'Public funds should be used to help people, not indoctrinate them,' PN leader says

Bernard Grech said that he is eagerly waiting for the National Audit Office’s investigation into the abuse of public funds by ministers during a courtesy visit.

“Public funds should be used to help people, not indoctrinate them,” he said with reference to a controversy that erupted last year on public funds spent on social media pages by various ministries, which in effect were advertising vehicles for the ministers.

Grech was speaking during a courtesy visit at the National Audit Office in Floriana, where he met Auditor General Charles Deguara and other officials.

Deguara said that auditing wasn’t an easy task in a country like Malta, where everyone knows each other.

“It’s not about seeing that money is being used well, but also about resources... We don’t just point fingers at others - if it has to be done, then so be it, but our goal is good governance,” Deguara said.

“If public funds can be used better, or if management can be improved, we will offer recommendations,” the Auditor General said.

Grech signed a visitors diary and thanked the audit office for its work.