Mizzi says PN transmitter at Gharghur was unlicensed

Labour MP Joe Mizzi yesterday again referred to the Gharghur master antenna controversy saying the television transmitter the Nationalist Party had wanted to use at Gharghur was not covered by a licence, although it was imported legally.

He said the Nationalist Party had had another transmitter duly licensed by the Labour government, installed at Iklin.

Mr Mizzi said in an adjournment speech in parliament last night that the fact that the PN had a different transmitter was shown in a report by the director of wireless telegraphy after he had inspected the equipment which the PN had installed and had wanted to use in Gharghur.

Referring to his comments last week about collusion between the Wireless Telegraphy Department and the Broadcasting Authority to benefit the Nationalist Party, Mr Mizzi said such collusion was evidenced by a letter on May 26, 1998 by the Director of Wireless Telegraphy to the chief executive of the Broadcasting Authority.

In it, the director referred to an earlier letter from the BA authorising the department to install apparatus belonging to Net TV on the Gharghur tower. The director said his department had not submitted any request for the installation of apparatus on the tower and it had only sought confirmation that Multicomm Ltd (the PN company) had permission to install temporary apparatus on the tower.

The department also referred to a request by the authority to provide assistance for tests in connection with Net television broadcasts. The department said that while it was always ready to assist the authority, it felt the tests would serve no useful purpose. It pointed out that a similar request for help regarding Smash television broadcasts had been turned down.

Mr Mizzi said another letter by the Wireless Telegraphy Department to the authority pointed out that television transmitting equipment had already been installed at Gharghur in violation of the law and three broadcasting panels were awaiting installation on the antenna.

The authority was asked to stop the installation of the panels and to order Multicomm to remove all equipment from Gharghur while keeping the authority informed of where it would be stored.

This showed, Mr Mizzi said, that the Labour government never intended confiscating the PN owned equipment, even though it was unlicensed.

The PN had in court made itself out to be the victim of this case, and had even been granted compensation, when it had been the one which had sought to install unlicensed equipment on the Gharghur tower without authorisation.

Mr Mizzi also reiterated claims of abuse by an official of the Wireless Telegraphy Department, a Mr Griscti, who, he said, was covering up for persons who paid licences late, claiming he had forgotten their cheques in his drawer. He had mentioned Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono as having sent one of the cheques, a fact she had denied.

Mr Mizzi said that rather than challenging him to repeat his allegations outside of the House, Mrs Debono should call for an independent inquiry with representation of both sides of the House, so that then one could see if anybody in the PN was involved in what he had said.

Mr Mizzi said he was tabling part of a file which confirmed his allegations about Mr Griscti. The relevant part of the file said: "Please find cheque ... for the payment of licence fee... Cheque was left in my desk on... and only brought to light some two days ago. No penalty for late payment is to be applied. Please amend computer records accordingly."

Mr Mizzi said this was abusive behaviour.

Rising on a point of order, Mrs Debono said she wanted again to deny Mr Mizzi's allegations as far as she was concerned and she would welcome any parliamentary inquiry.

Mr Mizzi said the minister should therefore hold the inquiry and he would produce the file.

Mrs Debono said she wanted to insist that she never sent a backdated cheque on behalf of somebody else and she had never asked Mr Griscti to waive a late payment penalty for anyone. She would welcome an inquiry but Mr Mizzi, if he was a gentleman, should repeat his allegation outside the House.

Mr Mizzi said Mrs Debono was defending herself only.

Mrs Debono said Mr Mizzi should be correct and not throw mud in the hope that some would stick.