Top Story • December 28 2003

Jubilation, bitter realism and false expectations

Crafty Cilia – a man with sticky fingers
5 January 2003 - Labour MP Joe Cilia had a lot to answer for during his career as a Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and Sports between 1996 and 1998. Most notable however was a sexual appetite which saw MaltaToday’s headlines announce that Cilia had been investigated by police on suspicion of sexual harassment. In the course of the year, MaltaToday revealed how Cilia was actively involved in the creation of firms headed by favoured partners which helped him cash in on tenders issued by the Ministry of Education and his secretariat. In 1997, Cilia allowed one of his partners to win a tender for the supply of medals for the 1997 FISEC games. Using false names, the bidder was awarded a tender for Lm1,698, who would then share all profits with Notary Cilia. Further revelations showed Cilia had used Lm500 of that payment to invest in the share capital of the catering management at the National Swimming Pool, part of his portfolio as Parliamentary Secretary – a man with short-sighted horizons, his political career was soon to flounder.

Going mental – PN and MLP file applications to cancel votes on grounds of mental infirmity
19 January 2003 - At least 600 applications were made to the Court of Magistrates for the cancellation of voters on grounds of mental infirmity by the Nationalist Party according to its electoral office Elcom. The total number of applications filed by the PN for the cancellation of votes since the publication of October 2002’s electoral register numbers approximately 1,600. A considerable number of applications for the cancellation of votes were filed by the Prime Minister’s son, Dr Beppe Fenech Adami, who is one of the volunteers at Elcom. Labour accused the PN of singling out eighty plus-year olds with Labourite sympathies. Labour had also filed applications for the cancellation of votes, totalling 1049, with 100 applications calling into question voters’ mental sanity.

Our randy MP – Joe Cilia decides not to contest elections
9 February 2003 - Joe Cilia, former Labour Parliamentary Secretary, questioned by police on grounds of sexual harassment, decides to call it a day, as MaltaToday’s heat is too much to handle. He capped off his illustrious career with a 22-month government stint of record corruption, from the use of notaries from within his firm to act as government notaries, to choosing district supporters as employees at the National Swimming Pool.
MLP Secretary-General Jimmy Magro says there had been no discussions between the MLP executive committee and Notary Joe Cilia, or any form of pressure from the MLP that influenced Dr Cilia’s decision not to contest the forthcoming elections.

Zarb denies GWU ignored EU reports for financial reasons
23 February 2003 - General Workers’ Union secretary-general Tony Zarb denied the union had ignored one of the EU reports drawn up by experts which revealed the positive effects of EU membership. Zarb said union officials never discussed the financial and party political implications of supporting EU membership on the finances of the Union and that favouring EU membership was never on the cards. According to Zarb, the Union only considered what would be good for workers saying union officials weighed the advantages and disadvantages and after considering what the workers stood to gain came to a conclusion that there would be more pain than gain.

Victory for pro-EU supporters
9 March 2003 - The outcome of the referendum vote, in which 53.6 per cent voted for EU membership saw clamorous reaction from Labour leader Alfred Sant, who declared that Labour’s Partnership had won.
Sant reiterated claims that an absolute minority had chosen EU accession: "The response of the Maltese people was that the Maltese who voted, ‘no,’ invalidated their vote or did not vote at all exceeded the ‘yes’ vote." The Labour leader warned the European Union to take note that the majority of the Maltese electorate did not agree with membership. He said the Maltese nation would not allow Europe to treat it like a second class citizen. "The story has been closed with yesterday’s voting. Let’s move on, the people know where we are. Yesterday an absolute minority backed Dr Fenech Adami’s proposal and that means the question is closed. The next step is the general election, and I hope Dr Fenech Adami will see sense and call elections to be held as soon as possible."
Reacting soon after Labour leader Alfred Sant declared that his partnership policy won the referendum by 52 per cent, Alternattiva Demokratika chairperson Harry Vassallo was in no mood for fooling around.
"I think we have to teach Alfred Sant mathematics. This is the first exercise in direct democracy for 40 years and the Green Party, which campaigned wholeheartedly for six years for EU accession to be decided by a referendum, is glad that the people responded heavily to this exercise. We are also happy with the clear outcome in favour of the ‘Yes’ vote."

