Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/625693
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 13 JANuArY 2016 5 MiriaM Dalli Tonio Fenech has staunchly de- fended his decision to purchase a Honda CRV Estate used during his tenure as Cabinet member, insisting that the €1,908 price was determined by the depart- ment in accordance with govern- ment procedures. A parliamentary reply tabled in parliament by Finance Minister Edward Scicluna showed that the Honda was purchased for €25,401, as a second ministerial car. The PQ erroneously stated that the vehicle was purchased in 2008, when it was bought in 2004. Every minister is entitled to a second car and others, such as former health minister Joe Cas- sar, opted for a yearly allowance of €7,000. on the other hand, former minister Austin Gatt's second car – a Peugeot 307 XRS – was bought for €12,845. Between 2008 and 2013, Gatt's ministry spent €5,229.82 in re- pair costs but also paid €2,886 to get a replacement car while the Peugeot was out of service. Fuel expenditure for the Peugeot reached €5,304.34 for 4,225 li- tres of fuel. About the Honda Fenech said that "the car was acquired in ac- cordance with government pro- cedures when a minister termi- nates office," and added that the government's policy on depre- ciation was followed. He added that senior officials such as a permanent secretary or director general are also given the opportunity to acquire their car upon retirement. The value, he added, is deter- mined by the department ac- cording to a set policy which takes into account the number of years in service. "i could have also opted to change the car after six years but i did not because i felt i shouldn't put an additional burden on the state," the nationalist MP said. Fenech also said that he had paid the tax on the car along the nine years in the form of fringe benefits. He will ask the minister to disclose this information. "Should i have opted to take the allowance rather than the second car, i would have been granted €7,000 per annum which would amount to €63,000 over the nine years," he insisted. Repair works on the Honda during the period amounted to €8,293. Fuel expenditure amounted to €6,578 for approxi- mately 5,000 litres of fuel. "The car was bought by the minister on the eve of the elec- tion for €1,908," Finance Minis- ter Edward Scicluna said in reply to the parliamentary question raised by backbencher Charles Mangion. Fenech – who no longer serves as shadow finance minister – is not new to controversy. in 2008, his then private sec- retary, noel Borg Hedley, was convicted of taking bribes from the JPM construction firm; the same firm which had carried out renovation works in Fenech's house. The then finance and economy minister was also in the head- lines following a trip to watch a football match in London with businessman Joe Gasan, aboard a private jet owned by the Tumas Group. He was also hot news around the election of 2013, when he was mired in the Tal-Lira clock controversy. in the case of former home affairs minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici, Minister Carmelo Abe- la said that a Volkswagen Passat had been procured in January 2008 but no payment details were found. Repair works during this period cost €1,049.60. The car was used for just eight months and the fuel costs amounted to €646.73. News €1,908 paid for nine-year-old €25,000 Honda 'decided by department' – Fenech Former minister bought the Honda CrV Estate for €1,908, three days before the 2013 general elections PN launches general convention focused on the environment Gabriel ScHeMbri THE nationalist party will be holding the second General Convention, entitled 'ideaAmb- jent – Kwalita' ta' Hajja Ahjar'. During a press conference launching the convention – which will take place between 15 and 17 January, at the Corin- thia Palace Hotel in Attard –Ro- sette Thake explained that the discussions and proposals pre- sented during the convention will include issues that impact the quality of life, including em- ployment, health and culture, as well as the natural environ- ment. Speaking to MaltaToday, Pn secretary general Thake said the main aim for this convention will be to explore all the dimensions related to the environment, be it urban or rural, while exploring its inf luence on the economy. Paula Mifsud Bonnici, a chair- person of the convention organ- ising committee, said that the purpose of the event was for the Pn to hear from both experts and the general public on the se- lected topics. She said that this convention is aimed at creating an arena for discussions which go beyond politics. Mifsud Bonnici said this was the reason why Simone Vella Lenicker was appointed as con- vention president, because she was not involved in politics. Vel- la Lenicker was approved by the Pn's executive committee. The Pn's spokesperson for the environment, Marthese Portelli told the media that this con- vention will address the lack of holistic approach that is being practised by the administration. "The government has ignored environmental issues in, prac- tically, every decision it made," Portelli said. The general convention will be concluded on Sunday, with an address by the party leader. PHOTOGRAPHY BY Ray attaRd Marthese Portelli, Paula Mifsud Bonnici, Rosette Thake and Simone Vella Lenicker addressed the press conference on Tuesday continueS FroM paGe 1 Two bus routes (202 and 203) that used to travel from Sliema to the university, and the bus route (33) that used to travel from Swieqi have effectively been merged into a single route (233). "The 33 bus used to take me to the university in around 15 minutes, but its replacement goes through Sliema, which makes the journey 45 minutes long," Swieqi resident Chantal Mangion wrote on the peti- tion. University students from Attard have been left particu- larly short-changed as a result of the new routes. With the 202 and 203 routes to the uni- versity removed, Attard stu- dents now have no choice but to catch the 106 bus – which now turns up (or at least should) every hour instead of every half hour. "it took me one hour and 45 minutes to get from Attard to the university, a journey that shouldn't take more than 20 minutes," Ruth Azzopardi wrote. To make matters worse, the bus stop by the university's main entrance has become something of a mini-termi- nus, with drivers parking their buses near the roundabout, causing road blockages. Am- bulances have reportedly been forced to wait behind other vehicles, even in emergencies, as the parked buses allow no room for them to pass. in response to questions by MaltaToday, bus operator Malta Public Transport in- sisted that Transport Malta is responsible for bus routes and frequencies. Questions sent to TM were not answered at the time of writing, but the transport regulator had ear- lier claimed that feedback "in- dicates that many commuters are now being served better". it did however acknowledge the need to "tweak " some routes. tdiacono@maltatoday.com.mt Muscat's Alfa proves to be more 'fuel-efficient' than his second car MiriaM Dalli A second car which the Prime Minister is entitled to may not be as fuel efficient as one would have expected after information tabled in parliament shows that an aver- age of €114 were spent for fuel every week. The second car is normally uti- lized when the official car is not in service. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat makes use of his personal Alfa Romeo after opting for the yearly allowance instead of pur- chasing a brand new saloon car for official use. The Alfa Romeo, Muscat told Pn MP David Agius, consumes an av- erage of €70 per week for an average of 49 litres of fuel. However, the second car con- sumed some €114 worth of fuel every week for 87 litres. in the written reply, Muscat went on to point out that the official car used by former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi used to consume an average of 76 litres of fuel every week for €96. The expenditure on the second car was of €27 per week for 21 litres. He added that the car used by opposition leader Simon Busuttil between June 2013 and november 2015 consumed 56 litres of fuel every week for €75. Your first click of the daY www.maltatoday.com.mt Online petition calls for return of previous bus routes The PM's Alfa Romeo consumes an average of €70 a week in fuel