Employer organisations have met President George Vella and called for a systematic clean-up of all structures and offices that have been implicated in facilitating corruption.

Representatives of the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry, the Malta Employers Association, GRTU – Malta Chamber of SMEs, and the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association handed Dr Vella a Charter for Good Governance.

They called upon the president to endorse their charter in the exercise of his leadership of the country and his guardianship of the Constitution.

"The organisations congratulated the president for the firm stance he took during his speech on Republic Day," they said in a joint statement.

They said that the president's speech mirrored their opinions closely especially when he referred to Malta being much greater than the small gang of people who were making the news.

They reiterated their “outright and unequivocal condemnation of all corrupt practices and criminal activities driven by people close to power and money, as well as any attempts to delay or obstruct justice, mitigate criminal liability and negate political responsibility on the part of politicians and political appointees who are directly or indirectly implicated”.

“It is truly appalling that those in positions of power abuse of their power to promote, facilitate and conspire in criminal activity, and do so under the guise of being pro-business” they said in the charter.

Justice needed to be served and be seen to be served for the reputation of the county to be restored.

“All allegations must hence be thoroughly investigated without fear or favour, and without hesitation or delay, and any person found guilty of any corrupt and criminal practice must be made to return any monies due to the national coffers without impunity”, they added.

They also advocated a thorough review of all public procurement contracts that had been negotiated by implicated persons, to ensure that the national interest is safeguarded.