Stivala has no regrets on retaining Muscat as consultant: ‘Everyone presumed innocent’

The developer Michael Stivala has said he has no regrets about retaining the services of former Labour prime minister Joseph Muscat as a consultant to his business empire.

Stivala, president of the Malta Developers Association, told RTK host Andrew Azzopardi on Saturday that he was not bothered by allegations that Muscat could be found liable for prosecution in an ongoing magisterial inquiry.

“I have no regrets,” Stivala replied when asked by Azzopardi about his decision to pay Muscat for his consultancy. Stivala said he would retain Joseph Muscat, irrespective of the ongoing magisterial inquiry that might implicate him in criminal allegations concerning the Vitals hospitals privatisation.

“Until a person is found guilty, he remains innocent,” Stivala said, before paying tribute to the former prime minister. “He expanded the Maltese economy.”

Asked what he would do should Muscat have to face charges in court, Stivala was evasive on the future prospect. “If he is implicated, a decision will be taken on the day… you must see what interests are at stake in such a case.”

Muscat is one of the people being probed by an inquiry into allegations of money-laundering and corruption over government’s Vitals/Steward Health Care hospitals contract.

Stivala has also sued independent politician Arnold Cassola over suggestions that the consultancy contract was payback for preferential treatment received by Muscat when he was still prime minister.

In the past Stivala has denied that the payments were linked to Muscat’s time in government. “He offers services to our company as a consultant, from an economic point of view. Our group has been growing steadily and investing in various projects, and we needed some advice on economies,” he had told Times of Malta.

He had said he was not bothered by the fact that Muscat had resigned under a dark cloud. “I think a few months had passed after his resignation. Just like we have engaged lawyers who were in politics… we believe everyone has the right to work after politics.”