Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1085429
19 LETTERS & EDITORIAL maltatoday | SUNDAY • 24 FEBRUARY 2019 Mikiel Galea Fisheries director on IAID audit WITH reference to the allegations in respect of the claims made in the last days, I categorically and absolutely deny any shortcomings on my part. I declare that I have always performed in a professional, ethical and fair man- ner and in accordance with the law in the performance of my duties, and that I have always performed with fairness towards all operators and individuals involved in the sector. With regard to the payments made by the operators to the Director Gen- eral of Fisheries (a post I occupied in the last years), all of this can be verified by anyone making the allegations who cares to ask the questions to the com- petent authorities. I categorically deny having ever requested or asked for some personal money, and that such allegations are fully unfounded. Referring to the reported speech of Jason Azzopardi in Parliament of 20 February 2019, I would like to state that IAID reports do not appear in personal files. That was most clearly demonstrated in the fact that the short- comings listed were due to an acute shortage of resources, principally hu- man, but also other shortcomings, and that there is no reference to any short- comings on my part. Naturally, ad- equate procedures depend on adequate resources. Furthermore, it is unjust to attempt to ascribe unto me the problems and shortcomings committed by opera- tors, over whom I had no control but which were other people's obligation to address, and that I have always car- ried out my duty to the utmost, as far as my powers allowed me, to ask that such problems be addressed, such as the lack of resources. I reiterate that the IAID report focuses mainly on the lack of human resources, and that it is very obvious that I had to perform my duties with the resources and means placed at my disposal, with the obvious limitations listed in the same report. As a result of this audit in 2010 an action plan was established which called for human resources to be in- creased; and therefore after two years, because of the fact that these resources were actually increased, the situation improved, the procedures improved and indeed progress was noted, along the same lines upon of the demands I had been making. The report itself is the best proof that the remaining shortcomings were mainly due to lack of resources and not attributable to any shortcomings of my own. I declare that at all times, I have al- ways taken action whenever necessary and that whenever shortcomings ex- isted, these were reported to the com- petent authorities. I was appointed Director General of Fisheries after a public call and a trans- parent process, and indeed I requested the same IAID to make an update of the 2010 audit in addition to other audits, and this is the best proof that the shortcomings were down to human resources, and not me personally. Such audits by DG MARE are carried out annually over a period of 15 days, and during my term of office they had reported being satisfied with opera- tions. As the sector continued to grow, it has been difficult to match this with growth in human resources, as noted by the NAO, resulting in a department – which I ran – with a shortfall of some 65 people; despite this, I did my utmost to ensure operations remain adequate. It is obvious that this lack of resources was not something I could address on my own, and that I requested that it be addressed, regularly. Contrary to the impression created, no shortcomings pertaining to me were found in the 2017 internal inquiry car- ried out by Dr Paul Cachia. It is strange that this inquiry found itself in the press when it was never at my disposal, but to the best of my knowledge the inquiry did not concern me directly but the wider operation of the aquaculture directorate – which was not directly managed by me – and as far as I am aware did not reveal any shortcomings on my part. To the best of my knowl- edge, the substance and conclusions of the same inquiry did not concern me directly. Andreina Fenech Farrugia, Tarxien Letters & Clarifications