Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/229731
7 News maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 18 DECEMBER 2013 BA defers hearing on PN complaint against PBS THE Broadcasting Authority has deferred judgement on a complaint by the PN against national broadcaster PBS's head of news Reno Bugeja, for Thursday 19 December. The BA said it had accepted a "valid" request for deferment so that Bugeja's right to a fair hearing was respected, and so that the authority could deliver a fair and just ruling. The PN has filed a complaint against Bugeja after PBS did not report a speech by finance minister Edward Scicluna to the European Parliament's economic and financial affairs committee, which was picked up by the rest of the media for its references to the Individual Investor Programme. The BA was yesterday scheduled to discuss the complaint filed by the PN on 11 December and a press release issued by the PN on this matter. On its part, PBS claimed the item had "no news value". The BA was yesterday informed that Reno Bugeja was indisposed and a deferment for the hearing of this case was sought. "The policy, followed for a number of years by the Broadcasting Authority with all political parties and broadcasting stations, has always been that of accepting valid requests for deferment so that the right to a fair hearing is preserved. In this case, the submission of Mr Reno Bugeja as Head of News of PBS Ltd. is considered vital so that the Authority can deliver a fair and just ruling," the BA said in a statement. "If the Authority had not accepted this request for deferment, it would not only have been in breach of the law and the right to a fair hearing, but it would possibly have rendered itself liable to judicial proceedings. In line with similar cases in the past, both the complainant and the station were informed of the postponement of the sitting. Such notification reached both parties by 10:30am." Finance minister Edward Scicluna's comments to the EP committee – which betrayed the haste with which Malta created a 'golden passport' scheme to sell passports for €650,000 to rich exiles – did not deserve to be reported, according to PBS. The public broadcaster insisted that it was "consistent with its editorial line" to only report political messages that had news value. Following Scicluna's interven- tion in the European Parliament, the PN filed a complaint with PBS, saying that it had neither reported Scicluna's comments in the EP, nor the PN's statement on his speech. In its reply to the Opposition, PBS said: "it's not our policy to be selective in our reports" and that it would have been "guilty of biased reporting had it been selective and reported Scicluna's comments out of context". The PN accused Bugeja of being "very selective in it's reporting" and that instead of reporting news that was in the public interest, PBS was "only interested in acting as a support to government". The PN pointed out that while PBS insisted that there was no news value in Scicluna's comments, this had been extensively reported in the independent media. Addressing a financial and economic affairs committee meeting in the European Parliament, Scicluna may have given too much of a frank 'apology' when he said that Malta had rushed on the IIP. "What happened was that... the team that got into the project of how to attract investors... ran very fast, beyond the project to have an Reno Bugeja investment bank. If I was an MEP here I would say, 'for goodness' sake, I wouldn't expect that from Malta'... it was very unfortunate and its being corrected," Scicluna said of the much-criticised IIP. Government insiders who spoke to MaltaToday recognised that Scicluna had "given the Opposition a new soundbite to capitalise upon", and that they were bracing themselves for more. MEPA's new Gonzi's 'break with Libya' canteen to 'lead launched today by example' JAMES DEBONO THE Malta Environment and Planning Authority has issued 'a call for proposals' to identify bidders interested in providing canteen services, to feed its 375 employees. Bidders for MEPA's new 80 square metre canteen in its premises in Floriana will be expected to cater for vegan and vegetarian options. Moreover, at least 1% of the food and drinks supplied in MEPA's new canteen must be organically grown and 45% of the packaging of products sold in the canteen must be made of recycled content. In order to reduce waste generation, food and beverages must be served using cutlery, glassware, crockery and tablecloths, which are renewable or based on renewable raw materials. Waste produced in carrying out the service will be collected separately according to the collecting system of the public administration, which includes the fractions of plastic, paper, glass and metal. According to MEPA, the call for proposals shall be awarded on the basis of "best value for money" while taking into consideration both the menu and the annual rent offered, specifications. Gozitan accused of corruption of minor A 52-year-old man residing in Xewkija was remanded in custody after he pleaded not guilty to defiling a minor and participating in sexual activities with the 15-year- old. The man was also accused of holding the teenager against his will. Police inspectors Frank Tabone and Louise Calleja prosecuted. Police tip-off ends in unsuccessful search POLICE and customs officials assisted by officers from the drug squad were yesterday morning called in for an operation at the former Marsa Shipbuilding site on suspicion that a boat may have been carrying illegal substances. The ship, Alice, berthed near Dock Seven and had just arrived from Libya. The operation started at around 5am, lasting several hours. The ship's crew is made up of Maltese and Egyptian nationals. No illegal substances were found. Former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi meeting Muammar Gaddafi A new book authored by former ambassador to Libya Joseph Cassar gives an insight into former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi's role during the Libyan crisis. 'Gonzi and Malta's break with Gaddafi – Recollections of a Premier' is a first-hand account of Malta's former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi's handling of the Libyan crisis. The book, written by Joseph Cassar, the former ambassador to Libya, offers a unique journey through the hard and defining decisions taken during the crisis. The book will be launched today at the Palace in Valletta and one of the key protagonists in the 2011 Libyan crisis, Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, will be in attendance. In gripping, never-heard-before detail, the book takes readers inside former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi's Bedouin tent a few days before the revolution started, and inside Gonzi's office the minute the Mirage Jets landed in Malta and where the former prime minister took negotiations with Libya.