Education Minister publishes SMSes, emails with former FTS CEO

Education Minister Evarist Bartolo has published correspondence that passed on between himself and the former chief executive officer of the Foundation for Tomorrow’s School, Philip Rizzo.

The email correspondence, along with text messages, were tabled in parliament last night, a day after the minister delivered a ministerial statement defending his actions after learning of allegations of impropriety surrounding his canvasser of 24 years, Edward Caruana.

The correspondence kicks off on 13 April 2016, when Rizzo – having been appointed FTS CEO – texts Bartolo to talk about his first impressions. The Caruana brothers – permanent secretary Joseph Caruana and Edward Caruana – are immediately featured in Rizzo’s message, who also goes on to say: “… let’s not rush to throw anyone out except EDWARD CARUANA! [sic].”

In one text, Bartolo tells Rizzo to treat Caruana like any normal employee. “Fair but firm. No one outside good governance regulations. He might say that he take cheques to Gozo to make life easier for Gozitan contractors. Listen to him but let us address issues effectively through structures”.

In an email dated 20 April, Bartolo tells Rizzo: “Please understand that no one, no one, no one, enjoys immunity or is untouchable because he has worked for me politically since 1992. Understood?”

In June, Rizzo flags dubious quotations submitted by Caruana for works on Gozo primary schools. Bartolo replies: “Let’s keep it up our sleeves. I would like to meet on this.”

In another email on the possible health risk posed by Ghajnsielem School artificial turf, Bartolo tells Rizzo not to believe one word of what Edward Caruana told him. “[…] We cannot his [sic] him run a parallel rogue operation that does not respect any procedures on how public money is spent. I would ignore him.”

An email dated 10 September shows Rizzo disagreeing with the steps taken by Bartolo to transfer Caruana.

“Transferring Edward with same incredibly high remuneration package is worse than doing nothing at all. All Gozo knows what he was up to … someone is going to ask from where during the last two years Edward got [circa] €400,000 to build a six apartment block in Rabat. Believe me, you’re all playing with fire with highly flammable material all around in each FTS project’s file.”

Bartolo replied: “No one came forward with any tangible proof. Had been promised before your time but none materialised.”

Rizzo insists that Bartolo had plenty of tangible evidence and that the minister would now be judged upon on what he was doing: “Nobody thinks you were involved then … but now your duty is clear.”

It was in 2012 that Rizzo, as a whistleblower, revealed how one of the highest functionaries in the civil service – the chief of the IAID herself Rita Schembri – was conducting undeclared private business from her government office and had business relationships with individuals who could have been also under investigation by the IAID.

In the email to Bartolo, Rizzo adds: “On Perm. Sec. Rita Schembri, I had less than 20% of what I have on the Caruanas! Forgive me, Sir … it’s out of respect that I risk saying so much to you.”