Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/483475
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 15 MARCH 2015 4 News CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 THE Gozitan contractors, whose names are being withheld from publication for fear of retaliation, will have to be formally and legally recognised as whistleblowers after a painstaking procedure to guarantee that they are immune from prosecu- tion if they fully substantiate their al- legations. MaltaToday is reveal- ing pictures of works carried out in Gozo, and extracts of an email sent to Nationalist whip David Agius by the first con- tractor. In his email the Gozitan whisteblower lists three im- portant jobs he carried out and was not paid for in the village of Gharb for the mayor, before the 2013 election. "I have excavated and made the concrete base of a football ground in the school of Gharb," he told Agius. Agius this week denied that he knew of the works, which were being financed by the ministry. "To make him more popular with the village people of Gharb I have built him a platform over the en- trance of the valley," he reported to Agius. David Agius wrote in an email dated 22 November, 2013 that he would investigate and revert. He never again made contact. The Gozitan con- tractor, who is in his fifties, is the first recognised whistleblower since the Whistleblowers' Act came into being. His story, which was revealed in MaltaToday, relates to works he carried out for then Minister Gio- vanna Debono's husband. MaltaToday had reported that the costs for the works were being fi- nanced by the Gozo ministry. The contractor was not paid for his works in spite of being told to invoice for other projects which fell under the remit of the Ministry of Gozo. In one of his emails to David Ag- ius who is also responsible for local councils, the contractor tells him: "I am a very unhappy person… it seems that it is my fault that 37,000 voted Labour. I did a lot of work for Gozo and for both ministers Tabone and Debono and till now I am not paid for the works I did including the lo- cal council of Gharb." sbalzan@mediatoday.com.mt Whistleblower had complained to Nationalist whip Nationalist whip David Agius said he would investigate the case but he never did according to the Gozitan contractor legations. MaltaToday is reveal- ing pictures of works carried The Gozitan con- tractor, who is in his fifties, is the first recognised whistleblower since the Whistleblowers' Act came into Images taken by the contractor of works he claims were commissioned by former Gozo minister Giovanna Debono's husband Anthony, a civil servant, for constituents, which were then paid out of the ministerial budget. Top right: emails that the contractor sent to Nationalist whip David Agius after Labour's election to power. At that point, the contractor could not be paid thousands he was owed for the works he carried out. ing pictures of works carried out in Gozo, and extracts of an email sent to Nationalist whip David Agius by the first con- tractor. In his email the Gozitan whisteblower lists three im- portant jobs he carried out and was not paid for in the village of Gharb for the mayor, before the 2013 election. "I have excavated and made the concrete base of a football ground in the school of Gharb," he told Agius. Agius this week denied that he knew of the works, which were being financed by the ministry. "To make him more popular with the village people of Gharb I have built him a platform over the en- trance of the valley," he reported to Agius. David Agius wrote in an email dated 22 November, 2013 that he would investigate and revert. He never again made contact. ing pictures of works carried