The PN/AD, the alliance that never was
16 March 2003 - Alternattiva Demokratika, the Green Party launched its general election campaign soon after the referendum results, ruling out any possible form of pro-EU coalition with the PN after a breakdown of record talks over the week following the referendum victory. Rueful words from AD leader Harry Vassallo: "Our duty as a party is to now confirm the result of the referendum at the general elections. There is still a timetable for an alliance to be formed before the end of the week, although it doesn’t seem there will be one." With no pro-EU alliance for the time being, both PN and AD appear to be going it alone on 12 March.

PN victory at the hustings - Eddie mania at Ta’ Qali
13 April 2003 - The high point of the day at Ta Qali was surely at 6.00pm when the Leader of the Nationalist Party arrived at Ta’Qali. Walking in with former minister for Justice and Local Government, Austin Gatt, and PN Secretary General Joe Saliba the Prime Minister elect had to be protected wherever he went because of the crush of people.
Even before he passed through the gates of Ta’ Qali the shouts of ‘Eddie, Eddie’ broke loudly through the otherwise silent day at the counting hall. When Fenech Adami entered the counting hall it seemed as if there were only Nationalists supporters there.
In an interview shortly after his visit to the counting hall Eddie Fenech Adami rebutted firmly any suggestions that could lead one to believe that his political career might end in the coming years. Eddie Fenech Adami said that while EU membership was a very important milestone in his life he would be facing his political decisions day by day.

MLP Leadership contest heats up
20 April 2003 - Following the election loss, rumours were rife that Sant may be considering stepping down. John Attard Montalto was the first of Labour’s leadership contenders to publicly declare his intention in a misguided ‘spot’ interview with NET TV. Bad move. He kicked off his campaign with an advert in l-orizzont while other possible contenders were still gauging the reaction of party delegates. Attard Montalto would never make it to leader, and would later confess he had ‘killed’ his political career by confronting Sant at the Labour hustings.
Panic in Sant camp as split looks possible11 May 2003 - Despite enjoying almost cult status in the Labour Party Alfred Sant began doing the rounds among party delegates ahead of the coming leadership vote. Party delegates, who will ultimately decide the leadership contest, interpreted Sant’s move as a sign of panic. Sant is expected to win the race but his vote is not expected to be higher than 75 percent, a far cry from the almost 100 per cent approval in the 1998 post-election general conference. Some delegates are also estimating that Sant’s approval might dip below the 70 per cent mark.
The other contenders for the post of leader, Anglu Farrugia and John Attard Montalto also campaigned heavily among party delegates and although they are not collaborating their combined vote may dent the future status of Alfred Sant. The three leadership contenders submitted their nominations over the past two days and, as widely expected there will be no more contestants.

EU constitution – bad news for Malta
15 June 2003 - The proposed Constitution departed from the Nice treaty commitments and imposed the idea of qualified majority. The Constitution alloted more power to the EU parliament where Malta was not sure whether it would still have five representatives against the droves of elected representatives from other countries.
Qualified majority means the right of veto was thrown out of the window. Motions would now only be passed with fifty percent of EU members comprising sixty percent of the EU population, and that means the larger countries could ride roughshod over the smaller nations.
Bad news also for the fact that commissioner will not multiply to 25 – one per Member State. The number will remain restricted even if there is a proposal for a commissioner without a portfolio and with no right to vote. The size of the EU Commission will later be reduced from its current 20 members to 15, though there would be associate members without the right to vote. The voting commissioners would rotate through the Member States. Large countries would have only one commissioner instead of two.

