Thousands spent by former Enemalta chairman using company credit card

The figures were provided by finance minister Tonio Fenech in response to a parliamentary question by Labour MP Evarist Bartolo.

Fenech said Enemalta has a credit card system with Bank of Valletta to facilitate online payments such as flights, overseas accommodation, local and foreign conferences and seminars, as well as hospitality.

Instead of charging back expenses through the presentation of receipts, the corporation issues a credit card under the name of the Enemalta chairman, previously Alex Tranter, and manages it through his office. However, payments made using the card are processed by the ministry's finances section.

Tranter resigned as chairman of Enemalta in March of this year. The Finance ministry had said that he voluntarily resigned after accepting a senior management position with a multinational company abroad.

Throughout his position as chairman, Tranter was also director of Caremalta, LBM Breweries and Vassallo Joiners, which are all subsidiaries of Vassallo Builder, owned by former PN mayor Nazzareno Vassallo. He was also a co-shareholder of software company Makeezi. Tranter had denied that his resignation was pushed by government because of his business links.

Former Enemalta CEO David Spiteri Gingell, who sat on the adjudication board of the controversial Delimara extension, is also carrying out consultancy work for Vassallo Builders Group, the contractor for Danish firm BWSC.

The former CEO’s consultancy firm has carried various assignments for the company, whose owner is magnate and PN donor Zaren Vassallo, and whose directors include the former Enemalta chairman Alex Tranter, who admitted to a conflict of interest in the Delimara tender process.