Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/678126
3 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 11 MAY 2016 News MALTA 14.5x18cm ING.pdf 1 19/04/16 16:45 Labour demands names of beneficiaries with offshore links to PN 'middlemen' THE Labour Party has challenged Opposition leader Simon Busuttil to publish the names of the ben- eficiaries of offshore companies whose intermediaries were the legal and consultancy firms of PN officials. Economy minister Chris Car- dona told a press conference that it would be interesting to know whether any of these beneficiaries also took out a loan through the PN's 'Cedoli' scheme. "According to Busuttil, anybody who opens a company in Panama does so because they are cor- rupt or complicit in corruption," he said. "Using his own yardstick, will he take action against [PN MPs] Francis Zammit Dimech and To- nio Fenech, [PN executive presi- dent] Ann Fenech, and [former special representative to the EU] Richard Cachia Caruana?" When it was pointed out by the press of the difference between owning an offshore company – as minister Konrad Mizzi and OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri do – and helping people set them up, Cardona said he is simply measur- ing Busuttil by his own yardstick. "There's a big difference be- tween the two, but according to Busuttil everybody who provides consultancy for people to open companies in Panama is complicit in corruption." Busuttil brushed off revelations in the Panama Papers by insist- ing that the legal and consultancy firms of PN exponents had served as intermediaries for British Vir- gin Islands and Panama compa- nies. "There is a clear difference be- tween clients and service providers. If a person is found guilty of a crime by court, should his lawyer get sentenced as well?" the PN leader asked. However, Cardona retorted that people who give advice to criminals to commit a crime are also com- plicit. Busuttil: Mizzi and Schembri must go TIM DIACONO OPPOSITION leader Simon Busuttil expects Prime Minis- ter Joseph Muscat to sack his chief of staff Keith Schembri and minister Konrad Mizzi af- ter the Panama Papers database confirmed the two hold off- shore companies. Busuttil is also calling on the authorities to investigate for whom a third Panama company, Egrant, opened by accounting firm Nexia BT was destined for. Nexia BT insists that Egrant is still a shelf company. "Muscat no longer has any excuses not to fire Mizzi and Schembri, particularly seeing as Malta will take on the EU presidency next year," he told a press conference at the Parlia- ment building. "The more he delays taking action, the more he is damaging Malta's reputa- tion." Busuttil drew a clear line be- tween the shareholders of off- shore companies whose names appeared in the Panama Papers and the intermediaries who helped set them up. He accused the Labour Party of trying to conf late the two so as to ease the Mizzi and Schem- bri situations. "The Panama Papers prove that no PN MP or official, di- rectly or indirectly, own com- panies in Panama or in the British Virgin Islands," he said. Former PN minister Ninu Zammit was named in the Panama Papers, but Busuttil noted that he had suspended him from the party as soon as his name had popped up in last year's SwissLeaks revelations. The PN leader brushed off revelations that the legal firms of PN executive Ann Fenech and the former firm of PN MP Francis Zammit Dimech had served as intermediaries for BVI and Panama companies. "There is a clear difference between clients and service providers. If a person is found guilty of a crime by court, will his law yer get sentenced as well? There is absolutely noth- ing wrong with being part of a legal firm that deals with cli- ents in the financial industry, as indeed I once was myself. What is problematic is for a serving minister to open a se- cret company in Panama. "Labour is trying to equate the two so as to give off the impres- sion that everyone is as dirty as Mizzi and Schembri, and hence that no one should be believed." However, he warned that Bri- an Tonna, the managing part- ner of Nexia BT – the account- ing firm that set up Panama companies for Mizzi, Schembri and a third unknown person – has a clear conf lict of interest. "Tonna has an office at Cas- tille and works as Mizzi's and Schembri's personal consult- ant. He should no longer re- main involved at Castille." Opposition leader Simon Busuttil accused Labour of conflating Panama company owners with intermediaries Economy minister Chris Cardona said people who give advice to criminals to commit a crime are accomplices PANAMA PAPERS