MEPA issues record 5,481 permits for new dwellings
22 June 2003 - In the international year of eco-tourism (2002) a massive 5,481 permits for new dwellings and 4,698 for commercial property were granted by MEPA. The figures, although provisional, constitute records for Malta ever since records were kept in 1993. In the case of private dwellings the figure constitutes an increase of 31 percent on 2001. The number is an increase of 76 percent on the average of the previous 9 years. 2001 was also a high year with 4,130 as was 1995 when 4,229 permits were issued.
Significantly, both 1995 and 2002 were pre-election years, while no increases were registered prior to the 1998 election that was called at short notice. The combined 10,179 building permits issued last year means that Malta’s landscape will be disfigured by building sites all over the place.

Chairman change at Air Malta - “as it usually is"
29 June 2003 - Former Air Malta executive group chairman Louis Grech revealed his unhappiness at the way he was removed from office, but Minister Austin Gatt claims the change was carried out "as it usually is." Louis Grech learned he was to be replaced as Air Malta chairman from the media, following the announcement of the new Board of Directors for the national airline.
IT and Investments Minister Austin Gatt said the chairman of Air Malta was advised of the decision of Cabinet in the same way as all other chairmen and all other directors of all other companies and corporations. The letter appeared not to have reached Grech before the decision was made public. It is understood that Mr Grech, who was chairman of the national airline for the past six years, but began his career with the airline 30 years ago, found no problem with there being a change at the top of Air Malta, but was not pleased with the way the change was handled.

KMB campaigns for EU withdrawal
6 July 2003 - Former MLP Prime Minister Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici launched a personal campaign encouraging Labour MPs to consider taking Malta out of the European Union as part of their political platform.
Mifsud Bonnici also called on sympathetic MPs to seriously consider setting up a new Labour party. Ironically, his stand was welcomed by some of the top brass at Mile End who believed a split could rid Labour once and for all of its loony left image.
The former premier is still a Labour Party delegate and people close to him said he was adamant the party should respect the will of the 48 per cent of the electorate, who voted on an anti-EU platform. Mifsud Bonnici argued that Labour MPs were voted in on the premise that they were against membership and if they shifted their position they would be betraying the people who voted for them.
EU translation error - “I e-mailed the wrong draft"
The young female lawyer who took it upon herself to translate to Maltese the draft EU Constitution told MaltaToday she had e-mailed the wrong draft to the Convention on the Future of Europe, insisting it was the Convention that approached her to translate the Constitution and that she mistakenly sent the Convention a wrong draft of her translation.
The young lawyer, who today works at the EU’s Office for Official Publications in Luxembourg, penned the notorious igsma tal-pariri in translation of ‘advisory bodies,’ and l-habitanti waslu f’mewg ta’ success for ‘the inhabitants of Europe arriving in successive waves’.
Atrocious ‘keyboard slip-ups’ meant the draft, or ‘Tarattat,’ had not been checked by the translator herself in the first place. Basic grammatical no-no’s which should have never surfaced (mistaken application of lill- and lil, min and minn) were the norm all throughout the document.

Suspended former MLP junior minister accused of withholding money owed to private hospital
20 July 2003 - MaltaToday’s investigations of Professor Louis Buhagiar were finally vindicated with the revelations that the former parliamentary secretary and Labour MP stood accused of withholding money owed to St Philip’s hospital. The evidence confirmed MaltaToday’s position in the court proceedings instituted against this newspaper by Buhagiar.
The Chief Executive at St Philip’s, Dr Frank Portelli said the hospital’s decision to suspend Dr Buhagiar was taken after much consideration and a careful examination of the facts. According to Dr Portelli, Prof Louis Buhagiar was suspended from the private hospital for keeping money that should have been passed on to the hospital.
"I have been receiving complaints from various sources of repeated excessive professional charges to patients, behaviour which was bringing private medical care in disrepute, and which resulted in a loss of contracted work. I personally investigated some of these complaints and found that they were justified."
Falzon to contest European elections
3 August 2003 - The race is on for European Parliamentary seats - among the first off the starting block is former Nationalist minister Michael Falzon, who told MaltaToday of his intentions to contest. He is currently chairman of the Water Services Corporation.
Michael Falzon is remembered for having pioneered the Planning Authority now MEPA, moving Malta’s almost non-existent planning laws into the modern era, but also for his offer to swim in Balluta Bay to prove that it was safe for swimming.

