The ministers’ code of ethics has been weakened with the revisions made by, for example, the removal of their obligation to declare the income of their spouse, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said this morning.
“This is a key to corruption as a minister who is open to being bribed can tell people to address the cheque to his wife,” he said during a pre-recorded interview aired on Radio 101, the Nationalist Party’s radio station.
The code of ethics had not been revised in 20 years. One would therefore expect that a revision, after such a long time, would strengthen it according to modern-day realities. But this was not the case, he said.
Speaking about the “scandal” of Mark Gaffarena - who was paid over €1.5 million in cash and land by government for half a house in Old Mint Street, Valletta – Dr Busuttil said government had turned him into a millionaire overnight from tax-payers’ money.
Government gave him over €1.5 million but independent architects appointed by Times of Malta showed that the land given to him was worth double. He questioned why government expropriated half a building adding that the deal stank of corruption.
Too many cases of corruption are emerging under this government, he said adding that the PN had asked the Auditor General to investigate the matter.
The Labour government was not interested in exposing the truth, he said, adding that this was also evident in the way it was handling the investigation into the defective concrete used at Mater Dei Hospital.
The inquiry carried out was not independent as it was headed by former Labour MP Philip Sciberras, a retired judge, who had been appointed on practically all government boards. Apart from that Judge Sciberras’ son – a PL deputy mayor – was involved in the inquiry.
Dr Busuttil insisted that someone had to shoulder the responsibility for any illegal activity. However, government was dragging its feet and – instead of investigating the companies who may have been involved – it was hiding behind the closure agreement and saying its hands were tied when this was not the case.
Turning to the American university issue he said government was not being transparent as it did not want to publish the agreement reached with the Jordanian company that wanted to build the university at Żonqor point.
Apart from the lack of transparency and lack of respect towards the environment, he said, government lowered education standards to accommodate “someone”. The PN presented a motion on attack the legal notice that allowed this to happen.
“I want to clean politics and head a government of clean politics where ministers abide by the highest standards... a government where the tax payers’ money is not squandered,” he said.