Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1499757
4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 21 MAY 2023 NEWS Permezz ta' digriet mogħti fis-7 ta' Ottubru, 2022, mill-Qorti tal- Maġistrati (Malta) fl-atti tal-Kontromandat flismijiet A&J Baldacchino Boatyard Ltd vs Joseph Caruana, Kontromandat numru 2711/1999, ordnat s-segwenti pubblikazzjoni biex sservi ta' notifika fil-konfront A&J Baldacchino Boatyard a tenur tal-Artikolu 187(3) et sequitur tal- Kap. 12. Permezz ta' Kontromandat numru 2711/1999 ippreżentat fil-Qorti tal-Maġistrati (Malta) wara l-Mandat ta' Sekwestru numru 2711/1999 fl-ismijiet A&J Baldacchino Boatyard Ltd vs Joseph Caruana (KI 208967M) maħruġ fit-18 ta' Awwissu, 2022, ir-rikorrenti Joseph Caruana (KI 208967M) talab bil-qima: Illi din l-Onorabbli Qorti tordna l-ħruġ tal-opportun kontromandat għar-raġuni infraskritta. Raġuni: Stante li l-Mandat tas-Sewkwestru 2711/1999 ma ġiex imġedded għal żmien twil u fi kwalsijasi każ l-ammont ġie saldat (vide Dok. A anness). Kontromandat Repubblika ta' Malta Mandat tal-Qorti Lill-Marixxall tal-Qorti Billi wara l-esekuzzjoni tal-mandat li għalih jirreferi r-rikors ta' hawn fuq hemm raġunijiet skont il-liġi għala l-istess mandat m'għandux jibqa' jseħħ. Mogħti mill-Qorti hawn fuq imsemmija tal-Qorti talMaġistrati (Malta) bix-xhieda tal-Magistrat Dott. Rachel Montebello Fil-Qorti tal-Maġistrati (Malta) Fl-atti tal-Kontromandat numru 1841/2022 Il-Qorti, Rat ir-rikors għall-ħruġ tal-kontromandat; Tordna n-notifika tiegħu lis-soċjetà sekwestranti bi żmien ġimgħa għar-risposta. Illum 23 ta' Awwissu, 2022 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The original company had been set up by one of the investors in Vitals Global Healthcare, the company entrusted to operate three State hospitals in a lucrative concession granted by the Mus- cat administration in 2015. The former prime minister de- nied wrongdoing and insisted his work was legitimate and ful- ly documented. He also alleged that the attempts to link him to corruption were a frame-up and in a veiled message to the Labour grassroots insisted on MaltaTo- day's camera that he would fight tooth and nail "even if he was alone". Muscat's words did not go un- noticed among his most avid supporters, who professed their unconditional support on social media. But the former PL leader's words were also noted by people in Cabinet. A minister who felt uncomfortable talking about the issue pointed towards Muscat's words as a sign of someone who is trying to stir up a hornet's nest. "When I speak to diehard La- bourites they argue that the rev- elations are nothing more than the Nationalists and Repubblika trying to pick on Joseph [Muscat] but I believe the sentiment is one of convenience rather than con- viction," the minister said. There is an ongoing magisterial inquiry into the hospitals conces- sion and its outcome, according to most MPs, will have the big- gest bearing on what the Labour Party should do about the 'Mus- cat problem'. "Not to diminish the National Audit Office's investigation, or the news reports published ear- lier this week, but the magiste- rial inquiry's recommendations are the most significant," anoth- er minister told MaltaToday. "I think the report holds the most weight, and its conclusions would determine the way forward." Cutting ties with a former lead- er like Muscat, who propelled the party to 10 straight electoral vic- tories, is too radical a decision to take now, an MP said. "Joseph is becoming an unnec- essary problem to the party, but it needs to make a strategic and calculated political decision; act- ing now is premature," he added. The media revelations came hot on the heels of a third damning report by the National Audit Of- fice that accused former minis- ter Konrad Mizzi of misleading Cabinet on the side agreement he reached with Steward Health Care that would see the govern- ment pay the company €100 mil- lion if a court annulled the con- tract. The NAO also commented crit- ically on the fact that Mizzi con- tinued to negotiate the contrac- tual arrangements with Steward despite not being health minister. The Abela administration is dealing with the aftermath of this scandalous contract that was an- nulled by the court last February. The decision is being appealed by Steward. Prime Minister frustrated Abela's only comment so far on the latest developments impli- cating his predecessor, was that he will not say or do anything to influence the ongoing investiga- tion. But an MP said the Prime Min- ister is frustrated with the situa- tion. "Every three months or so, he must fix a situation created under Muscat's leadership. Since 2020, he just can't catch a break," he said in a tone indicative of frus- tration. "Robert Abela is obvious- ly not happy with the situation, but his words carry weight, and it's not that straight forward for him to make a public statement without proper consideration." Another MP, who was elected for the first time to parliament in the last general election ex- pressed a similar sentiment. "This is not our doing, and we end up having to reply to the media and civil society groups for things we had nothing to do with." Muscat's reaction to the news reports and his request to recuse the magistrate overseeing the in- quiry, "are an admission of guilt", the MP insisted. "He is clearly trying to save himself. The subtle digs on his Facebook posts, the recusal of the magistrate – he is playing with supporters' senti- ments." Others explained how Muscat is still highly regarded among the party diehards, and Abela's chal- lenge lies in convincing them that "it's time to move on". "You must take into context what Joseph did for the party, and the policies he championed. Despite that, I do feel that Abela is slowly, but surely, convincing the diehards to move on but it's no easy task," the MP added. But the feedback from support- ers also comes in the form of criticism at what they feel is the party's silence in the face of PN protests. "The main concern among sup- porters who have spoken to me is not that the party might lose some electoral advantage or pub- lic support, but rather that we are allowing them [the PN] to hit out at us without a proper reaction," one MP said. Party officials are aware of the conflicted sentiment among the grassroots and are constantly ap- pealing for calm. A source within the party in- sisted the outcome of the hos- pitals inquiry is a matter of con- cern to the administration even though the general sentiment in the country remains largely aloof from the storm raised by the me- dia. "People talk to us about ordi- nary problems, but we know that the inquiry has the potential of raising problems especially if it leads to Joseph Muscat being charged, which is why we con- stantly appeal for calm and insist on looking towards the future," a senior party official told Malt- aToday. 'Frustrated' prime minister cannot catch a break since 2020 - MP Robert Abela's only comment so far on the latest developments implicating his predecessor, was that he will not say or do anything to influence the ongoing investigation