Former PBS chairman was asked not to shake the boat before elections
10 August 2003 - The removal of Austin Sammut from chairman of PBS and his replacement with yet another pro-government individual had nothing to do with strategy but everything to do with political expediency. Dr Sammut was given a three-year appointment but he was unceremoniously replaced by another political appointee - Michael Mallia.
On accepting the appointment Dr Sammut was given a precise political brief not to undertake reforms before the general election to avoid causing unnecessary ripples. The stratagem was dictated from the very top.
Michael Mallia, a director at Multigas was appointed at the helm of PBS along with other new directors. The move came as a surprise for many given that his predecessor had been in office for only 10 months and with a brief to undertake reforms only after the election.

THE BICAL SCANDAL – The start of new revelations
24 August 2003 - For reasons best known only to themselves, controllers appointed by the government blocked funds owed to long suffering depositors of the defunct BICAL Bank, even though they have had access to assets that far exceeded the amounts owed to the account holders.
In a letter dated the 5 August and addressed to the controller, Cecil Pace, the founder and owner of BICAL bank called on Raymond Gatt, the government appointed controller, to forward the remaining amounts without further delay.
From investigations carried out by this newspaper, controllers appointed for the bank have been paid inexplicable high amounts of fees from BICAL assets while account holders have waited in vain to be repaid. Some controllers have also added inflated costs for administrative services in a story that finds its roots in the unhealthy early seventies.
When the bank’s license was suspended in 1972 following an intervention by the left-leaning Mintoff government bent on nationalising Maltese banks, Cecil Pace owned assets that far exceeded the 1 to 2 million Liri deposits of the BICAL bank depositors (now worth some Lm15million).
In the late fifties through to the early seventies Cecil Pace was more than a household name, today at the age of 73 he still recalls every little detail from the past. Before 1972 he was second to none and undoubtedly the Maltese with the biggest business empire. In his twenties, he owned ships, small industries, hotels and properties. Then destiny caught up with him and at the age of 42, Cecil Pace the man who employed over 3,000 Maltese men and women, was convicted of fraud and hidden away at the Kordin prison for 14 years, together with his brother Henry. No one else has ever had to live behind the walls of Kordin, even though far more serious cases of ‘proven’ fraud have surfaced in the last thirty years.

REVEALED: KMB's naïve and ruthless treatment of BICAL empire
21 September 2003 - In a show of unashamed negligence, naïveté and irresponsibility, Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici - reborn 'socialist saviour' and shadow to erstwhile premier Dom Mintoff - turned to breaking up all the wealth of the BICAL associated companies.
Jablo Plastics, later renamed Marsa Plastics, had an overdraft with BICAL of Lm22,127 on 25 November, 1972, carrying an interest of 8 percent per annum and covered with a general hypothecate and approved by the Central Bank as is the norm.
As controller, Mifsud Bonnici's duties were to sell enough assets to pay off the company's overdrafts to then release the company which would then continue its operations. But Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici was in a different frame of mind.
Both KMB and later controller Emanuel Bonello would acquiesce to repeated requests made by managers of the Jablo company to loan monies from BICAL and associated companies - in 1978, Lm12,000; 1979 - Lm5,169; 1980 - Lm4,000; 1982 - Lm27,000; 1983 - Lm3000; 1984 - Lm10,000; 1985 - Lm13,000; a total of Lm74,169.
Cecil Pace has no ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ about the background to the loans: "No controller had the right to approve such loans according to their duty's obligations, because their sole role was to pay off creditors and liabilities and not to amass debts. Ironically the two stolen amounts were equivalent to the overdraft balance with BICAL, proving that there had been money to pay off the bank."
Nothing, however, would equal the actions of KMB’s replacement Emanuel Bonnello as controller. When he sold off Jablo in 1991, both controllers had by then increased credit liabilities from BICAL from Lm22,127 in 1972 to Lm281,985 in 1991, and loans advanced from associated companies to the tune of Lm76,597.
According to the 1972 accounts, Jablo Plastics had Lm24,954 in cash at hand and in bank. Yet this cash also disappeared. Additionally, in 1990 the company had a total asset value of Lm595,086 - Lm195,274 in machinery; stocks valued at Lm134,334; trade debtors owing the firm Lm114,542; and Lm50,936 cash in hand and at bank, as well as Lm100,000 in company goodwill. Emanuel Bonello decided to sell the company for the ridiculous amount of Lm140,000.

