perceived us as their competitors”.
Labour MP Glenn Bedingfield on Wednesday challenged the unnamed owner of Hummingbird Properties to declare his “business links” with Daphne Caruana Galizia murder suspect Yorgen Fenech.
Although Arrigo’s name does not immediately appear linked to Hummingbird properties, a €5 search of the beneficial ownership registry shows he has a controlling stake in the company.
Prior to Bedingfield’s speech, Prime Minister Robert Abela argued it was wrong to try cast doubts on anyone who had ever spoken to or had a friendship with Yorgen Fenech prior to his arrest for conspiracy to murder journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Arrigo said the nature of his business, contracting hotel beds, has been publicly known for 40 years.
The MP said he is the only beneficial owner of Hummingbird, both in terms of ownership and control, at law. All his family members who own shares in the company fall bellow the disclosure threshold.
The lease was negotiated with the late George Fenech
He said the Topaz Hotel provides the necessary beds, and the agreement is a long term one where his company pays monthly rent.
“I have never met or had any dealings with Yorgen Fenech. All dealings were held with the late George”.
“My business in tourism is known locally and in Europe, it’s public and we are a client to all hotels in Malta and Gozo. I am a longstanding hotelier and tourism incoming agents, advertising our services locally and throughout Europe”, Arrigo said.
Arrigo's replies in full
1. The nature of the business is the operation of the Topaz Hotel, which opens its doors to tourists on the 28th March 2014.
2. I am the only beneficial owner, both in terms of ownership and control, at law. In fact, my name is the only one that appears on the beneficial owners register on the online Malta Business Registry.
All my family members who own shares fall below the disclosure thresholds.
3. Yes naturally, I declare my interests yearly. You may see the company's parent company listed in my annual MP declaration of Assets at the Speaker's Office.
4. The nature of the business, as is publicly known for 40 years, is the need to contract hotel beds. The lease was negotiated with the late George Fenech in 2013.
The Topaz Hotel provides the necessary beds. The agreement is a long term one where my company pays monthly rent.
5. I have never met or had any dealings with Yorgen Fenech. All dealings were held with the late George.
6. I am not a lawyer and don't give legal advice. My business in tourism is known locally and in Europe, it's public and we are a client to all hotels in Malta and Gozo.
7. I am a long standing hotelier and a tourist incoming agent, advertising our services locally and throughout Europe.
The UBO register was introduced in 2018 and my interest has been disclosed since then. In any event, my ownership of the parent company was disclosed in the MP declaration of assets for a number of years already.
A Maltese fiduciary company was used on incorporation for commercial sensitivity reasons. Back then, we wished to avoid irritating our suppliers and customers who to some extent may have, at the time, perceived us as their competitors.