New ARMS chairman at heart of discussion between Muscat and Gonzi

Parliamentary question time this evening turned into an interrogating session between government and the opposition on the role occupied by the new ARMS Ltd chairman Anthony Valvo and the incidents leading to the suspension of Wilfred J Borg as CEO of the billing company.

But the more interesting part occurred when Opposition leader Lawrence Gonzi directly asked Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi whether Valvo, the new chairman, had ever organised any political activities for the Labour Party.

"This person doesn't hold any official roles within the PL," Mizzi replied, prompting a chorus of "eh" from the Opposition side.

A series of questions by Gonzi however led Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to first say that Valvo had never been involved in the organization of activities for the PL.

"I confirm that Valvo never organised any dinners for the party - as far as I know," Muscat said, adding that the PL wanted to make the use of the best elements in the country.

When pressed by Gonzi to say what are the connections between Valvo and the PL, Muscat said that Valvo was the mayor of Xghajra, a locality with a Labour majority.

However, Muscat made sure to deliver home the message that his government would be appointing those who think would be the most competent, irrespective of their political background.

"You will see that there will be appointees with a Nationalist background or had connections with the PN," Muscat told Gonzi.

Further quizzing revealed that Valvo was also a director on a number of subsidiary companies owned by the PL.

"But further questions should be made to the PL," Muscat told Gonzi when the latter asked whether the Prime Minister would present the House of Representatives with the full details regarding Valvo's involvement with Labour.

Defending the direct appointment of Henry Attard as acting CEO, Mizzi said that Attard's experience as a financial controller in the primary health care - appointed by the previous administration - made him competent for the job.

On the appointment of Valvo as the new chairman, Mizzi said he enjoyed vaste experience in financial control.

Asked whether any public calls were issued for the post, Mizzi said the appointment of chairmen were a prerogative of the minister - prompting another collective "eh" by the Opposition.

The debate then turned its attention towards the suspension of Wilfred J Borg, when former resources minister George Pullicino kept pressing on whether Borg had been talked to before he was notified of his suspension.

"The issue is that there were serious shortcomings and Borg failed to assume responsibility when asked to resign," Konrad Mizzi told Pullicino.

Mizzi reminded that a separate investigation was ongoing after the ministry discovered that more than 3,000 beneficiaries had received reduced benefits as a result of a mistake. According to Mizzi, Borg has admitted the mistake, resigned as chairman but refused to step down as CEO.

But as Pullicino persisted on with the questions over the fact that Borg was not first interrogated by the board before his suspension, Mizzi insisted that the "mediocre and unacceptable" situation had resulted in a loss for consumers.

"And we are here to defend the consumers," Mizzi said, suggesting that Pullicino wasn't "defending" the consumer.

An irritated Pullicino asked Mizzi to retract his statement and that his only interest was in the procedure. But alas, PQ time was up.