ADPD-The Green Party expects the Police to initiate criminal action by arraigning all those who conspired to defraud the national exchequer through the creation of a phantom job for Rosianne Cutajar as a consultant to the CEO of the Istitute for Touristic Studies (ITS). This was stated by Sandra Gauci, Chairperson, when addressing a press conference in front of the police Headquarters in Floriana.

“Eight months ago we requested the Auditor General to examine the contract of employment entered into by the CEO of ITS with the Hon Rosianne Cutajar because the duties of the post contained therein clearly were incompatible with her known competencies,” stated Carmel Cacopardo, Deputy Chairperson of ADPD. “Even then we already were aware that this potentially was a case of the creation of a phantom job intended specifically to fraudulently siphon public funds.”

The report of the Auditor General has not only confirmed this view. In addition, as a result of a meticulous investigation it has also concluded that practically all the rules relative to recruitment into the public sector were ignored. Rules which were developed over the years to ensure good governance in the public sector, of which ITS forms part, were thrown overboard. Faced with this behaviour how can government now keep boasting of good governance? It has no inkling of what it entails.

The auditor general, in addition to establishing that there was no need to create the post of consultant to the CEO concluded that it is doubtful whether Cutajar, during her period of employment, contributed any work except for cashing her pay check. This is an abuse of public funds which, now that it is documented can be acted upon by the authorities.

It is clear, added Carmel Cacopardo, that this could have been avoided if those entrusted with ensuring good governance in the public sector shouldered their responsibilities. It serves no purpose in having clear rules if those entrusted with enforcing them do not care. The creation of phantom jobs in the public sector is clearly a misappropriation of public funds. Those responsible should be arraigned in our criminal courts. It is for this purpose that we insist that the next step after the auditor’s report is criminal action against all those involved in this fraudulent action, concluded Carmel Cacopardo.

Sandra Gauci, Chairperson of ADPD-The Green Party emphasised that this is not the first instance in which a phantom job has been created in the public sector. Currently criminal proceedings are in hand relative to the phantom job created for Melvin Theuma, the person who acted as go between in the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia. Theuma was paid with this job for services rendered. Even Melvin Thuma cashed his pay check and never turned up for work.

Subsequent to the Auditor’s report, added Sandra Gauci, one expects the Police to start preparing to commence criminal proceedings. The Auditor has carried out most of the spade work: the report contains all the proof necessary, written in crystal clear language.  What is keeping the Police from starting proceedings? We expect Angelo Gafà, Police Commissioner, to take immediate steps showing that the law is applied equally to all and that the Police enforces the law in all circumstances.

The members of the Police Force are in general valid persons determined to act correctly and enforce the law. Most of them are determined to ensure that they protect us common citizens from criminality. It is important that they are not obstructed in acting accordingly. “It is your duty, Mr Commissioner of Police, to ensure that all members of the police force, yourself included, act appropriately. You should ensure that no one obstructs the police officers from acting without fear or favour” concluded Sandra Gauci.

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Wara r-rapport tal-Awditur Ġenerali: il-pass li jmiss

ADPD tistenna li l-Pulizija tieħu passi kriminali fil-konfront ta’ dawk li kkonfoffaw biex jiffrodaw il-kaxxa ta’ Malta billi ħolqu l-impjieg fantażma ta’ Rosianne Cutajar bħala konsulenta tas-CEO tal-Istitut tal-Istudji Turistiċi (ITS). Dan qalitu Sandra Gauci, Chairperson hi u tindirizza konferenza stampa quddiem id-Depot tal-Pulizija fil-Furjana.

“Tmien xhur ilu tlabna lill-Awditur Ġenerali biex jinvestiga l-kuntratt ta’ impjieg li s-CEO tal-ITS ikkonkluda mal-Onor. Rosianne Cutajar għax minn eżami tad-doveri li kien mistenni li twettaq kien ċar li ma kelliex il-kompetenzi meħtieġa”, qal Carmel Cacopardo, Deputat Chairperson ta’ ADPD. “Għaldaqstant, dakinhar ikkonkludejna li possibilment dan kien każ ta’ ħolqien ta’ impjieg fantażma intenzjonat biss biex jinxtorbu fondi pubbliċi b’qerq”.

