Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/573382
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2015 26 Letters Maltatoday, 25 September 2005 Jason Micallef to deal with MEP's truancy "internally" Labour's secretary-general Jason Micallef has told MaltaToday he will be dealing with John Attard Montalto's truancy at the European Parliament once he will have "more evidence". Clinical about dealing with one of his party's most rebellious of MPs, who had contested leader Alfred Sant's leadership shortly after the 2003 election loss, Mi- callef said the matter was an "in- ternal" one. "I will be dealing it when I will have more evidence about the matter." Micallef however said the MLP does take an interest in anybody who represents it, after being told that according to the Brus- sels registry, Attard Montalto had been attending just 11 per cent of his committee meetings since taking up his seat in June 2004. He will surely have to compare statements by the Labour MEP whose absence from the attend- ance registers at the European Parliament committees contrasts sharply with his statements to Labour party members. Attard Montalto wrote with much aplomb in a Paola MLP club pamphlet in September how he has to stay with his 'eyes peeled' for everything that is happen- ing in the industry and tourism committees he is a member of, as they comprise the "two pillars of the Maltese economy." Writing in the pamphlet, At- tard Montalto said "we have to pay attention that nothing es- capes us since we could either miss out on some opportunity, or lose out from what we have al- ready gained… my committees' principle subjects are industry and tourism, the two pillars of the Maltese economy, and so I have to stay with eyes peeled (ir- rid noqghod b'seba' ghajnejn) for whatever is happening." As a committee member, At- tard Montalto is responsible for shadowing his socialist col- leagues by discussing and ham- mering out proposals from the European Commission and oth- er reports by MEPs before these go to a final vote in the Europe- an Parliament. The 52-year-old MEP has reg- istered the most dismal record of attendance in Brussels out of all five Maltese MEPs, with his main committee – the industry, research and energy committee – having seen the MEP just four times out of 34 meetings over 2004 and 2005. But Attard Montalto claims he does not sign the committee reg- isters, a practice so far not taken up by his colleagues on the same committees – he says he signs the general register and attends committees just the same. Unlike Attard Montalto, the 50 or so members and substitute members on the committee, regularly put their names down. The attendance sheet is placed within the committee minutes, which are always approved by MEPs in subsequent meetings. Attard Montalto has however admitted to not attending his other committee, the transport and tourism committee, for which he is a substitute mem- ber. Attard Montalto attended just three meetings out of 16 for the committee he said had been "ill-chosen for Malta" because it discussed issues concern- ing "railways, canals and road transport which do not concern Malta." Attard Montalto called the committee "a waste of time 80 per cent of the time." And he also scores low on the subcommittee for human rights, the one Attard Montalto told MaltaToday he enjoyed attend- ing. Attendance records show the MEP never signing in for one of the 11 meetings held. Little is know of the MEP's ac- tivities in Brussels – he imme- diately set out on a two-month long honeymoon cruise with his wife Rose and their daughter at the start of the 2004 legislature. Since then, Attard Montalto's presence in the European Par- liament was earmarked by his curious voting pattern on the Working Time Directive, in which the MEP abstained over a proposal universally deemed by all MEPs to be detrimental to Maltese labour demands. "I want to have more evidence," party secretary-general Jason Micallef told MaltaToday earlier this week. "However, if you had to take the Maltese parliament, there are many MPs, even from the government's side, who do not attend because they are at- tending to other political busi- ness elsewhere." Giving something back – music and mission The notion of giving something back to music fans is ingrained in many musical artists, as exemplified in the ritualised forms of the encore at gigs or as free songs on websites. Fortunately sensibilities have improved in that many musi- cians do not only ply their craft to earn a living or get rich but also for the benefit of their fellow man. For exam- ple Taylor Swift pays surprise visits to children's hospitals. Beyonce' encourages people to be moral with her BeyGood campaign. Justin Bleber's latest fragrance sales are intended not only to turn a profit while making people smell nice but also to help with the proceeds of an educational organisation. And last month One Direction invited supporters to join in a citizens' movement in which the 'Directioners' could say how the world should be made better. On a much smaller scale, Foundation U has been set up to channel the proceeds from its fundraising efforts to what one can call 'heroes on the front line' who left the comfort of the First World, such as Malta, and went to Third World Countries where inequalities abound and there seems little possibility of this significantly changing from top down. 