Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/260953
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 16 FEBRUARY 2014 2014 6 News JURGEN BALZAN FORMER finance minister Tonio Fenech has rebutted energy minister's Konrad Mizzi's accusations that he was aware of the energy theft at En- emalta and that he "should shoulder responsibility" for over 1,000 smart meters found to have been tampered with. Speaking to MaltaToday, Fenech said that he was never aware of this and that the Nationalist Party later said that the MP would be suing the minister for libel. On Saturday, Mizzi claimed that Fenech, who was responsible for En- emalta under the previous PN admin- istration, "was aware of energy theft on a large scale but failed to take any action". "Whoever is behind this scam must pay. However, who will carry the po- litical responsibility?" Mizzi said on Labour's One Radio. Eight Enemalta employees were sus- pended after a Theft Control Unit set up within Enemalta discovered that at least 1,000 smart meters had been tampered with, registering less energy units than actually consumed. According to Mizzi, the theft amounts to 10% of the total genera- tion of electricity by Enemalta, cost- ing taxpayers around €30 million in 2012 alone. Echoing Mizzi's claims, the Labour Party issued a statement in which it accused the former PN administra- tion of being aware of the tampering, but denied media reports on the alle- gations and failed to take any action. "Suspicion was rife at the time and although it was obvious that a huge amount of energy was being stolen, absolutely nothing was done," Mizzi said. Describing the theft as an "organ- ised scam", Mizzi said the discrepancy between the units of energy produced and the units of energy consumed by customers was one of the first prob- lems flagged to him upon taking of- fice. Engaging Italian company Enel, the theft control unit identified 1,000 meters whose internal hardware tam- pered "professionally". Mizzi did not exclude further sus- pensions at Enemalta and said that people were coming forward with information. "Our intention is to turn Enemalta into a clean business. We will not accept theft and we will not accept abuse." As first reported in various sections of the media in 2012, the masterminds behind the racket were said to have charged around €1,200 per smart me- ter tampered with, with prices going up if the job was done within com- mercial establishments. In April 2012, Enemalta rebutted a particular report in Labour's e-paper Maltastar.com, by saying that "it would be highly un- professional of Enemalta or ARMS to claim that the possibility of hacking into the Smart Meter system or oth- erwise tampering with the meters did not concern them." "Having said that, the smart meter system uses secure encrypted com- munication and data recording tech- niques which are both highly robust and resilient to such attacks. The claimed use of magnets is in reality nothing new, as there have been re- ports of these being used on all types of meters for years. However there is one key difference with the new Smart Meters; such tampering can now be easily and remotely detected," Enemalta had said. However, yesterday Fenech denied that he was aware of the theft, insist- ing that if this was the case, he would have "immediately informed the po- lice". "We absolutely had no information about energy theft. What we were aware of is that the smart meters might have had certain defects and we were carrying out tests with Enel to investigate possible flaws." Fenech added that, "unlike the Labour government" the former administration was prudent enough not to divulge details on these pos- sible flaws and methods as to how meters could be tampered with. "We did not want to give people ideas and encourage theft." "The minister is blaming every- thing on the Opposition as he has been doing for 10 months. However, it is clear that he is doing so because he has been caught on the wrong foot in this case." He said that Mizzi "was the one who should shoulder responsibil- ity" for appointing Louis Attard, one of the Enemalta employees being charged with the crime of tamper- ing with the meter, as a liaison of- ficer between the state utility and the ministry. Fenech said that Attard was ap- pointed as the "minister's voice in- side Enemalta" and was awarded a promotion and an allowance in- crease without a call. "Mizzi is responsible for appointing Attard, who is one of the employees who is expected to be arraigned over the theft of energy." Sources close to Enemalta told MaltaToday that Attard was em- ployed with Enemalta in 2005 on a scale 10 definite contract. In 2010, he was promoted to scale 5 and in February 2013, before the March 2013 general elections, his contract was changed to indefinite. On Wednesday evening, pressed by Nationalist MP George Pullicino, Mizzi confirmed that Attard was one of the Enemalta employees who had been suspended. Moreover, Fenech said that Mizzi should be "thankful" to the previous administration which had introduced the smart meters and an IT system which make it easier for Enemlata to detect theft. Fenech will be suing the energy min- ister for libel. "It is clear that Mizzi is in a state of panic following the appoint- ment of a liaison officer between the ministry and Enemalta who is under investigation over the theft of energy. Mizzi is blatantly lying in an attempt to avoid taking political responsibility on the matter," the PN said. Enemalta's Theft Control Unit iden- tified the persons who had installed the tampered smart meters and car- ried out random checking on smart meters installed by each tradesman. 95% of the smart meters checked con- firmed the unit's suspicions. The checking process remains un- derway. A small number of smart me- ters have been replaced. On Friday, Paul Pantalleresco, a former Enemalta employee, was jailed for two years after he admitted to brib- ery and tampering some 250 Smart Meters. An additional two Enemalta employees, who were arraigned on Saturday, pleaded not guilty and were remanded in custody. Tonio Fenech denies he was aware of energy theft Identity Malta is seeking to strengthen its Corporate Services through the recruitment of an IT Systems Administrator (Ref: MPO 708/2013/07 - Permit Number 24/2014) The selected candidate will be responsible for the administration of the local IT infrastructure, administering and troubleshooting software, hardware and IT systems. S/he will monitor the network resources and their performance to ensure high-quality connectivity, assign configuration of authentication and authorisation of directory services, analysing software and hardware, and proposing improvements to processes as necessary to the Chief Information Officer. Applicants must : have MCSA/MCSE Microsoft Certification in Server Management or equivalent be proficient in the administration of Windows server 2012 and well versed with Network Security and Network infrastructures. have work Experience in MS Active Directory, MS Exchange and Virtualisation (VMware). Have a minimum of 5 years experience in Systems Administration Applicant must preferably: be in possession of a First degree in IT networks, Computer Systems Administration or in another area relevant to our requirements have CCNA/CCNP Cisco Network Certification in Networking or equivalent Knowledge of electronics, telephone and security systems will be considered an asset. Career Opportunity Interested persons are to send a covering letter together with a detailed Curriculum Vitae by not later than 28 th February 2014, addressed to Executive Human Resources, Identity Malta Agency, Mediterranean Conference Centre, Old Hospital Street, Valletta, VLT 1645. Applications may also be sent by email to jacqueline.pace@identitymalta.com Identity Malta is a government Agency established through Legal Notice LN269 of 2013 Tonio Fenech: "We absolutely had no information about energy theft"