Ir-rapport tal-Awditur Ġenerali mhux biss ikkonferma din il-konklużjoni imma fuq kollox, riżultat ta’ investigazzjoni metikoluża ikkonkluda li nkisru ir-regoli kollha dwar l-ingaġġ fis-settur pubbliku. Regoli li saru ftit ftit tul is-snin biex tkun assigurata governanza tajba fis-settur pubbliku li minnu l-ITS tifforma parti ġew injorati kompletament. Iffaċċjati b’dan kif jistgħu jgħidu li jridu l-governanza tajba. L-anqas biss jafu x’inhi!

L-awditur mhux biss stabilixxa li l-ingaġġ ta’ konsulenta ma kienx meħtieġ imma fuq kollox ikkonkluda ukoll li din ma għamlet prattikament xejn tul il-perjodu li għamlet konsulenta, ħlief li ġabret il-paga!

Dan mhux użu tajjeb ta’ fondi pubbliċi. Hu abbuż sfaċċat li hu issa dokumentat u dwaru jeħtieġ li jittieħdu passi mill-awtoritajiet.

Hu ċar, żied jgħid Carmel Cacopardo, li dan seta’ ġie evitat kieku dawk li xogħolhom hu li jassiguraw governanza tajba fis-settur pubbliku għamlu xogħolhom. Għax x’jiswa li hemm ir-regoli ċari jekk dawk li xogħolhom huwa li jimplimentawhom jiġu jaqgħu u jqumu minnhom?

Il-ħolqien ta’ impjiegi fantażma fis-settur pubbliku hu miżapproprjazzjoni ta’ fondi pubbliċi. Dan hu serq ta’ fondi pubbliċi li min jagħmlu jixraqlu li jwieġeb għal għemilu fil-Qrati Kriminali. Għalhekk qed ninsistu li l-pass li jmiss wara r-rapport tal-awditur huma passi kriminali kontra min kellu sehem f’dan il-frodi, temm jgħid Carmel Cacopardo.

Sandra Gauci, Chairperson ta’ ADPD qalet li dan mhux l-ewwel darba li nħoloq impjieg fantażma fis-settur pubbliku. Fil-Qorti bħalissa għaddej il-każ tal-impieg fantażma ta’ Melvin Theuma, dak li għamilha ta’ sensar fil-każ tal-assassinju ta’ Daphne Caruana Galizia. Melvin Theuma kien tħallas b’impjieg fantażma għal dak li wettaq u hu ukoll għamel żmien jiġbed il-paga bla ma jersaq għax-xogħol.

Wara r-rapport tal-Awditur, żiedet tgħid Sandra Gauci, wieħed jistenna li l-Pulizija tibda thejji l-każ biex tibda proċeduri kriminali. Ħafna mix-xogħol lest diġa’: provi hemm kemm trid! Kollox iswed fuq abjad! X’qed iżommu? Nippretendu li Angelo Gafà jieħu passi minnufih ħalli juri li kulħadd huwa l-istess quddiem il-liġi u li veru l-Korp tal-Pulizija qiegħed hemm biex iżomm il-ligi.

Il-Korp tal-Pulizija fih ħafna elementi tajbin li jridu jagħmlu dmirhom: ewlieni fosthom li jipproteġuna mill-kriminali li hawn jiġru mas-saqajn. Ħalluhom jaħdmu. “Dmirek Sur Kummissarju hu li kull membru
tal-Korp jagħmel dmiru, inkluż inti. Għandek ukoll tassigura ruħek li ħadd ma jfixkel il-ħidma tal-korp li jaħdem bla biża’ jew favuri” temmet tgħid Sandra Gauci.