MaltaToday reveals the names of the alleged child abusers
5 October 2003 - Police investigations regarding allegations of paedophilia by three members of the Missionary Society of St Paul and one diocesan priest are ongoing as more alleged victims this week came forward with stories of sexual abuse perpetrated at the St Joseph Institute in St Venera.
MaltaToday revealed that the four persons identified in the deposition made with the police by the alleged victims are: Fr Joseph Bonnett, Fr Godwin Scerri, Fr Charles Pulis and Fr Conrad Sciberras. The first three are all members of the MSSP order while Fr Sciberras is a former member of the MSSP and now a diocesan priest. None of the priests are currently in contact with children, MaltaToday has been told.
For a brief period in the late eighties Fr Sciberras was the head of St Paul’s Missionary College in Rabat and he was also a teacher at the school. A couple of years ago, Fr Sciberras left the order but remained a diocesan priest. He is currently in Malta.
Fr Joseph Bonnett was for some time responsible for the St Joseph Institute in St Venera.
In the eighties Fr Bonnett was also involved in the Depiro Youth Centre, where he helped organise the football nursery. In 1987, when based at the St Joseph Institute, Fr Bonnett helped create the St Venera football club nursery and remained involved until the early nineties.
Fr Charles Pulis also taught and offered his pastoral services at the St Paul’s Missionary College. Both him and Fr Bonnett are in Malta. On the other hand, Fr Godwin Scerri is currently based in Rome.

Tomorrow’s Schools CEO suspended in direct order scandal
19 October 2003 - Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools’ (FTS) CEO Alfred Ferrante was suspended indefinitely following a MaltaToday investigation into the abusive issuing of direct orders by the foundation, the Ministry of Education’s arm responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of schools.
Minister Louis Galea told MaltaToday that the FTS board, "whose duty is to supervise the operation and management of the organisation", was not satisfied with the overall quality of management and with the necessary level of control by Alfred Ferrante, deciding to terminate his contract. Three other public officers were also referred back to the education division from where they had been seconded.
Only following a timely parliamentary question by MP Joseph Abela, was the list of direct orders issued by the foundation released, showing that a total of Lm401,886 was invoiced by 57 different private companies which were awarded a total of 483 direct orders by the FTS.
This was not the first time the FTS has come under scrutiny for its handling of public monies. In February 2002, Opposition members of parliament accused the foundation of having flouted government regulations on the use of public funds, demanding that the National Audit Office carry out an investigation. When a board of inquiry was set up, composed of members appointed by both sides of the House, the Opposition claimed their own representative was not being allowed access to information, leading to the resignation of the government-appointed officials.

Lou-cifer’s black mass a doubtful affair
2 November 2003 - A 25-year-old satanist who identified himself with MaltaToday pointed out a number of inconsistencies in the black mass featured during the two-part series of Bondiplus on the same subject. MaltaToday was informed that on Tuesday before the programme, Lou Bondi’s guests also expressed their doubts on the authenticity of the black mass footage. Speaking on behalf of a number of satanic covens (communities) the person expressed his doubts on the authenticity of the mass because a number of symbols used did not tally with the rituals adopted by satanists. He also did not know, which coven the ‘satanists’ depicted in the footage represented. Among the symbols that jarred with normal satanic rituals was the painted face of the priest and the inverted cross.
"It is not normal for priests to have their faces painted, or wearing a mask and despite the inverted cross is mentioned in the Satanic bible, it is not used during the black mass ritual because it would be giving importance to something we do not believe in."

