Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/695268
4 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 22 JUNE 2016 News Actor denies claims of financial impropriety CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 Montan- aro was reported for taking spon- sorships of €275 for each child without providing proper invoices or documents to sponsors to veri- fy receipt and how this money was used. Montanaro said it was "totally untrue" that funds he raised were – in the Commissioner's words – "not acknowledged, receipted or reported". "The fact is that since the Com- missioner in his investigation did not disclose his source or a con- crete example of such failure, our obvious response to an allegation of that sort was that if there ever was anyone who did not get a re- ceipt that must have clearly been an oversight… Unfortunately lack of proper investigation leads one to jump to the wrong conclu- sions." Montanaro was also revealed in the investigation by the Com- missioner to have used disparag- ing remarks on the impoverished Cambodian children his char- ity helps, although the actor – famed for his annual role as the Christmas panto dame – said the private exchange was a humorous one and that it had been taken out of context. The Commissioner was of another opinion, saying his reference to children as 'window washers', 'kidney donors' and 'just bloody kids', as well as poking fun at the name 'Meng' as 'El Mingo' could not be simply passed off as a crude sense of humour. "The remark is offensive in itself and calls in question the very mo- tive behind Drama Outreach in Cambodia because one cannot believe that you have the chil- dren's interest and well-being at heart when you state this attitude towards them… "The 'silly banter' as you call it continues in an equally offensive and distasteful man- ner with your cruel and insen- sitive remarks about 'Meng' who, one assumes, is one of the boys you were there to help, and your similarly offensive remarks about the girls at the v i l l a g e which I needn't quote." On their part, Drama Outreach committee members yesterday defended their outgoing presi- dent, insisting that the "allega- tions" were made by a "particular disgruntled and troubled indi- vidual." "DO Project feels that these comments were inappropriate and should have been avoided. However these comments which were taken out of context do not in any way represent the work and commitment that Alan Montana- ro has undertaken in co-founding this NGO and working tirelessly for the benefit of the hundreds of children which DO Project has assisted over its four years of operations. "It is highly unfortunate that as a result of false allegations fuelled by vicious personal agendas the hard work of hundreds of individ- uals for the children in Cambodia is ultimately being put at risk. De- spite these attacks DO Project will continue to work for the children whom the NGO and its support- ers have so much at heart." The Commissioner also told MaltaToday that he had accepted Montanaro's explanation on the allegation that committee mem- bers had travelled on holiday to Myanmar while volunteers helped the children in Cambodia. Montanaro explained that af- ter two weeks of working with children, his family travelled to Myanmar on holiday while the programme was entrusted to a qualified group leader. "What we do after our stint as volunteers, including the choice of holiday destination at our expense and in our own time has nothing to do with the work of the NGO and does not preju- dice the programme in any way. Incidentally I must reiterate that all volunteers, c o m m i t t e e members in- cluded, pay their own travel to and from C a m b o - dia." Kenneth Wain No injuries as light aircraft crashes into sea near Xlendi MAT THEW VELLA TIM DIACONO TWO Italian men aged 55 and 61 years, escaped unharmed after their light aircraft crashed at sea in the limits of Xlendi, Gozo at around 6:30pm yesterday. The younger man was the pilot, who had to make an emergency landing after an engine failure. A police spokesperson told Mal- taToday that the men received first aid from people aboard a boat in the vicinity. State broadcaster PBS reported that the men had taken off from Sicily without having advised the Italian or Maltese authori- ties. Police and army patrol boats were deployed on site, as was a Malta Armed Forces helicopter. A Malta Armed Forces helicopter was deployed after an aircraft crashed in the sea off the Gozo coast (File Photo)