Driving test fraud: Ian Borg defends himself saying he advised TM on legal adherence at all times

Former Transport Minister, now Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg said he always advised the authority to operate within the parameters of the law.

Responding to the ongoing controversy surrounding his involvement in the driving test fraud scandal, Borg said that at a time when politicians are often criticised for being distant from the public, he is “proud for being accessible to everyone.”

WhatsApp chats to a Transport Malta officer in charge of driving examinations have revealed that former transport minister Ian Borg forwarded names of test candidates that had to be “taken care of” to ensure they passed their exam.

A Times of Malta investigation shows how a Transport Malta racket helped candidates obtain a driving licence.

The WhatsApp chats obtained show Borg, his canvasser Jesmond Zammit, and his ministry personnel would pile pressure on Transport Malta’s director of licensing Clint Mansueto to “help” candidates at different stages of the licensing process.

“My messages to TM, and what do they show? I attentively consider people's grievances and act upon them… As a Minister, I consistently conveyed messages to the Authority exactly as they were presented to me,” he said on Facebook.

He noted that he engaged with a wide range of individuals, from young people, with various issues to commercial companies spanning from Žebbuġ to Nadur, and Opposition MP Beppe Fenech Adami.

READ MORE: [WATCH] Abela sticks neck out for Ian Borg, customer care officials over driving licence racket

As a Minister, Borg claimed that he consistently relayed messages to the relevant authority exactly as he received them. 

Borg's messages, he explained, were consecutive and reflected his belief that those mentioned, including Hon. Beppe Fenech Adami, had not requested anything outside the boundaries of the law, either from him or from the secretariat that brought forth their concerns.

Regarding the Authority's actions, Borg maintained his belief in their fairness, emphasising that the examiners passed candidates based on their merits, as testified in the courts.

He expressed gratitude to customer care officials for providing “excellent service to all individuals” who reached out during his tenure as Transport Minister. 

READ MORE: [WATCH] Grech accuses ‘desperate for votes’ government of providing a ‘license to kill’

A few hours after the scandal broke, civil society was joined by political parties, in calling for the immediate resignation of Minister Ian Borg, saying that his position was now compromised and not acceptable.

MEP candidate Arnold Cassola also called upon the Standards Commissioner to investigate Minister Ian Borg's involvement in the alleged wrongdoing.