Cassola asks Standards Commissioner to investigate Ian Borg over direct orders

Independent candidate Arnold Cassola wants George Hyzler to investigate Ian Borg for awarding €500,000 in direct orders to an events company he used on the campaign trail

Arnold Cassola writes to George Hyzler about direct orders awarded by Ian Borg’s ministry to TEC Ltd
Arnold Cassola writes to George Hyzler about direct orders awarded by Ian Borg’s ministry to TEC Ltd

Arnold Cassola is asking Standards Commissioner George Hyzler to investigate Ian Borg for failing to mention several direct orders given to events company TEC Ltd. when responding to numerous parliamentary questions on the Metro project. 

Cassola says that despite numerous questions from different MPs, with different amounts of money quoted, the answers presented by Borg failed to include €500,000 worth of direct orders paid to TEC Ltd. 

The amounts quoted in his parliamentary questions include €67,954.12 for digital promotion towards iCreate, MaltaPost, Poultons, Pure and Maze Digital; €76,981 for the Metro proposal's launch event; €30,900 for the printing of flyers and promotional material; €4,927 to MaltaPost for distribution; and €1,807,907 to international consulting company Arup for carrying out the study.

Cassola claims that these amounts do not add up with the amounts awarded to TEC Ltd.

The Government Gazzette showing the direct orders received by TEC Ltd
The Government Gazzette showing the direct orders received by TEC Ltd

Figures given in the Government Gazette show that the Transport Ministry awarded half a million euro to TEC Ltd, all awarded on the same day, for the Malta Metro project. 

The Shift News reported that Ian Borg used TEC Ltd's services during his election campaign, having rented at least six massive tents to hold campaign events in his district. The portal estimated that the rental for these tents should have costed Borg at least €36,000.