Hanged Arab exposes detention nightmare
9 November 2003 - NGOs assisting asylum seekers currently detained in Malta fear an escalation of problems amongst detainees in immigrant centres following the suicide of 31-year old Algerian Abdul Hakim Gharnout, which is currently subject to a magisterial inquiry.
Gharnout, an illegal immigrant twice refused refugee status, was discovered hanging from a window at 2.50 pm at Floriana Police GHQ where he was being detained. It is alleged that Gharnout used a bandage that had been tied around his arm.
Peace Lab coordinator Joseph Abela has described Gharnout’s suicide as "predictable" in the face of detention conditions which "urge one to meet Gharnout’s fate".
Gharnout had been arrested in Birzebbuga in April 2001 and declared an illegal immigrant by the court in January 2002. Out on bail, Gharnout was again arraigned in court, this time in connection with theft, which sentence he served by last June. His application for refugee status was twice turned down.
Days before his hanging, Gharnout was twice taken to Mount Carmel Hospital after threatening to commit suicide, but according to police, doctors said he was not suffering from mental disorders. A distraught Gharnout started cutting himself with a blade, setting a mattress on fire with another detainee at the Hal-Far detention centre, and so was sent to the Floriana police headquarters the police said.

MLP vigilance board stops Sharon Ellul Bonici’s Euro election bid
16 November 2003 - Sharon Ellul Bonici, the former No2EU campaigner vying for one of the eight Labour Party candidatures for the European Parliament elections has had her bid turned down by the MLP Vigilance Board.
The decision was the second blow in as many weeks for Ms Ellul Bonici’s aspirations to grace the seats of the European Parliament. Former deputy leader George Vella had refused to endorse her candidature.
The Vigilance Board seems to have objected to declarations made by Ms Ellul Bonici in the past that the MLP should join the eurosceptic EDD grouping in the European Parliament rather than the European Socialists. They also sought clarifications on Ms Ellul Bonici’s ties to other eurosceptic organisations such as No2EU and TEAM, in which she held official posts.

Former eurosceptic rocks MLP euro-boat
30 November 2003 - Defeated Labour candidates Sharon Ellul Bonnici and Manwel Cuschieri are so upset with their non-election to the MLP European Parliament candidature ticket that they are hoping the outcome will be overturned.
Their hopes have been taken up by Kalkara Mayor Michael Cohen, who is lobbying for the Party’s decision to field only four candidates at the European Parliament elections to be changed. He is petitioning delegates to pressure the party into holding another general conference to approve the other seven candidates that were defeated in the election.

Mintoff’s termination of the National Bank of Malta
7 November 2003 - Thirty years ago, a group of board directors charged with the management of the National Bank of Malta (NBM), a privately-owned commercial bank, were facing a calamity hurling directly from the Prime Minister’s office.
That December month in 1973 would prove to be yet another death knell to many private investors on the island whose business interests were about to be poached and seized by Dominic Mintoff, firebrand Labour party leader and then Prime Minister of Malta.
On Thursday 6 December, 1973, certain NBM branches reported heavy withdrawals amounting to hundreds of thousands of liri. The management of the NBM – General Manager Henry Micallef and assistant manager Antoine Tagliaferro – were called in for a meeting with Central Bank assistant governor Lino Spiteri (Minister of Finance 1996-1997) to assess the situation. Micallef said the bank had enough liquidity to meet a heavy demand.
The next day, as the withdrawals continued, the NBM directors – Chairman Louis Vella, board secretary Dr Robert Staines, Micallef and Tagliaferro – were called in for a meeting with Prime Minister Dom Mintoff.
On Monday 10 December, Lm900,000 was withdrawn. A board meeting of the NBM was called, and it was assured that the Bank still had 30 per cent liquid assets out of its total deposits. The minimum required by law was 25 per cent.
At 3.00pm that day, Louis Vella, Micallef, Tagliaferro, Major Austin Cassar Torreggiani and Baron Patrick Scicluna were called in to a meeting with Dom Mintoff, who was flanked by Finance Minister Guze Abela, Central Bank governor RJA Earland, Lino Spiteri and Attorney General Edgar Mizzi.
Dom Mintoff had laid down his cards – he wanted the bank by 5.30pm. He demanded that the shares be transferred to government, threatening he would close the bank and declare a ‘Bank Holiday.’ Mintoff claimed the solution to stop the run on the bank would be to have the government take the bank in its hands to restore depositors’ confidence.

