Labour members of parliament’s Public Accounts Committee want to power off a probe into the Electrogas power station until October, despite Joseph Muscat being available to testify next week.
Government whip Andy Ellul and Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo both informed PAC chair Darren Carabott they are not available to attend a committee session scheduled for August 1, the PN said in a statement on Saturday.
The two declined to nominate substitute members to take their place, as normally happens when a committee member cannot attend a session, and instead said they would be available once parliament reconvenes in October.
Parliament broke for summer recess earlier this month - significantly earlier than many previous years - and MPs are not expected to return to plenary until the start of October.
Although the House is in recess, parliamentary committees may still continue to meet should their members agree to do so.
The PAC is delving into a 2018 National Audit Office report into the Electrogas power station deal and is currently questioning Muscat, who spearheaded the project as head of government at the time.
Muscat has already appeared three times before the committee, most recently on July 11. He has reportedly informed the PAC that he is available to continue testifying on Tuesday, August 1.
In a statement, the PN noted the irony of government members refusing to discuss a power station deal, at a time when the country is engulfed in a seemingly endless series of power cuts.
It urged government PAC members to drop their resistance and continue committee hearings throughout the summer months.
Better spending of public funds would have spared the country the national crisis it is currently going through, the party said.
“The more time passes, the clearer it becomes that we, the people, are paying the price of corruption,” it added.
Labour sources confirmed that three of its PAC members were unavailable on the date and said the PN push to have sessions continue throughout summer was unnecessary.
Muscat’s testimony would also come at a time when the parliament is undergoing refurbishments, they added.
“The PN are just looking for a news item in August because Joseph Muscat is testifying,” a PL source said.