Updated | Transport Malta denies PN claims of ‘irregular’ berthing of vessels by AUM dock

Transport Malta has denied setting tariffs for boat mooring in Bormla’s Dockyard Creek, specifically at Zone B, saying this area fell under the administration of the American University of Malta.

The AUM is administered as a private entity by Sadeen, the company that owns AUM.

Transport Malta was replying to allegations on the mooring of boats at the AUM dockyard area, saying that none of its officials had jurisdiction over the management of boat mooring at the AUM dockyard in Bormla. “Transport Malta maintains that the procedure for mooring in Zone B falls beyond the authority’s competence, and no individual is authorised to administer boat mooring.”

The Nationalist Party claimed earlier in the day that Transport Malta officials were irregularly orchestrating the berthing of vessels near AUM.

The PN said that the AUM’s role in the area is to give TM a summary of berthing activities along the university’s premises, but this has never happened. The party stated that berthing activities are being managed by individuals on a personal level, despite the fact that they are TM officials. 

The PN made reference to a number of scandals that involved TM‘s Maritime Enforcement Unit. Last March, MaltaToday revealed that at least three TM officials within the authority’s Maritime Enforcement Unit (MEU) have been tampering with maritime fines.

Only a few days ago, this newspaper also reported that a senior official within TM had admitted to buying fuel for his private boat while billing the authority. Despite the admission, TM said that the claims were false and refused to answer questions sent by this newspaper. 

In its statement, the PN thanked the genuine workers within TM, as it called onto the police and the authority to shed light on the latest scandal.

The opposition also asked whether the police had suggested the suspension of three TM officials in light of ongoing investigations, a question which remained unanswered by TM when asked by this newspaper. 

The PN called for the authority’s internal investigation into the matter to be made public.

“The PN also asks why the police is still waiting to hear the testimony of a number witnesses that can aid their investigations, and why such investigations keep dragging on,” the statement concluded.

The statement was signed by PN MPs Ivan Castillo, Darren Carabott, and Mark Anthony Sammut.