'Front line heroes' mission- ary priests and nuns try to change for the better the lives of some of the poorest and most discriminated people from 'bot- tom up', through having school classes for poor children and health clinics for those in most need. In the second weekend in September, from Friday 11th, Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th September a TV fundraising marathon was held on all local TV stations for which readers helped by phoning or sending an SMS, thus showing solidari- ty. Maltese religious, priests and nuns work in mission countries such as Pakistan, Kenya, Cam- eroon, Chad and the Central African Republic. J. Bonett Balzan St Julian's An excellent bus service We have an excellent bus service, in spite of all the gripes being reported in the media, which must be coming from disgruntled Nationalists. I sup- pose that just like Tonio Fenech has his spies in the government, Austin Gatt has his band of detractors, doing their best to mitigate the consequenc- es of his most public disasters. I use the buses about three times a week, on two days each week having to make four journeys to go to my part time job. I find the service excellent, and as a Kartanzjan holder wonderful value. The buses are not only new and com- fortable, they are also so much more suited to our roads than what Arriva had lumped us with – even that es- caped Austin Gatt's attention. The Arriva buses were also touted as environmentally friendly – apparently people consider only emissions. The Arriva buses were so noisy, they were my constant companions when I was in my garden, two blocks of buildings away from their route. The only fly in the ointment today is the human element. The majority of the drivers are Maltese, ignorant and arrogant. There is no way they will stop for a commuter rushing to catch the bus if they have started to move off their bus bay – not, at least, if the commuter is not showing some boobs or a bit of thigh. When they feel like they do not stop to pick up passengers who signal them, and they shorten their journey at will, taking a different route so that people waiting where the bus should be passing, do not get their public transport. Most treat their clients, the pay- ing commuter, like dirt. And who can blame them. With their unions defending all their abuses, for fear of losing members, they are lords of all they survey. Compare them to the foreign drivers employed with Alesa. I suppose these are grateful for having found employ- ment. Not only do they not dawdle along their route, they are polite to passengers, help them where they can without giving their help as if they are doing someone a favour, and do not mind waiting to take on more passengers who reach the bus stage after the driver would have closed the bus doors. As I see it, Autobuses de Leon should sack all its Maltese drivers, or most of them anyway, if it wants to improve on what it is offering. C. Galea Rabat CLARIFICATION: The Ottoman Siege of Malta The last two para- graphs in 'Curb your enthusiaism for the Great Siege', Sunday 13 September, incor- rectly attributed to Prof. Carmel Vassallo quotes belonging to Prof. Victor Mallia Milanes. As such, the penulti- mate paragraph should read: 'Ultimately, the en- during appeal of certain Great Siege myths could simply be down to just how powerfully its key players stick in the im- agination. While Mallia- Milanes disagrees with "traditional historians" who tended to depict the Siege as a major histori- cal event – "it hardly had any long-term impact on the historical develop- ment of the Mediterra- nean" – he doesn't deny the seductive narrative that comes with it.' The error is regretted. Clients' account and attachment order I refer to the 'Brief ' on the above subject written by Malcom Mif- sud in last Sunday's edition. This 'Brief ' contains financial, legal and banking implications that in my opinion need clarification. Referring to Exante Ltd's present licence issued by the MFSA: This company is officially stating under court records that it was acting as a 'broker'. I am of the opinion that brokering 'financial deals' of whatever na- ture requires a Financial Brokers Licence, which apparently Exante Ltd does not have. Exante Ltd also claims that it is opening accounts with BOV under 'clients' names. For a 'bro- ker' to manage the assets of one of the brokered parties is against all known interpretations of this profession. First of all 'brokering' requires 'two parties'. In this case, there is only 'one party', namely the client. Secondly for a broker to manage the assets of one of the brokered parties takes the 'essence' out of any brokerage or intended broker- age deal as it simply represents a conflict of interest and can pos- sibly lead to abuse. In this case, what Exante Ltd has been doing is more of a 'trus- teeship' nature and in that case Exante Ltd should be so licensed under the MFSA legislation. It looks to me on the basis of the facts as stated, that this company could have been acting outside the remit of its present licence. Had Exante Ltd been in pos- session of the Financial Brokers and Trusteeship Licences, then it would have been able to claim provision of 'services' under its existing licence but within the framework of licences in hand. As it stands, 'services' are being interpreted as doing anything one wants and calling it whatever suits the occasion, which is not the ideal situation where people's money is concerned, as is the present case being investigated by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Also of serious concern is the fact that Exante Ltd has been opening accounts with BOV Ltd under simple 'client' nomencla- tures without any information at all as to end beneficiary. What is of even more serious concern is BOV Ltd's statement that it could not determine whether the money held in these accounts are in fact of third parties, meaning that BOV Ltd had no information at all as to who is the 'end benefi- ciary', throwing the legal banking requisite of due diligence out of the window. Now this is a very serious admission coming from a bank. It is well known by all that these days, under Money Laundering legislation, all banks in almost all the world, for whatever type of accounts involved, must have full knowledge of the 'end benefici- ary'. BOV Ltd's admission as re- ported seems to put the bank in a serious breach of this legislation and if it is as claimed, then I think we have discovered the perfect money laundering scheme ever. The above is being stated on the basis of the facts as presented in the Brief by Malcolm Mifsud. No allegation is to be taken as fact but only as possible inter- pretation of what has been stated in the 'Brief ' and the abridged information contained therein and all remain subject to correc- tion. In fact, I think that parties concerned should help to clarify their position in this saga for the enlightened readers. Frank Camilleri Attard