Cassola reports Transport Malta sexual harassment case to PM in open letter

Independent candidate Arnold Cassola has presented an open letter to the Prime Minister on what he said were allegations of filth, clientelism and sexual harassment, inside the transport regulator.

Cassola said that in just four years, the number of employees at Transport Malta had risen from 400 to over 1000.

“The authority has become an Ian Borg fiefdom, with a great deal of cronyism concerning his constituents or core Labour sympathisers. This is demoralising many qualified people in Transport Malta because it is difficult for them to get promoted as they are not strong Labour supporters,” Cassola said.

“Arrogance has become the norm in Transport Malta and there are cases of people who have a bad conduct or reputation, but are still rewarded with promotions, because they belong to the Ian Borg or Labour camp,” he said.

Cassola also said there were serious cases of sexual harassment inside Transport Malta, one concerning a TM director. “His behaviour towards women is disgusting. And they try to cover up for him because he is an ardent Labourite.”

The allegations include accusations of clientelism inside Transport Malta, with jobs going to people hailing from transport minister Ian Borg’s constituencies, specifically witihin the maritime and aviation directorates.

Cassola quoted one of his sources describing the aviation directorate’s modification of job appointments as the work of the “Zurrieq mafia”, a reference to the head of the aviation directorate.

Cassola also provided details of a sexual harassment report filed at Transport Malta, but the accused was suspended and then promoted to another job “simply because he is a Labour voter”.

“There were serious cases of sexual harassment that were covered up because of one person’s influence inside the Labour Party. No action is taken against two others accused of sexual harassment, because of their Labour links. I can provide you with their names,” Cassola told Prime Minister Robert Abela in his letter.

Cassola also denounced inefficiencies at Transport Malta on aviation registrations, and allegations of Labour chants being played during TM Christmas parties.

“TM has been turned into a shameful place,” Cassola told Abela. “Honest people who were qualified and knew their jobs well are leaving, demoralised, when they see incompetent people being rewarded just because they are favoured by Ian Borg and the Labour Party.”