1995 bus ticket fiasco – how Sant exposed the scandal
14 December 2003 - The bus ticketing inquiry in 1995 had exonerated then-minister Michael Frendo from any wrong-doing but it concluded that the documents in Dr Alfred Sant’s possession, which allegedly proved there was corruption in the award of the tender, were authentic.
How the documents ended up in Alfred Sant’s lap has always been a mystery since they included sensitive information exchanged between Ray Borg of Maltech Services Ltd and the British-based Wayfarer, which were going to bid for the electronic bus-ticketing machines tender. Dr Sant had alleged that the tender document was tailor-made to accommodate the British company and that a ‘contact’ was to receive a ‘commission’ of Lm250,000 for the operation.
MaltaToday can reveal that it was a foolish act of absent-mindedness by Ray Borg that regaled the then-leader of the opposition with the crucial documents.
Mr Borg had forgotten a file full of documents and letters in a public place and another individual, who also had an interest in the bus-ticketing tendering process found the file and took it to Dr Sant.
The delivery of the documents in late 1995 and early 1996 was a godsend for the Opposition leader with an election just around the corner.
The file contained among other things a draft of the tender document that was not yet public, which Borg sent to a certain Nick Andrews from Wayfarer. Borg asked Andrews to study the draft tender and advise him (Borg) "what details" he "would like to see included."
Eventually Andrews answered back and suggested some changes to the tender document before this went public on 18 July 1995. A number of changes requested by Andrews were eventually made to the tender document, a move that would have certainly advantaged the British company in its bid.
When the scandal broke out the Prime minister was pressured into ordering an inquiry led by Judge Caruana Colombo. The tendering process was shelved and Minister Frendo suffered the political consequences of the campaign orchestrated by the Labour Party. He struggled at the polls and eventually even lost his parliamentary seat.
It took eight years after that failed attempt to introduce the bus ticketing machines for somebody to venture into the field once again. As of this year the Transport Authority has installed bus-ticketing machines in all buses but the equipment has proved to be of an inferior quality.
But despite the repeated complaints by commuters that the new system is not as efficient as it had been trumpeted to be the Opposition is silent. There has been little criticism and the reason for this might very well be grounded in the mysterious way Alfred Sant obtained the damning documents in 1995.

Is Louis Grech’s Lm336,000 six year income an invention?
21 December 2003 - Former Air Malta chairman Louis Grech, target of IT and Investment Minister Austin Gatt’s recent outburst in Parliament, in which it was suggested that Grech could have earned up to Lm336,000 over his six-year chairmanship, is questioning Gatt’s claims.
Although Louis Grech has failed to indicate how much he has earned as chairman of the national airline, the impulsive Austin Gatt could face accusations of unfairness and incorrectness if it is proven that Grech earned much less than originally claimed. The IT and Investment Minister’s comments have not only ruffled Mr Grech’s feathers but also have shaken the stature of former cabinet colleague Josef Bonnici, who may have good reason to feel incensed by Dr Gatt’s commentary in Parliament.
Dr Gatt’s comments emphasised the mismanagement and overspending in many of the parastatal companies, effectiv