Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1243341
3 LETTERS & EDITORIAL maltatoday | SUNDAY • 3 MAY 2020 Mikiel Galea Letters & Clarifications Chetcuti Cauchi investigation The Investment Migration Coun- cil has concluded a thorough sev- en-month investigation into allega- tions by the French media, finding no breach of the IMC Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct by Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti. The precautionary investigation was based only on claims made in French by the TV programme, added in voice-over to muted footage of a meeting with Dr Chetcuti but no other evidence was presented to back these claims. Central to the evidence submitted by Dr Chetcuti were the raw footage obtained by the firm in the course of its successful court proceedings in France and the IIP Regulator's Report of November 2019. The final decision of the IMC was announced in a press statement today the 27th April 2020. In its statement, the Investment Migration Council pointed out that "following a thorough investigation into the reasons that led to a tempo- rary suspension of Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti from membership of the IMC introduced on the 26 Septem- ber 2019, the IMC has decided to remove the suspension and close the investigation. The IMC established that Dr Jean-Philippe Chetcuti has not acted against IMC Codes in the case that was subject to investiga- tion." The IMC stated that "reaching a fair and just decision in this case, was only possible by taking into account all evidence, including the ORiiP Analysis and the raw footage of your entire meeting with the French un- dercover journalist which allows for assessment of the entire context of your discussion with the French un- dercover journalist." "On the basis of the ORiiP Analy- sis, and assessment of the raw foot- age of the entire meeting the IMC reached a decision to restore your right to officially affiliate yourself with the IMC and close the investiga- tion process. The available evidence shows that you have not infringed the CEPC during your meeting with the French undercover journalist." We welcome the finding by the IMC that the unedited raw footage reviewed by this professional body contradicts the assertions made by the French media. We appreciate the thorough scru- tiny of this and the Report of the IIP Regulator and welcome the IMC's conclusions wholeheartedly. Chet- cuti Cauchi is a firm built on strong ethical principles and we have full faith in the honourable conduct of our representatives. James Vella Clark, obo Chetcuti Cauchi Advocates Taking the lead It is truly amazing how naive and out of touch with reality some Catholic priests are. In a write-up entitled "The benefits of coronavirus", a local priest wrote: "We have pushed God aside for far too long, yet now He has taken the lead." On the same day (3 April), the same newspaper reported: "Con- firmed coronavirus cases approached one million around the world yester- day as Europe reeled from the pan- demic... The virus claimed thousands more lives in its relentless march across the globe." Over 210,00 people have perished in the pandemic so far. He "who has now taken the lead" did not save those precious lives. John Guillaumier St Julian's