The government has allowed cliques within its leadership as well as their close associates to spend public money frivolously on things which citizens do not benefit from, the Nationalist Party said in a press conference on Wednesday.

PN candidates Joseph Grech and Joe Giglio said that throughout this past legislature alone, there have been several cases of “abuse of power” which saw public money being used in inappropriate ways. 

Grech expressed concern about reports that former minister Justyne Caruana could be set to receive a ‘golden handshake’ in the realm of €30,000 after resigning as Education Minister last year. 

This came after a damning ethics report found that Caruana had awarded a €15,000 contract to her close friend and former footballer Daniel Bogdonavic. Commissioner for Standards in Public Life Geroge Hyzler had found it violated ethics and constituted an abuse of power. 

Green party ADPD has asked the auditor general to investigate funds paid out to MPs who leave Cabinet. 

“The government intended to reward a minister who abused her power with another €30,000,” Grech said. 

Among other recent incidents of irresponsible spending by the Government, Grech mentioned how it had made a payment of €1.3 million to Vitals Global Healthcare for services that VGH was contractually obliged to provide at its own expense, as well as how the Correctional Services Agency had spent an extra €2.3 million for the provision of body scanners and closed-circuit cameras at the state prison on top of its original agreement. 

Grech added that the Government is spending some €2 million in rent per year on offices for the Malta Business Registry, which has a staff of under 140 people. 

“This confirms how the Labour Government has no problem spending our money with little responsibility while we continue paying the price for it,” he said. 

Giglio said the government has a duty to make good use of public funds. 

“This money the government is spending belongs to us,” he said. 

“We trust the government to implement its vision well and use it in our best interest.”