ADPD has taken note of the report published earlier today by the Auditor General in connection to the engagement of a consultant, Hon. Rosianne Cutajar, to the CEO of the Institute for Tourism Studies, Pierre Fenech.
Sandra Gauci, ADPD-The Green Party Chairperson, said that from a quick perusal of the report’s conclusions it is crystal clear that those entrusted with ensuring in the public sector good governance have failed miserably in their basic duties. It serves no purpose in having clear rules if those entrusted with enforcing them do not care.
This report of the Auditor General was published today after ADPD, through its then Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo, had, on 28th March 2023 requested that the Auditor General examines the contract of employment through which Rosianne Cutajar was engaged as a consultant. It was then requested that the Auditor General examines whether public funds were used abusively.
The report is very clear on the fraud and negligence prevalent in this engagement of a consultant at the Institute for Tourism Studies.
We expect the Commissioner of Police to immediately initiate criminal proceedings against all those involved in this abusive act which has defrauded the national exchequer, as well as against those who had the duty to stop it all but facilitated its happening through their inaction, emphasised Sandra Gauci.
Tomorrow, Wednesday, ADPD will address a press conference on the subject.
Two points from the report’s conclusions:
4.2.14 … the assignment of duties (was) beyond the competencies of Hon. Cutajar …
4.2.15 … In the case of the Consultant, the dearth of evidence casts doubt on what work was carried out. When seen in the context of earlier points raised by this Office regarding the irregularity and fraudulent nature of this employment, the poor output, if any, of the Consultant, aggravates concerns of negligence on the disbursement of public funds by all involved in this contrived engagement.
***
Frodi u Negliġenza fl-ITS
ADPD ra r-rapport li ħareġ l-Awditur Ġenerali iktar kmieni illum dwar l-impjieg ta’ konsulent, iġifieri tal-Onor. Rosianne Cutajar, fl-uffiċċju tas-CEO tal-Istitut tal-Istudji Turistiċi, Pierre Fenech.
Sandra Gauci, Chairperson ta’ ADPD-The Green Party, qalet li minn eżami ta’ malajr tal-konklużjonijiet ta’ dan ir-rapport hu ċar li dawk li xogħolhom hu li jassiguraw governanza tajba fis-settur pubbliku fallew fit-twettiq tad-dmirijiet bażiċi tagħhom. X’jiswa li hemm ir-regoli ċari jekk dawk li xogħolhom huwa li jimplimentawhom ma jagħtux każ?
Dan ir-rapport li l-Awditur Ġenerali ippubblika illum sar fuq talba ta’ ADPD permezz taċ-Chairperson ta’ dakinnhar, Carmel Cacopardo, nhar it-28 ta’ Marzu 2023 (tmien xhur ilu). ADPD kienet talbitu jeżamina l-kuntratt tal-ingaġġ ta’ Rosianne Cutajar bħala konsulent mal-ITS biex ikun stabilit jekk kienx hemm abbuż fl-użu tal-fondi pubbliċi.
Ir-rapport hu ċar dwar frodi u negliġenza li kien hemm f’dan l-ingaġġ ta’ konsulent li għamel l-Istitut għall-Istudji Turistiċi.
Nistennew li l-Kummissarju tal-Pulizija jibda immedjatajment proċeduri kriminali kontra dawk li abbużaw biex iffrodaw il-kaxxa ta’ Malta u kontra dawk li għalqu għajnejhom biex dan seta’ jseħħ temmet tgħid Sandra Gauci.
Għada l-Erbgħa ADPD ser jindirizza konferenza stampa dwar is-suġġett.
Żewġ punti mill-konklużjonijiet tar-rapport:
4.2.14 … the assignment of duties (was) beyond the competencies of Hon. Cutajar …
4.2.15 … In the case of the Consultant, the dearth of evidence casts doubt on what work was carried out. When seen in the context of earlier points raised by this Office regarding the irregularity and fraudulent nature of this employment, the poor output, if any, of the Consultant, aggravates concerns of negligence on the disbursement of public funds by all involved in this contrived engagement.
