Danish foreign minister investigating BWSC contract in Malta

Danish Foreign minister Lene Espersen is reportedly looking into the findings of Auditor General’s investigation on the controversial Delimara Power Station contract awarded to BWSC.

19 November 2010, 12:00am
by Karl Stagno-Navarra

1 min read

Danish Media has reported that Copenhagen’s foreign minister “is now looking into the new case after she was contacted by the Maltese public prosecutor who had considerably irregularities in connection with BWSC's contract.”

Last year Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor (BWSC) was embroiled in a corruption scandal in the Philippines, and is also under the spotlight in Malta after being controversially awarded a €210 million contract for the Delimara Power Station extension.

BWSC produces turnkey power stations, and is one of Denmark's big export companies, last year generating a turnover of 1.3 billion Danish kroner.

In comments to Denmark’s influential business newspaper Borsen.dk, the Danish Minster stressed that the Danish Council for Export has an anti-corruption policy which is based on the principle of zero tolerance

The chairman of BWSC since 1986, Torkil Bentzen, is well know in Danish business life Borsen.dk reports.

His is former manager in Dong Energy, and has a seat on the board of directors at FL Smidth.

He has also been part of the Foundation for the Industrialisation of Development Countries, a division of the Foreign Ministry in Denmark.

In 2003 he was reportedly quoted to have said:“corruption is an issue you have to deal with when working in countries in the Middle east, Africa and the Far East. I think it is well known in all export companies.”

The statement was made after the Danish newspaper Borsen.dk documented that the Danish company accepted to pay a Filipino official in 1999. Danish police investigated the case but could not do anything at the time according to Danish law.

More from Karl Stagno-Navarra

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Mr. South, I did not imply that AUSTIN GATT is the chairman but that AUSTIN GATT has a chair on the PAC committee. However having said that, it sure looked like AUSTIN GATT did indeed act as a CHAIRMAN, because he dictated the agenda. Committees such as PAC should be filled with professionals and not politicians who has a conflict of interest, whether they sit on the government side or the opposition.

Alfred Galea •

Windy, the Weasel is not the chairman of the PAC....Mangion is if I'm not mistaken BUT the govt. has a majority of members and of course they just agree with the Weasel in whatever he says and does.

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We said it yesterday and the whole issue will eventually land right up the ranks of the Government. The BWSC contract is technically Null and Void and the correuption of Lehemeyer BWSC and Mitsui is evident just by following the trace of the contract from the start. Any one (body Corporate) that unduly influences a Procurement system or the background rules about the potential project for which they will gain Party to is acting corruptly. As we said yesterday (from our experience of International Procurement Rules) the EU is correct to investigate this and those who are complicit should be treated as criminals and face hefty and exemplary terms of pumishment including Gaol for Individuals as well as Financial Recompence to the People/Tax Payers in Malta. The statement yesterday that this will be near €2,000 Million by 2018 stands correct in this.

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As usual let's export Maltese corruption offshore and as far away as possible from the citizens that will pay the ultimate price. Are we really that gullible to believe that if the Maltese Auditor General could not conduct his investigation properly within his jurisdiction and get an indictment to get proper answers under oath from hostile witnesses. Then the Danish Foreign Minister could be successful to demand that those hostile witnesses and associates with political clout be extriadited to Denmark, to give proper evidence. This is a Maltese matter on the backs and health of the Maltese people and any decent and moral administration should have summoned everyone involved to give evidence under oath before the Public Accounts Committee where AUSTIN GATT should be removed due to his conflict of interest. Why hasn't the OPPOSITION demanded this ? How can the Minister chair a committee that is investigating one of his contracts ? How come none of the media picked up on this Saviour Balzan ? Another administration disguise through it's foreign office to try and put out the fire on this hot issue that would not simply go away. Cunning but not necessarily successful if the opposition can be creative enough to demand transparency by ensuring it's presence in Denmark through it's PAC members and the inclusion of everyone concerned, including AUSTIN GATT as a witness.

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Ghandek ragun squall. Jiena ghndi dritt li nahseb li kollha huma mdahhla fl-affari. Mhux qed nghid li huma imma li nahseb u hadd ma jista' jghidli li ma nistax nahseb. Li ma kienx hekk ghalfejn ghamlu u ghadhom jaghmlu dawk l-ostakli kollha biex ix-xhieda ma jinstemghux? Kieku ma kellhomx il-faham miblul kienu jkunu huma stess li jitolbu lix-xhieda biex jitilghu jixhdu mhux hekk?

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Truth kif gonzi jista jaghmel dak li qed tghid (1) jista ikun imdeffes huwa stess (2) jista ma jkunx ukoll mhix qied niggudikah (3) pero Austin Gatt denbu taht il blatt zgur ghax la qied jaghmel dak kollu li fil poter tieghu ghandu biex Trantor Joe Mizzi u Spiteri Gingell ma jitilawx jixhdu sinjal li huwa imdahhal fil froga ghax kieku ma ghandux biza kieku mhux ser isib problemi li dawn it tlieta min nies jaghtu ix xhieda taghhom

Alfred Galea •

His efforts will be railroaded by the Weasel and his cohorts.

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Jekk Gonzi għandu l-icken nitfa dicenza għandu jħassar il-kuntratt, jiġbor lura l-flus li diga' thllset il-BWSC bl-imghax, ikecci lil Austin u jghaddi guri lil kull min kellu x'jaqsam f'dan l-iskandlu t' kiorruzzjoni "perceputa". Gonzi, ghandek l-icken hjiel ta' dicenza u serjeta'?

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Fl-ahhar jitla' f'wicc l-ilma z-zejt! Min jaf min bghabas kif ghandu msarnu f'saqajh.

Phillip Martin Micallef •

about f*%kin time!!!!!!!!!!..................x bdew jistennew dawn???