What the Sunday papers say…

Malta Today leads with the police investigation into former Enemalta chairman Alex Tranter’s misuse of funds. Tranter, who was appointed chairman of the state-utility corporation in 2005 by Nationalist minister Austin Gatt, is the subject of a parallel investigation by the Enemalta internal audit office over an alleged misuse of funds.

This newspaper’s highly-regarded survey also shows that, with less than a week to go until the MEP elections, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat leads Opposition leader Simon Busuttil by no fewer than 16 points in the trust barometer. On their part, Alternattiva Demokratika seems to have made small inroads amongst switchers.

Sunday paper Illum reveals that during the five-year period between 2008 and 2013, under the previous Nationalist administration, the backbenchers received a total of €2 million. In fact, 8 of these backbenchers, which include amongst other names Beppe Fenech Adami, David Agius and Franco Debono, were appointed as parliamentary assistants and received in the region of €127,000.

The Sunday Times reports that the Labour Party is likely to lose its fourth seat in the upcoming MEP elections but will still return a considerable majority in the region of 24,000. It also says that the recent controversy surrounding former Labour MEP candidate seems to have had little effect on Labour’s lead.

The Malta Independent on Sunday reports that the voters who are least decided derive from the Labour Party. Indicating that Joseph Muscat is the more trusted leader from the two camps, the newspaper claims that the strength of Nationalist incumbents David Casa and Roberta Metsola could put the PN’s third seat at risk.

It-Torca claims that during the past legislatures under the PN, a total of €4.5 million were handed out in consultancy fees and jobs with these given to the party’s clique. It says that many people close to the PN were employed directly by government, with a particular reference to the 2003 – 2008 term.

Nationalist organ Il-Mument says that government officials are working directly from the Labour party headquarters. The newspaper also claims that it had confirmation that patients died in the corridors of Mater Dei with people visiting the health ministry directly to complain about out-of-stock medicines.

Kullhadd quotes Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit denying that he will be resigning his position any time soon. The newspaper also refers to a report published by ILGA-Europe which says that Malta is the country which has made the most progress in LGBTI rights over the past few months.